LAKELAND, Fla. – Carson-Newman men's basketball has been chosen as one of 10 teams to participate in the prestigious Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic to start the 2024-25 season.
The Small College Basketball Hall of Fame made the announcement at its annual awards banquet Saturday afternoon.
"We are thankful and excited for the opportunity to participate in the most prestigious pre-season event at the D2 level," head men's basketball coach Chuck Benson said. "This will allow us the chance to compete against elite programs from other parts of the country that we wouldn't typically play against. We genuinely cannot wait!"
The Eagles will head to Lakeland, Fla. for the event Nov. 2-3 to open the 2024-25 season. C-N will open the campaign against Lake Superior State on Saturday, Nov. 2 before taking on Fort Lewis Sunday.
Lake Superior State went 23-9 last season and advance to the Midwest Regional Final before bowing out to Ferris State 86-81just shy of the Elite Eight. Fort Lewis was 29-4 last season. The Skyhawks fell in the round of 32 in the NCAA tournament to sixth-ranked Colorado Mesa 85-80.
"I am just thrilled with the field of teams that will be participating in the 2024 Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic," The SCBHOF's John McCarthy said. "Six of these teams played in the NCAA Division II Regional Championship game this past season, while four of them reached the Elite Eight, Both teams that played in the National Championship game this past season (Minnesota State and Nova Southeastern) will open up the 2024-25 season in the Hall of Fame Classic. We are so grateful to the D2 CCA for the exemption that they provide for the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic, and we continue to be thrilled with the support from Florida Southern College, Polk County Tourism and Sports Marketing and Visit Central Florida. Collectively, I'm confident that this is the finest overall in-season event within NCAA Division II basketball."
Carson-Newman returns all five starters and 86 percent of its scoring from a team that won 22 games last year.
This will be the fifth season a South Atlantic Conference team has been invited to the SCBHOFC. Queens went in 2018, while Lincoln Memorial has played three times – 2016, 2019 and 2022.
The event is hosted by Florida Southern College and is sponsored by Polk County Tourism & Sports Marketing and Visit Central Florida.
Saturday, November 2, 2024
11:00 Carson-Newman vs. Lake Superior State
1:15 Fort Lewis vs. Point Loma Nazarene
3:30 Nova Southeastern vs. Gannon
5:45 Florida Southern vs. Minnesota State
8:00 North Georgia vs. STAC
Sunday, November 3, 2024
11:00 Fort Lewis vs. Carson-Newman
1:15 Lake Superior State vs. Gannon
3:30 Nova Southeastern vs. STAC
5:45 Florida Southern vs. Point Loma Nazarene
8:00 Minnesota State vs. North Georgia
