PHOENIX – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today that BYU men’s basketball is part of the field of teams for the third annual Jerry Colangelo Classic, a premier college basketball showcase hosted at Talking Stick Resort Arena on Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020. The one-day quadruple-header will feature Gonzaga vs. Texas Tech (televised on CBS), Arizona State vs. BYU, San Francisco vs. Grand Canyon, and Northern Arizona vs. San Diego.
“We look forward to hosting a unique collegiate event in Phoenix, featuring three Arizona teams and honoring Jerry Colangelo, a man who has done so much for the game and the state he calls home,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “We think this will be a great opportunity for college basketball fans to come out and enjoy the wonderful desert climate this holiday season, while taking in four games at the freshly renovated Talking Stick Resort Arena.”
The Jerry Colangelo Classic is one event in the Hall of Fame’s series of collegiate events, which continues to grow in an effort to celebrate the game outside the museum walls. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is proud to continue its relationship with Learfield IMG College for sponsorship representation of its portfolio of collegiate events.
BYU finished the 2019-20 season with 24 wins and ranked No. 18/16 in the AP and USA Today Coaches Polls. Mark Pope set the school record for wins by a coach in his first season while making history by becoming the only Cougar coach to finish his first season ranked in the top 25. BYU had one of the most efficient offenses in the country in 2019-20 as the Cougars were No. 1 in the NCAA in 3-point field goal percentage and top five in assist to turnover ratio, field goal percentage, 3-point field goals per game and assists per game. Before the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, BYU was set to receive a single-digit seed in the 2020 NCAA Tournament.
The Cougars return senior Alex Barcello and junior Kolby Lee, starters in 2019-20, as well as Gavin Baxter and Connor Harding, juniors with significant starting experience. BYU also adds three NCAA Division I transfers in Matt Haarms (Purdue), Richard Harward (Utah Valley) and Wyatt Lowell (Utah Valley), who are eligible to play this season.
Arizona State has posted three straight 20-win seasons under NCAA career assist leader and 1992 Final Four Most Outstanding Player Bobby Hurley, who enters his sixth year at ASU in 2020-21. ASU made the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back seasons in 2018 and 2019 for the first time since 1980-81 and was looking at a third straight trip in 2020 for the first time since the 1960s. ASU is the highest scoring team in the Pac-12 the past three seasons (78.1 ppg) and led the league in steals (249/8.03 per game), turnover margin (+3.19) and turnovers forced (16.42) in 2019-20.
Ticket information, game times and additional television broadcast details and will be released at a later date. As the health and safety of the athletes, fans and staff is of the utmost importance, the Basketball Hall of Fame will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation closely in the coming months and provide updates as needed.
Quotes from Select Participating Head Coaches
“This is going to be a great event for college basketball fans. We’re really excited about the opportunity to play at a great venue against a great program in Arizona State. But we’re even more excited to play in an area that is a hotbed of BYU fans. We have great fans all over the country and we can’t wait to play in front of Cougar fans in Arizona.” – Mark Pope, BYU
“We always want to schedule great neutral site games in NBA arenas against great competition and that is what this game allows. The game matches two teams that would have been in the NCAA Tournament last year and have the goal of returning this year. Playing in downtown Phoenix, where ASU has made such a great impact, is a natural for us. We look forward to being a part of a great day of college hoops in our state.” – Bobby Hurley, Arizona State
“Coach Beard has done another phenomenal job of building Texas Tech back to a national power like he has done at all his other previous schools. We are looking forward to playing in a high-level nationally relevant game in a city where our program has some great memories. Personally, it will be a very special experience honoring a great man, and a friend, in Jerry Colangelo.” – Mark Few, Gonzaga
“We are excited to be a part of the Basketball Hall of Fame’s Jerry Colangelo Classic. Gonzaga is consistently one of the top programs in college basketball and we look forward to the opportunity to compete. We have the utmost respect for Coach Few and the Gonzaga program. Our fans will enjoy the city of Phoenix and playing in a NBA arena. You come to Texas Tech to compete in games like this.” – Chris Beard, Texas Tech
"We are thrilled for the opportunity to compete against Grand Canyon University in the 2020 Jerry Colangelo Classic at Talking Stick Resort Arena. This will be another opportunity for our student-athletes to compete in an NBA arena in front of a lot of eyeballs. We've made a concerted effort to challenge ourselves in the non-conference, and this is simply another example of that.” – Todd Golden, San Francisco
“The Jerry Colangelo Classic is turning into one of the best events in college basketball. We are very excited to be a part of such a tremendous day of basketball in the city of Phoenix.” – Bryce Drew, GCU
“It’s quite an honor to be selected to play in this event associated with the Basketball Hall of Fame and Mr. Jerry Colangelo. It’s an opportunity for our players to play in front of a Phoenix crowd with so many NAU alumni. We’re excited to bring our brand of Lumberjack basketball from Flagstaff down to the Phoenix area.” – Shane Burcar, Northern Arizona
"We, as a program, could not be more excited to take part in the 2020 Jerry Colangelo Classic and we appreciate the Basketball Hall of Fame for having us in the event. To be part of a tournament named after one of the most influential leaders in our game and be among the best from our conference facing off against the best teams from the state of Arizona will be a tremendous experience for our Torero scholar-athletes. I cannot wait to compete against a well-coached team like Northern Arizona in front of our many supportive alums and fans in the Phoenix area." – Sam Scholl, San Diego
About Talking Stick Resort Arena
For more than 28 years, Talking Stick Resort Arena has been a hub for world class sports and entertainment as the home of the Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Mercury, Arizona Rattlers and dozens of live concerts and events each year. A $230 million dollar transformation is currently underway at the iconic building that will reinforce the arena as Arizona’s premier venue. The reimagination of Talking Stick Resort Arena will update the building’s infrastructure and exponentially improve the overall fan experience through state-of-the-art enhancements including significant technology improvements, elevated food and beverage offerings, all-new premium spaces and experiences and much more. Once completed, the transformed venue will treat every guest to an all-new arena experience. For more information, visit TalkingStickResortArena.com.
About the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was born, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting, preserving and celebrating the game of basketball at every level – men and women, amateur and professional players, coaches and contributors, both domestically and internationally. The Hall of Fame museum is home to more than 400 inductees and over 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Nearly 200,000 people visit the Hall of Fame museum each year to learn about the game, experience the interactive exhibits and test their skills on the Jerry Colangelo "Court of Dreams." Best known for its annual marquee Enshrinement Ceremony honoring the game’s elite, the Hall of Fame also operates over 70 high school and collegiate competitions annually throughout the country and abroad. For more information on the Basketball Hall of Fame organization, its museum and events, visit www.hoophall.com, follow @hoophall #ColangeloClassic or call 1-877-4HOOPLA.
Hall of Fame Media Contact: Nicole Taylor, Position Sports, mediarelations@positionsports.com