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Annual Events Benefit The V Foundation for Cancer Research, Close Out Jimmy V Week Initiative Dec. 6 & 7

Matchups for the 2010 Jimmy V Women’s and Men’s Basketball Classics on Dec. 6 and 7, respectively, have been determined. The women’s game, held at Duke University in Durham, N.C., for the first year, will feature Texas A&M vs. Duke in a showdown between conference champions Monday, Dec. 6, at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2. The men’s doubleheader, held at New York City’s famed Madison Square Garden for the eighth consecutive event, will pit Conference USA power Memphis vs. defending Big 12 regular-season and Tournament champion Kansas on Tuesday, Dec. 7, at 7 p.m. and Michigan State, coming off back-to-back NCAA Tournament Final Four appearances, vs. defending BIG EAST regular-season champion Syracuse at 9 p.m., both on ESPN.

Once again, the two early-season college basketball events that showcase top programs on ESPN and ESPN2 will conclude the fourth annual Jimmy V Week, a weeklong initiative Dec. 1-7 across multiple ESPN platforms and programs featuring special content to help raise funds for cancer research.

Tickets for the Jimmy V Men’s Basketball Classic will go on sale in September via Ticketmaster and at the Madison Square Garden Box Office. Tickets for the Jimmy V Women’s Basketball Classic will be available at the Duke ticket office (877-375-DUKE (3853) or [email protected]).

Ninth Annual Jimmy V Women’s Basketball Classic

Highlights:

Texas A&M will make its Jimmy V Classic debut against a Duke program that has won its previous three appearances in the event.

• Defending ACC Tournament champion Duke, coming off an Elite Eight appearance in the 2010 NCAA Tournament, will host defending Big 12 Tournament champion Texas A&M, which made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament as a No. 2 seed.
• Texas A&M has won all three contests against Duke, including a 95-77 victory in their last showdown on No. 15, 2009.
• Both teams finished the 2009-10 season in the Top 25 (Duke at No. 6 and Texas A&M at No. 14) and are expected to debut in the preseason Top 25 poll this season.

 16^th Annual Jimmy V Men’s Basketball Classic

Highlights of the event showcasing four of the nation’s elite programs:

• All four teams will be making a third appearance in the event; Michigan State is 2-0, Memphis 1-1, and Kansas and Syracuse are 0-2. It will mark the first time any team has played more than twice in the men’s Classic.
• Memphis and Kansas will meet for the third time in four years. Previous meetings include the 2008 NCAA Championship and the 2009 Hall of Fame Showcase in St. Louis, both won by Kansas.
• Syracuse is 9-7 all-time against Michigan State and has won the past three, including a 96-83 victory in the last meeting, Jan. 3, 2004.
• Three of the four teams finished the past season in the top 10 (Michigan State at No. 4, Kansas at No. 6 and Syracuse at No. 8).
• Three of the programs each has an incoming recruiting class currently ranked in ESPNU’s latest top 10: Memphis, No. 3, Syracuse, No. 4, and Michigan State, No. 6.

 Jimmy V Men’s Basketball Classic Dinner Oct. 13

The head coaches for all six Classic teams are expected to appear at the 16th Jimmy V Basketball Classic Dinner Auction to be held Wednesday, Oct. 13, at New York’s Chelsea Piers’ PIER SIXTY, presented by ESPN, Madison Square Garden, and The V Foundation. Proceeds from the dinner and auction will benefit The V Foundation to fund cancer research. For additional information or to reserve tickets call The V Foundation at 1-800-4JimmyV or log on to www.jimmyv.org.

The V Foundation

The V Foundation for Cancer Research was founded in 1993 by ESPN and the late Jim Valvano, legendary North Carolina State basketball coach and ESPN commentator. Since 1993, The Foundation has raised more than $95 million to fund cancer research grants nationwide. It awards 100 percent of all direct cash donations and net proceeds of events directly to cancer research and related programs. The Foundation, which has received seven consecutive top 4-star ratings from Charity Navigator, awards grants through a competitive awards process strictly supervised by a Scientific Advisory Board. For more information on The V Foundation or to make a donation, please visit www.jimmyv.org.

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