URI Joins 2K Empire Classic, Now Opens Season Against #18 Arizona State
University of Rhode Island Press Release
KINGSTON, R.I. – In the latest twist to a season that has not yet begun, Rhode Island is now part of the 2020 Empire Classic along with preseason No. 3 Villanova, No. 18 Arizona State and the ACC’s Boston College, it was announced Monday.
In all, Rhode Island saw three new games plugged into its schedule over the last several days. In addition to Arizona State and Villanova/Boston College, the Rams will face South Florida Saturday evening and the University of San Francisco Sunday evening. Both of those games are part of the Air Force Reserve Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off.
Rhode Island will open the season Wednesday night against Arizona State at 7 p.m. on ESPN. The Sun Devils were initially going to face No. 2 Baylor, but Baylor had to withdraw from the event.
Led by preseason All-American Remy Martin, the Sun Devils are coming off their third consecutive 20-win season, going 20-11 overall and 11-7 in the Pac-12 a year ago. Head coach Bobby Hurley is 93-69 in six seasons with the Sun Devils with back-to-back NCAA Championship appearances in 2018 and 2019. Hurley spent the 2012-13 season at Rhode Island as an assistant on his brother Dan’s staff.
The Empire Classic will be a true bracket. The winners of the Rhode Island-Arizona State and Villanova-Boston College games will play in a championship game Thursday night. The losers of the two games will play in a consolation game Thursday. The games will air on ESPN, with the consolation game at 7 p.m. and the championship game immediately after.
The preseason favorite to win the BIG EAST, Wildcats have earned either a share or the outright regular-season title for the BIG EAST in six of the last seven seasons.
Head coach Jay Wright has led his program to national titles in 2016 and 2018. The Wildcats have gone to 14 of the last 15 NCAA tournaments, with six trips to at least the Sweet 16. Wright is one of the premiere coaches in college basketball history, owning 593 career wins entering the year. He is 471-182 overall with Villanova, good for a winning percentage of .721.
Rhode Island and Boston College – which is coached by URI alumnus Jim Christian, are already scheduled for a non-conference game on Dec. 4. It will be the first meeting between the Rams and Eagles since Jan. 2, 2012, a double-overtime win for Rhode Island.
After a day off on Friday, Rhode Island will begin play in the Air Force Reserve Hall of Fame Tip-Off, playing South Florida. Of the four games the Rams will play at Mohegan Sun this week, the matchup with the Bulls was the only one that was on the team’s schedule a week ago. The game will be played on ESPN3 with a 5:30 p.m. tip.
Rhode Island closes out its visit to Mohegan Sun with a game against San Francisco Sunday evening. San Francisco, which finished 22-12 and 9-7 in the West Coast Conference last season, ended the year ranked 83rd in the NET rankings.
Picked fifth in in the WCC preseason poll, San Francisco is led by senior guard Jamaree Bouyea, a preseason all-conference selection. He averaged 12.2 points and 3.5 assists while starting all 34 games for the Dons last season.
The meeting on Sunday will be the seventh between the schools and the first since 1999. Rhode Island leads the all-time series, 5-1.
Rhode Island’s Bubbleville Schedule
Nov. 25 – vs. No. 18 Arizona State, 7:00 p.m. (ESPN)
Nov 26 – vs. No. 3 Villanova/Boston College, TBD (ESPN)
Nov. 28 – vs. South Florida, 5:30 p.m. (ESPN3)
Nov. 29 – vs. San Francisco, 5:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
