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GCU men’s hoops returns to Jerry Colangelo Classic

Posted 6/14/20

The Grand Canyon University men’s basketball team will participate in the Jerry Colangelo Classic for the third consecutive season, matching up against San Francisco at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix.

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GCU men’s hoops returns to Jerry Colangelo Classic

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The Grand Canyon University men’s basketball team will participate in the Jerry Colangelo Classic for the third consecutive season, matching up against San Francisco at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix.

The college basketball showcase will feature four games this year and will take place Saturday, Dec. 19. Other participating teams include Gonzaga, Texas Tech, Northern Arizona, San Diego, Arizona State University and Brigham Young University.

“The Jerry Colangelo Classic is turning into one of the best events in college basketball,” first-year Lopes head coach Bryce Drew said in a prepared statement. “We are very excited to be a part of such a tremendous day of basketball in the city of Phoenix.

GCU returns to the home of the Phoenix Suns for the fourth straight year with the last three being played under the Jerry Colangelo Classic name.

The Lopes previously faced St. John’s (2017), Nevada (2018) and Liberty (2019) at the arena. The venue will look a little different to Lopes fans returning for the event with approximately 65% of the arena’s $230 million expansion set to be completed, according to a press release.

“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,” John L. Doleva, president and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame, said in a prepared statement.

“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.”

GCU and San Francisco will match up for the first time in 40 years. The Lopes dropped the lone meeting between the two programs at San Francisco in 1980.

San Francisco has logged four straight 20-win seasons, including a 22-12 mark last year. The Dons will be under the guidance of second-year head coach Todd Golden, a Phoenix native who played at Sunnyslope High School.

San Francisco’s roster also features former GCU guard Damari Milstead, who is set to be eligible in 2020-21 after sitting out last season due to transfer rules.

Ticket information, game times and additional television broadcast details will be released at a later date.

Officials from the Basketball Hall of Fame say the health and safety of the student-athletes, fans and staff is of the utmost importance and staff will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation closely in the coming months and provide updates as needed.

The quadruple-header includes two teams that finished last season ranked in the Top 25 with Gonzaga (31-2) at No. 2 and BYU (24-8) at No. 18. The Jerry Colangelo Classic field accumulated a winning percentage of .605 last season.