Nov. 13, 2007
ORLANDO, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - UCF fans can spend Thanksgiving with the Knights by heading to Disney's Wide World of Sports to watch the men's basketball team participate in the Old Spice Classic. Head coach Kirk Speraw's team is one of eight squads competing at the nationally-recognized tournament and tickets for the three-day event are available by calling the UCF ticket office at 407-UCF-1000.
The Knights open the event on Thanksgiving against 23rd-ranked Villanova at 7 p.m. On Friday, Nov. 23, UCF will play either George Mason or No. 24 Kansas State. Speraw's squad will conclude the tournament on Sunday, Nov 25.
No. 22 NC State, Penn State, Rider and South Carolina are also participating in the event. Teams from the nation's best leagues - the Atlantic Coast, BIG EAST, Big 10, Big 12, Colonial Athletic Association, Conference USA and Southeastern - will all be in action in at the Milk House in Lake Buena Vista.
Three of the squads in the Old Spice Classic field qualified for postseason play in 2007, with Villanova competing at the NCAA Tournament and NC State and Kansas State appearing in the National Invitation Tournament.
The Knights, who are off to a 1-0 start after beating national power Nevada on Sunday, will be competing in the event for the first time. No games are scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 24, when the UCF football team hosts UTEP at Bright House Networks Stadium.
The Old Spice Classic is in its second year. Arkansas claimed the tournament title in 2006, topping West Virginia in the title game. The event is organized by ESPN Regional and the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.
Tickets for the tournament are also available at all Ticketmaster outlets.
UCF will play one game before opening the tournament, hosting Norfolk State at the new UCF Arena on Friday.
Season tickets are currently available by calling 407-UCF-1000. One lucky season ticket holder will get to drive home from the new UCF Arena in a brand new 2008 UCF edition Mazda CX-9, courtesy of Classic Mazda, the presenting sponsor of this year's season ticket drive. UCF fans who purchase two season tickets will be automatically entered into a drawing to win the Mazda CX-9.
Single-game tickets are also available at all Ticketmaster outlets and at the UCF ticket office at Bright House Networks Stadium.
For the latest news and information on the Knights, tickets or apparel, log on to www.ucfathletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. Also check out www.ucfphotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.