The 2016 Jimmy V Men’s Basketball Classic matchups have been announced for the upcoming college basketball season. National powerhouse Duke Blue Devils will face off against the Florida Gators. In the other matchup, the Purdue Boilermakers will meet the Arizona State Sun Devils. The games will on December 6 with Duke and Florida meeting in primetime at 9 PM. Both games will air on ESPN and will be played in Madison Square Garden.
Jimmy V Classic History
2016 will mark the 22nd year that the Jimmy V Classic will be held. This event has coincided with Jimmy V Week for Research Cancer in which ESPN uses their multiple channels, websites, and more to to help raise fund for cancer research.
Duke - Florida
Duke last played in the Jimmy V Classic back in 2001. The Blue Devils met fellow blue blood school Kentucky Wildcats and survived 95-92 in overtime. The Gators last competed in this event more recently. 2013. Florida survived a tough test from Memphis, winning 77-75. Duke owns this head-to-head 12-4, but the two have split their most recent meetings. Duke defeated Florida in the 1994 Final Four, but Florida wound up knocking up top-seeded Duke as a five seed in the Sweet 16 back in 2000.
Purdue - Arizona State
This is the first time that the Sun Devils will be playing in the Jimmy V Classic. The Sun Devils are led by former Blue Devils great, Bobby Hurley. Hurley moved to Arizona State from Buffalo just last season after leading the Bulls to the MAC Conference Tournament title and an NCAA Tournament appearance. Purdue last played in the Jimmy V Classic in 1998, blowing out South Carolina 80-64. The Boilermakers have the slight edge in the head-to-head 3-2. This will be the third straight neutral-court meeting between the teams in Las Vegas (2002) and Honolulu (1978).
