Indiana Draws Defending National Champion UConn Huskies in Empire Classic

Matchups for the 2023 Empire Classic were announced on Monday – Indiana versus UConn and Texas versus Louisville, both scheduled for Nov. 19 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The winners of each game will play each other on Nov. 20.
Indiana Draws Defending National Champion UConn Huskies in Empire Classic
Indiana Draws Defending National Champion UConn Huskies in Empire Classic

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Mike Woodson and the Indiana Hoosiers will have a chance to knock off the 2023 NCAA Tournament champions on one of basketball's biggest stages.

Indiana is one of four teams competing in the 2023 Empire Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York City, and matchups were announced on Monday. The event benefits the Wounded Warrior Project and is presented by Continental Tire.

Empire Classic schedule

  • Sunday, Nov. 19 
    • Indiana vs. UConn, 1 p.m. ET
    • Texas vs. Louisville, approximately 3 p.m. ET
  • Monday, Nov. 20
    • Third place game, 4:30 p.m. ET
    • Championship game, approximately 7 p.m. ET

    Tickets went on sale Monday and can be accessed HERE. Television information for the event has not yet been released. 

    The Empire Classic represents a homecoming of sorts for Woodson, who was drafted 12th overall by the New York Knicks in 1980. After his playing career, Woodson returned to the Knicks as an assistant coach from 2011-12 before being promoted to head coach, a position he held from 2012-14. Woodson had a second coaching stint with the Knicks from 2020-21 as an assistant before returning to Indiana, his alma mater, for the 2021-22 season.

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Jack Ankony
JACK ANKONY

Jack Ankony has been covering IU basketball and football with “Indiana Hoosiers on SI” since 2022. He graduated from Indiana University's Media School with a degree in journalism.

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