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2011 Old Spice Classic
at the ESPN Wide World of
Sports
2011 Dates
November 25-28
Six years ago a new early season basketball tournament entered the hoops
universe, and Arkansas beat West Virginia for the inaugural Old Spice Classic
crown. This November a new crop of teams will huddle up with one goal: the 2011
Old Spice Classic championship. Arizona State, Dayton, DePaul, Fairfield,
Indiana State, Minnesota, Texas Tech and Wake Forest will vie for bragging rights in the
fifth annual tournament to be held on Thanksgiving weekend at the Milk House at
ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando, Fla. The event will feature 12
games through three days, Nov. 24, 25 and 27, with each team competing in one
game per day and advancing through a bracket-tournament format. The two teams
that remain undefeated will face off in a championship match Sunday, Nov. 27.
Last November, Notre Dame edged Wisconsin.
2010 Bracket
THE
FIELD
ARIZONA STATE
Nickname: Sun Devils
Conference: Pac-10
Location: Tempe, Ariz.
2010-11 Record: 12-19
Under the watchful eye of Coach Herb Sendek, Arizona State has become a player
in the Pac-10. The Sun Devils, who in 2009-10 allowed 58.7 points per game—the
fewest by an ASU team since 1949—will look to continue to rise, sparked by their
defense. They also can score, with junior guard Trent Lockett and sophomore
shooting guard Keala King. Center Jordan Bachynski stands tall in the pivot at
7-2, the tallest player in Sun Devils history.
DAYTON
Nickname: Flyers
Conference: Atlantic 10
Location: Dayton, Ohio
2010-11 Record (postseason result): 22-14 (NIT 1st round)
A perennial A-10 power, Dayton won the 2010 NIT Championship. Archie Miller’s
Flyers feature junior forward Chris Johnson, the M.O.P. of the 2010 NIT and the
A-10’s '09-10 Most Improved Player. Hot-shooting senior Josh Parker, a transfer
from Drake, is another player to watch.
DEPAUL
Nickname: Blue Demons
Conference: Big East
Location: Chicago
2010-11 Record: 7-24
The Blue Demons are working their way back up under Oliver Purnell, who will be
starting his second year in Chicago. The Blue Demons are led by senior point
guard Jeremiah Kelly, who in his first two seasons boasted a 2.5:1
assists-to-turnover ratio, and senior power forward Devin Hill, who has earned
his stripes as a big-time shot-blocker.
FAIRFIELD
Nickname: Stags
Conference: Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC)
Location: Fairfield, Conn.
2010-11 Record (postseason result): 25-8 (NIT 2nd round)
The powerhouse Stags set a school record by winning 25 games in 2010-11 (48 in
the last two seasons and the first MAAC regular-season title in 15 years), but
will have a new look in 2011-12, as Head Coach Ed Cooley is headed to
Providence. The cupboard is hardly bare for the conference’s third-best shooting
and top defensive team in ’10-11, however, as the team returns its two top
scorers--Derek Needham, who was First-Team All-MAAC, and Ryan Olander, the
team’s second-leading scorer and leading rebounder
INDIANA STATE
Nickname: Sycamores
Conference: Missouri Valley
Location: Terre Haute, Ind.
2010-11 Record: (postseason result): 20-14 (NCAA 1st round)
In Greg Lansing’s first season at the helm, the Sycamores reached the NCAA
Tournament for the first time in a decade by winning the MVC Tournament. They
will be looking for more in 2011-12. ISU returns its top three scorers-- seniors
Dwayne Lathan and Carl Richard, also the Sycamores’ leading rebounder, and
sophomore Jake Odum, who was named Honorable Mention All-MVC, and to the
All-Freshman and All-Defensive Teams. Senior Jordan Printy, the MVC’s top
three-point shooter, also returns.
MINNESOTA
Nickname: Golden Gophers
Conference: Big Ten
Location: Minneapolis
2010-11 Record: 17-13
Minnesota’s string of back-to-back-to-back 20-win seasons and consecutive NCAA
Tournament appearances ended in 2010-11, Tubby Smith was not happy about that
and has the Golden Gophers ready to get back to 20 wins and the Big Dance. The
Big Ten’s top field-goal-defending, rebounding and shot-blocking team is led by
senior big's Trevor Mbakwe, the Big Ten’s top rebounder, a Second-Team All-Big
Ten selection and the team’s leading scorer and rebounder; and Ralph Sampson
III, the team’s leading returning rebounder, and the conference’s second-leading
shot-blocker.
TEXAS TECH
Nickname: Red Raiders
Conference: Big 12
Location: Lubbock, Texas
2010-11 Record: 13-19
It’ll be a new look for Texas Tech, as most of their starters from 2010-11 are
gone, as is head coach Pat Knight. Billy Gillispie runs the show now and will
try to bring the Red Raiders back into the Big 12 hunt. Senior center Robert
Lewandowski is the top returning scorer. He was fifth in points and second in
boards in ’10-11. Sophomore point guard Javarez Willis, who was fourth on the
team in assists, is back to run the attack, and redshirt sophomore two-guard
Marshall Henderson, another marksman, who saw limited action at the University
of Utah, will help the offense.
WAKE FOREST
Nickname: Demon Deacons
Conference: Atlantic Coast
Location: Winston-Salem, N.C.
2010-11 Record: 8-24
Better days should be ahead in Year 2 of the Jeff Bzdelik era at Wake Forest, as
the Demon Deacons return four of their top five scorers, including sophomores
Travis McKie, the team’s leading scorer and member of the ACC All-Freshman Team,
and sharpshooting two-guard J.T. Terrell; and juniors C.J. Harris and Ari
Stewart. Wake has a pair of 7-foot shot-blockers in sophomore Carson Desrosiers
and senior center Ty Walker, the conference’s second-leading shot-blocker in
’10-11.
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