For the first time since 2017, the Boston University men’s basketball team will face off against the Harvard University Crimson in the annual Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Showcase on Nov. 22.
(JOHN DOWNES )
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is located in Springfield, Massachusetts, where James Naismith invented the game of basketball in 1891.
The Hall — often referred to as “Hoop Hall” — organizes more than 70 high school and collegiate basketball competitions each year, including the Women’s Showcase.
This year’s showcase features two matchups between Penn State and Providence College, followed by BU and Harvard.
In an announcement May 14 from the Hall, President and Chief Executive Officer John Doleva said the event “continues to be one of the premier early-season showcases in college basketball,” as they welcome “outstanding programs and their fan bases” to the arena.
The Terriers look to renew their rivalry with Harvard on one of basketball’s biggest stages — Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, home of the Women’s National Basketball Association’s Connecticut Sun.
In the last 16 matchups between 2001 and 2017, BU and Harvard’s men’s basketball programs traded eight straight wins and losses each.
Joe Jones, who is entering his fifteenth season as head coach, shared his excitement in the Hall’s May 14 announcement about the team’s participation.
“[The Hall of Fame Showcase] is a great opportunity for our program to play against two quality opponents,” he said. “The matchup with crosstown rival Harvard will certainly bring out the Boston basketball fans to a first-class venue in the Mohegan Sun Arena.”
Jones is just 14 wins shy of achieving the most victories by a head coach in BU program history. The Terriers are on pace to help Jones secure this milestone, winning 16 games last season and achieving a winning record in conference play.
Last October, men’s basketball alum Javante McCoy was called up to the Detroit Pistons after a standout performance with the Motor City Cruise. He last played for BU in 2022 and finished second all-time in made field goals.
Members of the BU community have several opportunities to celebrate the men’s basketball program beyond the regular season.
Tickets to the Showcase go on sale Sept. 5 and 6 in the midst of Enshrinement Weekend, in which the Hall of Fame Class of 2025 will be inducted. This year’s class features history-makers including the 2008 U.S. Men’s “Redeem Team” and WNBA legends Maya Moore, Sue Bird and Sylvia Fowles.
BU fans of basketball at all levels can tune into two exciting moments in September by tuning into the Enshrinement Ceremony and making plans to cheer on the Terriers at the Showcase in Uncasville in November.
