USATSI
A pair of college basketball’s high-profile first-year coaches will clash in the CBS Sports Classic on Dec. 21, when Kentucky and Ohio State square off in the second of two marquee matchups. CBS and Paramount+ will air both games, beginning with UCLA vs. Ohio State at 3 p.m., followed by the showdown between the Wildcats and Buckeyes.
The game will mark an early national showcase opportunity for UK’s revamped program under Mark Pope as the Wildcats take on an Ohio State team that has also undergone a makeover since Jake Diebler’s promotion to head coach. Both games will be played inside New York’s Madison Square Garden as the event returns to one of basketball’s most hallowed venues for the second time in the past three years.
“As we enter our 11th year of the CBS Sports Classic, we’re thrilled to return to the iconic venue at Madison Square Garden featuring some of the nation’s most elite men’s basketball programs,” said Dan Weinberg, EVP Programming, CBS Sports. “Throughout our more than four decades of college basketball coverage, we have showcased the game at the highest level, from the first tip of the season through the final buzzer in April, and the CBS Sports Classic is a prime example of our commitment to highlighting the best in college basketball.”
The CBS Sports Classic, which began in 2014, has featured the same four teams since its inception. Ohio State is 2-0 against Kentucky in the event while North Carolina is 2-0 against UCLA. The Tar heels own the best record of any team in the event at 6-4.
North Carolina is ranked No. 4 in Gary Parrish’s Top 25 And 1 while UCLA is ranked No. 19 following a strong offseason. Ohio State sits at No. 15 while Kentucky is outside Parrish’s ranking.
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