After successfully becoming the first American sports team to host a regular-season game in China, the Pac-12 returns to Mercedes-Benz Arena on November 12 for a regular season battle between Harvard and Stanford. Tickets go on sale on August 30 at 2pm on Damai for RMB80/180/380/780/980.
The two academic powerhouses also boast a strong athletic tradition. Counting Jeremy Lin among its alumni, the Harvard Crimson are enjoying one of its most successful periods in college basketball. Under head coach Tommy Amaker, they have won five Ivy League titles and made the NCAA tournament final four times. Their recruiting class this year has been lauded and the freshmen will join All-Ivy League players Siyani Chambers (pictured below) and Zena Edosomwan (see cover image) in trying to lead the Crimson to victory.
The Stanford Cardinals have won two NIT titles in the past five years and returned most of last year’s team like guards Marcus Allen and Marcus Sheffield (pictured below) to go along with highly touted freshmen Kodye Pugh and Trevor Stanback. This game will be intriguing as it will be the team’s first regular season game under new head coach Jerod Haase.
Tipping off at 11am so the game can also be aired live in America on ESPN, the Pac-12 China Game provides an opportunity to see potential future NBA stars at such an early stage in their career. Last year’s game between Washington and Texas featured the first regular season college game for Marquese Chriss, who was drafted eighth overall by the Phoenix Suns (via trade) in this summer’s NBA Draft.
An initiative between the Pac-12 (a conference of Western US colleges that includes UCLA, USC and more), e-commerce giant Alibaba and the Federation of University Sports of China (FUSC) and AEG Asia, the Pac-12 China game also includes an educational seminar at Alibaba’s Hangzhou headquarters.
“After last year's historic game, we're proud to continue to demonstrate the unifying and educational power of sport with the second Pac-12 China Game,” said Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott.
“A fundamental tenet shared by the Pac-12 and the Ivy League is to provide incredible opportunities and experiences to student-athletes, and we're thrilled that this year's game will spotlight two universities that truly embody academic and athletic excellence.”
Nov 12, 11am, RMB80-980. Mercedes Benz Arena, see event listing.
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