BALDWIN CITY, Kan. – Small College Basketball continues to serve its mission in promoting the best of basketball at the small college level, as it announces the creation of the Hall of Fame and the HOF Classic.

 

"I sincerely thank Jason Sands and the Evansville Sports Corporation, along with the University of Southern Indiana Athletic Director Jon Mark Hall, for their partnership with Small College Basketball,” said SCB Founder, John McCarthy. “It is such a thrill to bring these dreams to life in Evansville, a community so rich in college basketball history."

 

The 2016 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held on Thursday, Nov. 17 at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana. The Inaugural Class of 2016 will consist of 15 inductees and will be announced this summer.

 

If you are interested in nominating a former SCB collegiate student-athlete, coach or athletic administrator for the Hall of Fame, please submit information to scbhof@gmail.com.

 

The Hall of Fame Classic will take place on Friday, Nov. 18 and Saturday, Nov. 19 in Evansville, Indiana at the Ford Center. The following teams from the NCAA Division II will compete in one of the top collegiate tournaments in the country:

 

Friday, Nov. 18

Bellarmine vs. Alabama-Huntsville

Southern Indiana vs. Florida Southern

Kentucky Wesleyan vs. Lincoln Memorial

 

Saturday, Nov. 19

Lincoln Memorial vs. Alabama Hunstville

Bellarmine vs. Florida Southern

Southern Indiana vs. Kentucky Wesleyan

 

“The University of Southern Indiana is very excited to participate in what we think will be one of the premiere basketball tournaments in the country,” said University of Southern Indiana Director of Athletics, Jon Mark Hall. “We hope that bringing these teams together to celebrate Small College Basketball will get people excited about the 2016-17 season as well as the history of the game at our level. We know the Evansville community will embrace this event and we hope that fans Small College Basketball across the country will do the same.”

 

Fans may purchase tickets to both the Hall of Fame Induction and Hall of Fame Classic tournament at the following link, www.HoFClassic.com.

 

“Evansville is proud of its great history and tradition when it comes to Division II basketball and this Classic will continue to build on that tradition,” said Jason Sands, Executive Director of the Evansville Sports Corporation.

 

“We are excited to create this Classic and work with the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame to build a weekend of basketball that pays homage to the greats of the game while enjoying some great match-ups on the hardwood.”

 

The SCB Hall of Fame committee consists of: Don Landry, former head coach/AD/commissioner, Roy Pickerill, SID Kentucky Wesleyan and NCAA Elite 8 media coordinator, Pat Coleman, owner of D3hoops.com, Doug Palm, NCAA DIII historian, Rick Zvosec, former collegiate head coach, Gary Pine, Azusa Pacific AD, Steve Shepherd, AD and head basketball coach at College of the Ozarks, Gary Stewart, head coach at Stevenson University, Jerry Dunn, head coach at Tuskegee, Matt Simms, executive director of USCAA, Mike Lightfoot, head coach at Bethel (Ind.), Mike Hall, commissioner of Southern States Athletic Conference and former chair of NCAA DII national basketball committee and Bob Guptil, former SID at Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

 

"This is a monumental day for college basketball,” said McCarthy. “I've been waiting for this day for a long, long time, and today we are proud to announce the creation of the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame and Hall of Fame Classic. Through the Hall of Fame and Hall of Fame Classic, we will honor our game, past and present that is played at the small college level.

“Through the years, there have been so many great players, coaches and contributors that have been involved in our game at the small college level, and through the creation of the SCB Hall of Fame, we will pay tribute to them, and recognize their accomplishments on a national scale.”

 

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