NEW ROCHELLE, NY - Brackets were announced for the upcoming eight-team ESPN Events Invitational to be held Thursday, November 25, through Sunday, November 28, at HP Field House at ESPN Wide World of Sports near Orlando, Florida. The Iona College men's basketball team drew the SEC's Alabama, in a rematch of the Maroon & Gold's NCAA Tournament contest this past March.
The two squads square off Thanksgiving Day at 5 p.m. on ESPN or ESPN2. The winner/loser takes on either Drake or Belmont in Friday's second round. The other side of the bracket features Kansas vs. North Texas and Dayton vs. Miami.
The ESPN Events Invitational, a bracket-format tournament, features 12 games over the three days. Each team competes in one game per day, advancing through a bracket-tournament format. The two remaining undefeated teams face off in a championship match Sunday, November 28.
All games will air on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU.
Ticket information and travel packages will be announced later this summer.
Fans can sign up on the event website for a pre-sale to guarantee first access and a $10 discount on all price levels. Travel packages, including a discounted rate at the Gaylord Palms Resort as well as transportation to/from the arena, will soon be available.
Learn more and sign up for notifications from Anthony Travel.
The Gaels are 0-2 all-time vs. the Crimson Tide following its loss in the NCAA First Round in March at Hinkle Fieldhouse. The two teams also squared off on December 29, 1989, at the Cable Car Classic in Santa Clara, California.
Iona's last trip to the event came in 2009, a 1-2 performance. Following a tight loss to Florida State in the opener, the Gaels fell to Baylor in overtime before rebounding with a win over Creighton in the finale. A MAAC representative has participated in the tournament in each of its 14 seasons at ESPN Wide World of Sports.
Iona has announced four of its non-conference matchups for the upcoming 2021-22 campaign. In addition to the three in the ESPN Events Invitational, Iona takes on Yale on Sunday, December 12, at the Basketball Hall of Fame Invitational at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.