NICEVILLE, FLA. — For the sixth consecutive year this fall, CBS Sports Network will televise the Emerald Coast Classic basketball tournament.
The semifinal round games on Nov. 27 will feature Florida playing Illinois at 6 p.m. Central Time, followed by Iowa State facing Oregon at 8:30 p.m. Central Time.
Oregon was ranked No. 13 in the final 2019-20 Associated Press poll after posting a 24-7 record, while capturing the PAC-12 regular season title with a 13-5 record. Illinois was ranked No. 21 following a 21-10 mark. Florida, Oregon and Iowa State participated in the 2019 NCAA Tournament.
The championship game on Nov. 29 will tip off at 5:30 p.m. Central Time at The Arena at Northwest Florida State College with the third place game set for 3 p.m. All four games will be televised by CBS Sports Network.
Tickets will be available to purchase for the tournament online later this summer at www.emeraldcoastclassic.com.
“With this field representing some of the top basketball programs in the country, the Emerald Coast Classic will be one of the premier preseason college basketball tournaments,” said tournament director Maury Hanks. “We’re excited by the commitment from CBS Sports Network to televise all four games of the Emerald Coast Classic.”
Oregon will be seeking its fourth Pac-12 Conference regular-season title in six years — and the Ducks will do so with a lineup heavy on players who helped them win the 2019-20 title including guard Will Richardson who led the Pac-12 in three-point shooting at 46.9 percent last season.
Head coach Dana Altman embarks on his 11th season at Oregon, having guided the Ducks to six NCAA Tournaments, including the 2017 Final Four, while winning PAC-12 regular season titles in 2016 2019 and 2020 and 10 consecutive 20-win seasons. During his 31 years as a collegiate head coach Altman has amassed 669 victories, while earning coach of the year honors in four conferences: Southern, Big Eight, Missouri Valley and Pac-12.
Florida posted a 19-12 record this past season against one of the most difficult schedules in the country. Mike White— in the shortened schedule—fell one victory shy of becoming just the fourth head coach in SEC history to win at least 20 games in each of his first five seasons in the league.
Iowa State and Illinois will be appearing in the tournament for the second time with the Cyclones beating Illinois in the championship game of the 2015 Emerald Coast Classic.
The Fighting Illini, under fourth-year head coach Brad Underwood, returned to national prominence last season and was poised for a strong postseason run before the unfortunate but necessary ending due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Illinois recorded its most Big Ten wins since 2005, while recording its first top-25 finish since 2006. The momentum gained from this year’s achievements has the program in position for continued success in 2020-21.
Steve Prohm is entering his sixth year as head coach at Iowa State, guiding the Cyclones to Big 12 Conference Tournament titles in 2017 and 2019 along with appearances in the NCAA Tournament in 2016, 2017 and 2019.
CBS Sports Network, the 24-hour home of CBS Sports, is available through all major cable, satellite and telco distributors as well as via OTT streaming service providers YouTube TV, fuboTV, DirecTV and Hulu. Additionally, a live CBS Sports Network stream is available through CBSSports.com and the CBS Sports App with select providers.
For more information, including a full programming schedule, go to www.cbssportsnetwork.com.
Global Sports has produced 49 multi-team college basketball tournaments in the past 13 years including four during the 2020-21 season.
