HOUSTON – The college basketball madness of March will come early when Toyota Center plays host to the Lone Star Showcase this December. The premium doubleheader on Dec. 21, 2013 features Texas A&M vs. Oklahoma in a nationally televised Big 12-SEC Challenge game and Houston vs. Rice in a crosstown showdown. The event is managed by bd Global, LLC, a Lexington, Ky.-based sports marketing firm that is also running college basketball events in Las Vegas, Dallas and Southwest Florida for the 2013-14 season.
“We are excited to return to the state of Texas and highlight three of the Lone Star State’s best programs as well as an outstanding Oklahoma squad,” said Brooks Downing, president of bd Global, the event promoter. “Having these four programs with such close proximity to each other and long histories in each rivalry, it will be an electric atmosphere on that Saturday at Toyota Center.”
The Texas A&M-Oklahoma game will be the concluding contest of the inaugural Big 12-SEC Challenge, a 10-game series put together by the two leagues and ESPN. The game will be televised nationally to 75 million homes at 6:00 p.m. CT on ESPNU. Houston-Rice will tip at 3:30 p.m. CT with television to be announced at a later date.
Texas A&M returns three starters from an 18-15 campaign in Billy Kennedy’s second season in College Station. Senior guard Fabyon Harris leads the Aggies as the team’s top returning scorer at 12.0 points per game. Additionally, 6-9 junior Kourtney Roberson and sophomore guard J-Mychal Reese are both expected to be standouts for A&M.
Oklahoma coach Lon Kruger adds six new players to his Sooners squad that went 20-12 last year and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. Sophomore Buddy Hield is the team’s leading returner in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals. He also was the recipient of the team’s Most Inspirational Player Award last year.
Veteran coach James Dickey has reinvigorated the Houston program and led the Cougars to a 20-13 mark last season. This season, UofH will move into the American Athletic Conference with four players that were ranked among the nation’s top 100 prospects by ESPN. Sophomore guard Danuel House was ranked No. 15 in 2012 and is joined by redshirt freshman guard Danrad Knowles (No. 56 in 2012), Baylor transfer L.J. Rose (No. 63 in 2012) and junior forward TaShawn Thomas (No. 92 in 2011).
Heading into 2013-14, Rice looks to build toward similar success as coach Ben Braun sets the foundation with one of the nation’s youngest rosters with 11 freshmen and sophomores on the squad. The Owls will be bolstered by returning starters Austin Ramljak (6-3 senior guard), Seth Gearhart (6-7 junior forward) and Max Guercy (5-9 sophomore guard).
Tickets ranging from $25 – $150 (courtside seating), not including applicable service charges and taxes, go on sale Tuesday, Aug. 27 at 9 a.m. online at www.HoustonToyotaCenter.com, by phone at 1-866-4-HOU-TIX and at select Houston area Randalls locations. Tickets also will be available at the Toyota Center Box Office beginning Wednesday, Aug. 28 at 9 a.m. (based on availability).
Complete event information can be found at www.lonestar-showcase.com. For group sales or sponsorship opportunities, interested parties should contact bd Global at 859-951-6141.