ECU Joins The Field For the Sixth Annual Veterans Classic

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GREENVILLE, N.C. --- ECU will join Auburn, Davidson and host Navy in the 2019 Veterans Classic on the CBS Sports Network, an annual men's college basketball showcase that brings together teams from across the country in celebration of Veterans Day.

The sixth annual Veterans Classic will be contested on Friday, Nov. 8, at Alumni Hall in Annapolis, Md. The Pirates and Mids will square off at 8:30 p.m. preceded by Auburn versus Davidson at 6 p.m. ET.

"It is an honor and privilege for us to be participating in such a prestigious event that recognizes and pays tribute to those men and women who have sacrificed their lives to ensure our freedoms," ECU Head Coach Joe Dooley. "We are excited about the opportunity to be immersed in the workings of the U.S. Naval Academy and spending quality time with some of our servicemen and women."

The Veterans Classic, held annually around Veterans Day, honors our nation's veterans and showcases the U.S. Naval Academy. Each of the visiting teams immerse themselves in the inner workings of the U.S. Naval Academy through guided tours held on the day before the games. CBS Sports Network will again televise a 30-minute all-access show that provides a look from these experiences on HOOPS CONFIDENTIAL: VETERANS CLASSIC.

Tickets for the doubleheader are now on sale through the Navy Ticket Office at either 1-800-US4-NAVY, by clicking on the TICKETS tab in the masthead of NavySports.com and then selecting BASKETBALL. Reserved tickets for the doubleheader in the lower level of Alumni Hall are $25 and upper level general admission seats can be purchased for $15.

"We are pleased and excited to welcome Auburn, Davidson and East Carolina to the Veterans Classic," said Navy Head Coach Ed DeChellis. "On the court, both Auburn and Davidson could be nationally ranked at the time of the game, and East Carolina will provide a great challenge for us as they are a program on the rise in the very competitive American Athletic Conference. The games always help to showcase our continuing efforts to pay tribute to our nation's veterans.

"Off the court, it will be great to once again provide these teams with access to the inner workings of the Naval Academy. They always come away from these tours with an added appreciation for what our student-athletes and the Brigade of Midshipmen as a whole go through with their daily academic, athletic and military endeavors that prepares them to eventually defend our country."

The Pirates are the fourth American Athletic Conference team to participate in the Veterans Classic. Temple took part in the 2015 event; Memphis was in the event's 2017 field and Wichita State traveled to Annapolis in 2018.

Navy and East Carolina will square off for the first time since the 1990-91 season when the teams were fellow members of the Colonial Athletic Association. The programs met 20 times in a 10-year span from 1981-82 through their most recent game played 29 seasons ago. The Mids hold a 12-8 advantage in the series.

TEAM CAPSULES
Auburn
Auburn has totaled a 56-18 overall record and a 24-12 regular season mark against Southeastern Conference foes the last two seasons, a short span that includes a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances highlighted by the program's first trip to the Final Four this past season. The Tigers also won the SEC Tournament title in 2019 and ended the year ranked 14th in the final Associated Press poll with their overall record of 30-10.

Davidson
Davidson totaled a 24-10 record last season and finished Atlantic 10 Conference play with a 14-4 record. The Wildcats received a berth into the 2019 NIT, which came one year after they played in the 2018 NCAA Tournament as the A10 Tournament champions and compiled an overall record of 21-12. Davidson has played in either the NCAA Tournament or the NIT in seven of the last eight seasons.

ECU
The Pirates welcome 11 newcomers into the program for the 2019-20 campaign with senior Seth LeDay and American Athletic Conference All-Freshman Team player Jayden Gardner the lone returners in year two of Coach Joe Dooley's second stint in Greenville.

Navy
Navy, which played the toughest schedule of all Patriot League teams during the 2018-19 season, posted a 12-19 record on the year and placed fifth in the league during regular season with an 8-10 record. The Mids advanced to the semifinal round of the Patriot League Tournament for the second time in three seasons.

ECU Joins The Field For the Sixth Annual Veterans Classic

Players Mentioned

Jayden Gardner

Seth LeDay

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