John Wooden and Jimmy V Classics Announcements

The season is just around the corner and two of the premiere college basketball classics have announced their lineups.

The 15th annual John Wooden Classic at the Honda Center (formally the Pond, a much cooler name) in Anaheim, CA, Dec. 13, will feature UCLA facing off against DePaul, and in a sleeper, San Diego State will play St. Mary’s in the doubleheader.

I could never figure out why the organizers just make this a two-day tournament, or even an 8-team tournament. The Wooden Classic has attracted top teams in the past and turning it into a tournament would give it bigger prestige as the only top preseason tournament out here on the west coast.

Now if you want to talk about prestige and top teams, West Virginia, Texas, Villanova and last year’s NCAA tournament darlings Davidson will play in the Jimmy V Classic Dec. 9 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Villanova reached the Sweet 16 losing to eventual champion Kansas. Davidson, which came within a basketball of reaching the Final Four also lost to Kansas in the Elite Eight. Texas reached the Elite Eight and lost to runner-up Memphis, and West Virginia, the only team not to lose to Kansas or Memphis, reached the Sweet 16 losing to Xavier.