Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Men's Basketball to compete in 2011 Diamond Head Classic
02/23/2011 | 12:00:00 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 23, 2011
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Saluki Basketball has agreed to play in the 2011 Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic next season. The eight-team tournament will be played Dec. 22-25, at the Stan Sheriff Center.
Southern Illinois joins a mix of perennial powers and up-and-coming teams from the ACC, Atlantic 10, Big 12, Big West, Conference USA, and the Western Athletic Conference.
The rest of the field includes Clemson, Hawaii, Kansas State, Long Beach State, UTEP, Xavier and one team to be announced.
"An invitation to play in this prestigious tournament shows that the Salukis are still a respected brand," said SIU Director of Athletics Mario Moccia, who added that the team is no longer scheduled to go to Cancun next season for a tournament.
The Diamond Head Classic is a three-day, Division I exempt basketball event that is an ESPN Regional TV (ERT) owned and operated event. Ten of the twelve 12 games will be televised on the ESPN family of networks.
The trip will mark the fifth time that Saluki Basketball has participated in a tournament in Hawaii. The Salukis also made island visits in 1994, 1995, 1997 and 2000.
