Two NCAA men’s basketball teams that finished the regular season nationally ranked and are heading to the NCAA tournament will visit the Sanford Pentagon for a regular-season contest early in the 2014-15 season.
Wichita State University and the University of Memphis will play on
Heritage Court Nov. 18.
The game will be televised nationally by ESPN.
Wichita State, presently ranked No. 2 in the country in both the Associated
Press and USA Today polls, is 34-0 this season and will be the first team to
enter the NCAA tournament undefeated since UNLV in 1991. The Shockers secured
both the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season and tournament titles.
Memphis, which was 19th in both regular-season national polls but dropped out
of this week’s rankings, is 23-9. The Tigers finished tied for third place in
the final American Athletic Conference standings and advanced to the
quarterfinals of the conference tournament.
“Each year, the Pentagon looks to bring in a marquee basketball game that allows
the community to enjoy an event not normally available in our own backyard,”
said Eric Larsen, general manager of the Sanford Sports Complex. “Hosting games
of this caliber allows us to showcase the first-class people, services and
facilities in Sioux Falls and this region.”
Last November, the Pentagon hosted a regular-season game between the University
of Wisconsin and St. John’s University men’s basketball programs and an NBA
exhibition game featuring the Minnesota Timberwolves and Milwaukee Bucks.
Tickets for the game will go on sale this summer. A game time has yet to be
determined.
