Hokies draw Boise State in opener of ESPN Events InvitationalHokies draw Boise State in opener of ESPN Events Invitational
Men's Basketball

Hokies draw Boise State in opener of ESPN Events Invitational

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BLACKSBURG – The bracket for the 2023 ESPN Events Invitational was revealed Tuesday, with Virginia Tech drawing Boise State in its opener on Thursday, Nov. 23 at 8 p.m. The eight-team tournament will be held Thanksgiving weekend – Thursday, Nov. 23, Friday, Nov. 24 and Sunday, Nov. 26 – at State Farm Field House at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando, Fla.
 
Six of the eight participating teams played in the 2023 NCAA Tournament: Florida Atlantic (Final Four), Penn State (second round) as well was Boise State, Iowa State, Texas A&M and VCU. Three schools in the field – Butler (2010 and 2011), Florida Atlantic (2023) and VCU (2011) – have made Final Four appearances since 2010.
 
Matchup Highlights

  • Florida Atlantic, the first ESPN Events Invitational team coming off a Final Four appearance since Villanova in 2018, and currently ranked No. 9 in ESPN.com's Way-Too-Early Top 25, will open their first invitational against the Big East's Butler.
  • Texas A&M, ranked No. 19 in ESPN.com's Way-Too-Early Top 25, will play Penn State from the Big Ten.
  • VCU, also a newcomer to the ESPN Events Invitational, tips off against the Big 12's Iowa State.
  • Boise State, an NCAA Tournament team last season, will play its first ever ESPN Events Invitational game against Virginia Tech, a 2023 NIT participant. It will be the first-ever matchup between the Hokies and the Broncos.


The 2023 ESPN Events Invitational, a bracket-format tournament, will feature 12 games over the three days. Each team will compete in one game per day, advancing through a bracket-tournament format. The two teams that remain undefeated throughout will face off in a championship match Sunday, Nov. 26.
 
This is the 17th year Walt Disney World has hosted the tournament at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. All the games will once again be played at State Farm Field House a venue that has been the site of world-class basketball competitions including NBA games and elite youth tournaments.
 
Tickets are on sale now through Ticketmaster.

  • All-Tournament tickets are available at a $15 discount through Friday, August 11 using the promo code "MAGIC"
  • Single-Session tickets are available now for the Lower Center Court tier
  • Single-session tickets for all other tiers will go on sale October 2

 
VIP Hospitality will go on sale at a later date. To sign up for updates, visit HERE.
 
Travel packages, which include a discounted rate at the Gaylord Palms Resort as well as transportation to/from the arena, will soon be available via Anthony Travel. To learn more and sign up for notifications visit HERE.