Where is Gonzaga vs. Michigan State being played? Location and more to know about the USS Abraham Lincoln
For the first time since the 2012-13 season, college basketball will see a game played on the deck of an aircraft carrier.
It’s fitting, then, that Michigan State is aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln in this year’s Armed Forces Classic: Spartans, who will face No. 2 Gonzaga in Friday’s Armed Forces Classic. , played in the first aircraft carrier game in 2011. .
“We are honored to have the unique opportunity to host the Armed Forces Classic on the USS Abraham Lincoln,” said Clint Overby, vice president of ESPN Events. said in a press release. “First and foremost, we would like to thank the men and women of the Navy, and the entire Armed Forces, for allowing us into their world to share their stories and to thank them for their service to our country.
“We will work with the teams, the Navy and our collective events group to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all participants and spectators.”
AFTER: Watch the Armed Forces Classic live on Sling TV
That said, a few ill-fated attempts at carrier plays to start the 2012-13 season could be the reason college basketball hasn’t attempted such an event in 10 years. Whether the Spartans and Bulldogs can play Friday’s game without any problems remains to be seen.
If both teams complete their prime-time game without complications, then it will be a triumphant return for college basketball to one of the most distinct arenas in all of sport.
With that, The Sporting News breaks down everything you need to know about Friday’s Armed Forces Classic between Michigan State and No. 2 Gonzaga, including the story behind the Armed Forces Classic and the basketball games. -university balls:
AFTER: Sporting News 2022-23 All-America College Basketball Preseason Team
Where is the Armed Forces Classic?
- Location: USS Abraham Lincoln (San Diego)
The 2022 Armed Forces Classic will take place on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln, stationed in San Diego Harbor. Although this is the first time the carrier has hosted a game on its deck, it will be the third time the game has been played in the Port of San Diego.
Classic History of the Armed Forces
Michigan State not only played in college basketball’s first carrier game, but also played in the first game of the Armed Forces Classic at Germany’s Ramstein Air Force Base, losing 66-62. against UConn in the inaugural game.
The seven games that followed were held at various military bases around the world, including South Korea, Puerto Rico, Japan and more. This season’s meeting between the Spartans and the Bulldogs will be the first since 2019, as the 2020 and 2021 contests were canceled amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2015 encounter between No. 9 Gonzaga and Pitt had to be called off after the first half as a combination of no air conditioning and high humidity following a rainstorm made the playing surface slippery. A Pitt player, James Robinson, slipped on the surface and fell face-first to the ground, suffering a cut on his face.
“It was bad,” Robinson said ESPN at the time. “We had an idea when we went out for training (Friday) but we could tell it was slippery during the warm-ups. It’s unfortunate. It’s such a big event. We wanted to finish it for them – the real heroes I wanted to play the second half, I had already played one half with the injury.
Here is an overview of all Armed Forces Classic competitions since the inaugural game in 2012:
| Date | Location | Teams | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 9, 2012 | Ramstein Air Base, Germany | No. 14 Michigan State vs. UConn | UConn 66, MSU 62 |
| November 8, 2013 | Camp Humphreys, South Korea | No. 19 Oregon vs. Georgetown | Oregon 82, Georgetown 75 |
| November 14, 2014 | CGAS Borinquen, Puerto Rico | No. 8 Louisville vs. Minnesota | Louisville 81, minnesota 66 |
| November 13, 2015 | Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler, Japan | No. 9 Gonzaga vs. Pitt | Canceled |
| November 11, 2016 | Stan Sheriff Center, Honolulu | No. 10 Arizona vs. No. 12 Michigan State | arizona 65, UMS 63 |
| November 10, 2017 | Ramstein Air Base, Germany | No. 11 West Virginia vs. No. 25 Texas A&M | Texas A&M 88, WVU 65 |
| November 9, 2018 | Fort Bliss, TX | Texas vs. Arkansas | Texas 73, Arkansas 71 (OT) |
| November 8, 2019 | Alaska Airlines Center, Anchorage, Alaska | No. 16 Baylor vs. Washington | washington 67, Baylor 64 |
| November 11, 2022 | San Diego | #2 Gonzaga vs. Michigan State | To be determined |
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College Basketball Aircraft Carrier Games
Friday’s game will only be the fourth game ever played on an aircraft carrier – if the teams can complete the competition.
The first such match was on November 11, 2011, when top-ranked North Carolina defeated Michigan State 67-55 on the deck of the USS Carl Vinson. The game was played in front of a crowd that included President Barack Obama and his family.
The success of this game created four additional “Carrier Classic” games the following season. Unfortunately, only two of the games could be played to completion. The meeting between Ohio State and Marquette in Charleston, SC, was called off due to condensation on the court – an issue that did not occur in the day’s previous game, a clash between the women’s basketball teams. ball from Notre Dame and Ohio State.
A similar problem occurred in Jacksonville, Florida when Florida and Georgetown’s game was called off at halftime due to heavy condensation. The Carriers’ two games to play in San Diego went off without a hitch.
Here is a look at carrier games in college basketball history:
| Date | Location (carrier) | Teams | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 11, 2011 | San Diego (USS Carl Vinson) | No. 1 North Carolina vs. Michigan State | UNC 67, MSU 55 |
| November 9, 2012 | Charleston, SC (USS Yorktown) | Notre Dame Women’s No. 7 vs. Ohio State Women’s No. 19 | ND 57, USO 51 |
| November 9, 2012 | Charleston, SC (USS Yorktown) | No. 4 Ohio State vs. Marquette | Canceled |
| November 9, 2012 | Jacksonville, Florida (USS Bataan) | No. 10 Florida vs. Georgetown | Canceled |
| November 11, 2012 | San Diego (USS Midway) | No. 8 Syracuse vs. No. 25 San Diego State | Syracuse 62, SDSU 49 |
| November 11, 2022 | San Diego (USS Abraham Lincoln) | #2 Gonzaga vs. Michigan State | To be determined |
When is the Armed Forces Classic?
- Date: Friday November 11
- Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
The Armed Forces Classic between Michigan State and No. 2 Gonzaga kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET. The game will take place on Friday, which is also Veterans Day.
Classic Armed Forces TV Coverage
- TV channel: ESPN
- Direct: ESPN app, TV Sling
ESPN will air the national broadcast of the Armed Forces Classic, something it has aired every year since the inaugural game in 2012. Streaming options for the game include the ESPN app and TV Sling.
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