Division III Basketball Teams to Hoop it Up at Stevenson's Hoopsville Invitational Classic

Stevenson University is gearing up to host the Second Annual Hoopsville National Invitational Classic, the biggest on-campus men’s basketball tournament in Division III and the second-largest event of its kind behind only the D3hoops.com Classic held in Las Vegas.

“Stevenson is honored to host several of the nation’s top collegiate basketball student-athletes, coaches, and teams in what has undoubtedly become the premier early season basketball event in Division III,” said Gary Stewart, the Classic’s founder and Stevenson’s Men’s Basketball Head Coach, in a statement.

Presented by Buffalo Wild Wings, the event will take place Nov. 22 through Nov. 24 at Stevenson University in Owings Mills.

 “The participating teams are from some of the most prestigious conferences throughout the country and offer a breadth of diversity and strength that will lend itself to a compelling weekend of basketball," Stewart said.

This year's event will feature 10 teams from seven states, five of which were either ranked or received votes in the D3hoops.com Top 25 during the 2012-13 season, according to a news release. Five of the schools qualified for the 2013 NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Championship and three reached the tournament’s Elite 8.

This year's attendees includes Birmingham-Southern, Cabrini, Keystone, La Verne, Middlebury, Ohio Wesleyan, Salisbury, St. Mary’s (Md.), Stevenson, and Trinity (Texas). In the “classic” format, each team will compete in two games.

“Any time you can get three Elite 8 teams and five NCAA Tournament teams on the same floor early in the season, it’s a great thing,” Pat Coleman, Executive Editor of D3hoops.com, said in a statement.

For tickets and info go to hoopsville.eventbrite.com or call Mike Gohlinghorst, Assistant Athletic Director, at 443-352-4064.