Michigan
Arkansas
Wolverines Eye Big Apple for Jimmy V Classic against Arkansas
12/8/2024 1:46:00 PM | Men's Basketball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 14-ranked University of Michigan men's basketball team will head to the Big Apple to participate in the Jimmy V Classic for the first time against Arkansas on Tuesday (Dec. 10) at Madison Square Garden. Part of a doubleheader, U-M is scheduled for a 9 p.m. tip or 30 minutes following the Miami/Tennessee match-up. The game will be on ESPN with Dan Shulman (p-by-p), Jay Bilas (analyst) and Jess Sims (reporter) on the broadcast.
Notes
• U-M moved into the AP Top 25 Poll this week, coming in at No. 14.
• The Jimmy V Classic is an annual game organized by ESPN Events to raise money and awareness for cancer research. It is named after Jim Valvano and features clips from his speech at the 1993 ESPY Awards. Since its inception, it has featured four teams in a doubleheader played in a neutral stadium, primarily at Madison Square Garden in downtown New York.
• Michigan is participating in its first Jimmy V Classic.
• Dusty May will participate for a fourth time in the Jimmy V Classic. As a student manager at Indiana, the Hoosiers defeated North Carolina (82-73) in the 1999 Classic. An assistant coach at Florida, the Gators fell to Duke (84-74) at the 2016 event. As Florida Atlantic's head coach, May's Owls fell to Illinois (98-89) last season. Now as head coach of Michigan, May takes on Arkansas.
• Michigan meets Arkansas for the first time in 12 years. U-M holds a narrow 4-3 lead in the all-time series.
• Michigan has a 26-11 record in Madison Square Garden. U-M has won 11 straight games over the last 12 years.
• May and Vladislav Goldin will see a familiar face in New York. Former Florida Atlantic guard Johnell Davis is using his fifth season via the NCAA's COVID eligibility rule at Arkansas. He has started all nine games for the Razorbacks, and is averaging 9.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists.
• Goldin has back-to-back 20-plus point games including a career-best 24 at No. 11 Wisconsin and 20 against Iowa. He has four double-figure games in his last five and increased his output to 12.0 per game.
• Danny Wolf posted a fourth double-double with 13 points and 14 rebounds against Iowa; 18th of career. He is averaging 12.1 points and 10.0 rebounds per game.
• Tre Donaldson rebounded from zero points at #11 Wisconsin, scoring a career-best 18 points against Iowa. He averages 12.1 per game.
• In his last two games, Roddy Gayle Jr. has shot 50 percent from the field (10-for-20), with 13.0 points per game and 10 rebounds (5.0 rpg) and 10 assists (5.0 apg).
• Donaldson leads U-M with 36 assists (4.0 apg) and Gayle Jr. has 31 (3.4 apg), but right behind the duo is Wolf, who has 26 (2.9 apg).
