Western Michigan to play in Emerald Coast Classic in November

Article courtesy of Western Michigan Athletics

Announced on Thursday, the Western Michigan Broncos men’s basketball team will participate in the fifth annual Emerald Coast Classic, presented by Global Sports, Thanksgiving weekend Nov. 23-24.

All games will be played at The Arena on the campus of Northwest Florida State College in Niceville, Fla.

Joining the Broncos in the eight-team tournament includes NCAA Tournament participants Cincinnati and North Carolina Central along with Baylor, George Mason, Mississippi, Southern and Nicholls State.

Last season, Cincinnati posted a 31-5 record and was ranked No. 12 in the final USA Today Coaches poll. The Bearcats as a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament defeated Georgia State before falling to No.7 seed Nevada.

North Carolina Central earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament as a No.16 seed after defeating Hampton to win its second consecutive MEAC Tournament Championship. NCCU finished with a record of 19-16 and fell to Texas Southern during the First Four games in Dayton, Ohio of tournament.

Baylor went 19-5 last year and advanced to the second round of the National Invitation Tournament. Out of the Southeastern Conference, Ole Miss went 12-20 last season with signature victories over South Carolina, Florida and Alabama.

George Mason returns all 12 letterwinners from last year’s squad that finished fifth in the Atlantic 10 Conference, marking the program’s best finish in its five-year history in the league. Nicholls State is coming of a 21-11 record last season earning the No.2 seed in the Southland Conference Tournament.

Southern University last season finished fifth in the Southwestern Athletic Conference with an overall record of 15-18. Sean Woods was recently named new head coach for the Jaguars.

Global Sports has produced 40 multi-team college basketball tournament in the past 11 years including three during the 2017-18 season.

Emerald Coast Classic History:
2017 – TCU, champion; St. Bonaventure, runner-up
2016 – Virginia, champion; Providence, runner-up
2015 – Iowa State, champion; Illinois, runner-up
2014 – Mississippi, champion; Cincinnati, runner-up