About this time last year, it was announced that North Carolina and Michigan State would play a basketball game a board the deck of aircraft carrier USS Vinson, the vessel that once was the final resting place of the infamous Osama Bin Laden. The patriotic event was dubbed the Carrier Classic, and was the perfect way to kick off the 2011-2012 NCAA season.
Wearing camouflage uniforms to honor our troops abroad, two of college basketball’s most storied programs squared off for the first ever game at sea in front of President Obama and the First Lady, as both coaching staffs donned combat boots to honor the servicemen.
As for the game, Harrison Barnes’ 17 points helped lead the Tarheels to a 12 point victory 67-55 over the Spartans as the players gave their specialized “USA” jerseys to members of the Navy in attendance.
Since the inaugural event was such a huge success, the NCAA has announced that Syracuse will play against San Diego State aboard the USS Midway on November 9th, 2012, in what is being called the Battle on the Midway. The USS Midway has been berthed in San Diego Bay since 2004 and was once an active and integral part of the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm before becoming a full time carrier museum.
Syracuse and local program on the rise San Diego State are logical choices for the 2nd edition of the Carrier Classic as both are current powerhouse programs, the Cuse’ headed by Hall of Fame coach Jim Boeheim and the Aztecs helmed by former University of Michigan coach Steve Fisher, who gained notoriety as head man of the famous “Fab Five” freshmen during the early 90’s.
Check out the entire 2011 Carrier Classic:
Allen Moll has been a lifelong NBA and NCAA College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously, and coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Allen has also provided content to Bleacherreport.com, Upperdeckblog.com, Cleveland.com, CSN Philly.com, Buckets Magazine, in addition to being a tenured NBA and NCAA columnist for TheHoopDoctors.com.
