Memphis takes on Carolina powerhouses in St. Jude Tip Off Classic for a cause
Both the women's and men's basketball programs in Memphis will take on two of the best rosters in college basketball before their season begins. The Memphis Tigers will feature in a doubleheader in the first-ever Hoops for St. Jude Tip-Off Classic on Oct. 15.
The men's roster will face the North Carolina Tar Heels at 6:00 p.m. on ESPNU while the women’s unit will face defending champions South Carolina Gamecocks at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN+ inside FedExForum.
Both games are to support the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The purchase of one ticket enables entry to both the games and 100% of the proceeds will go to benefit St. Jude.
It is a first-of-a-kind event, which serves as a warm-up for the college season. Moreover, it offers an opportunity to bolster industry-altering change by helping research and medicine around cancer and other life-threatening diseases.
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is the only National Cancer Institute designated solely for children. Founded in 1962, it began at a time when cancer in children was considered incurable. Since then, St. Jude has led significant leaps, pushing the survival rate from 20% to more than 80%.
Moreover, St. Jude does not charge families for treatment, travel, housing and food. Additionally, it shares its breakthroughs with local and other cancer centers to improve the overall quality and care around the treatment.
Memphis Tigers’ previous seasons
Penny Hardaway’s men’s roster began the 2023-24 season with a 15-2 dominant run. They were recognized as a Top 10 AP Poll program and were assumed to garner an NCAA bid. However, the Tigers mounted a dismal 7-8 run in the last 15 games, ending their season early.
The October contest might not be the only game between Memphis and North Carolina this season. Both squads are part of the eight-team Maui Invitational matchup in late November, which could potentially pit the two teams against each other once again.
Meanwhile, the women’s team recorded a 13-17 run last season under first-year coach Alex Collins. They last faced the Gamecocks in a non-conference setup in 2022, losing 79-54 in Columbia.