Utah State added to Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic

Contact:
Morgan Holt
Sanford Health Media Relations
605-366-2432 / morgan.holt@sanfordhealth.org

SIOUX FALLS, S.D., Nov. 11, 2020 – Utah State has been added to the impressive eight-team field competing in the Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic, November 25-27 at the Sanford Pentagon, tournament officials announced Tuesday.

The Aggies will play three games in the event, beginning with a first round matchup against Wichita State, Wednesday, Nov. 25 at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN2.

The Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic is a new event that also includes Creighton, Saint Mary’s, Memphis, South Dakota State, Texas A&M, West Virginia and Wichita State. All 12 games will air live on the ESPN family of networks.

A limited number of tickets are available to the general public. Fans can purchase tickets at ticketmaster.com. For information on purchasing suites, contact Mallory Shurtz at mallory.shurtz@cs-mgmt.com. Masks are required for all spectators and will be available for free at the door.

This will be Utah State’s first trip to the Sanford Pentagon. Head coach Craig Smith returns to South Dakota after serving as the head coach of the University of South Dakota from 2014-2018.

Utah State returns seven letter winners from a season ago, including three starters in junior center Neemias Queta, junior forward Justin Bean and junior wing Brock Miller. Both Queta and Bean were named to the MW All-Defensive Team during the 2019-20.

Bean, a third-team all-MW selection last season, is the only player in the MW that is returning that averaged a double-double last year, turning in 11.9 points and 10.5 rebounds per game.

Queta, the 2019 MW Freshman and Defensive Player of the Year, returns completely healthy after an injury slowed his 2019-20 campaign.

As a team, Utah State enters the 2020-21 season looking to become just the third team in Mountain West history to win three-straight conference tournament championships, having won back-to-back tournament championships each of the past two seasons.

BAD BOY MOWERS CROSSOVER CLASSIC SCHEDULE

Wednesday, November 25
1 p.m. – West Virginia vs. Texas A&M (ESPN)
3:30 p.m. – Saint Mary’s vs. Memphis (ESPN/ESPN2)
6 p.m. – Creighton vs. South Dakota State (ESPN2)
8:30 p.m. – Utah State vs. Wichita State (ESPN2)

Thursday, November 26
11 a.m. – Semifinal No. 1 (ESPN)
1:30 p.m. – Semifinal No. 2 (ESPN)
4 p.m. – Consolation Semifinal No. 1 (ESPN/ESPN2)
6:30 p.m. – Consolation Semifinal No. 2 (ESPN2)

Friday, November 27
12:30 p.m. – Championship (ESPN)
3 p.m. – 5th or 7th place (ESPN2/ESPNU)
5:30 p.m. – 5th or 7th place (ESPN2/ESPNU)
8 p.m. – 3rd place (ESPN2)

MEDIA CREDENTIALS

Media members interested in covering the event in person must apply for credentials by contacting Paul Heinert at paul.heinert@sanfordhealth.org.

About the Sanford Pentagon

The cornerstone of the Sanford Sports Complex in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is the Sanford Pentagon, a 160,000-square-foot, five-sided facility featuring nine basketball courts, including the 1950s/1960s-inspired Heritage Court. The venue combines state-of-the-art amenities—including high-definition video boards and executive suites—with period-specific finishes that are a nod to the nostalgic days of basketball.

The 3,200-seat Pentagon is home to Sanford POWER Basketball Academy, Sanford POWER Volleyball Academy, the NBA G League’s Sioux Falls Skyforce, Augustana men’s and women’s basketball, the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Women’s and Men’s Basketball tournaments and the South Dakota High School Basketball Hall of Fame. For more information, visit sanfordpentagon.com.