basketball on aircraft carrier

Basketball On Aircraft Carrier - In this Nov. 11, 2011 file photo, North Carolina forward John Henson (31) tries to block a shot by Michigan State center Adrian Payne (5) during the first half of the Carrier Classic NCAA college basketball game at the USS Carl. Vinson. in Coronado, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)AP

The Spartans will play Gonzaga on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, which docked in San Diego on Veterans Day, Nov. 11. The game will air on ESPN in "prime time," the network said in a statement.

Basketball On Aircraft Carrier

CBS reported last month that Michigan State and Gonzaga were in "advanced discussions" to play. Those discussions turned into a final agreement on Wednesday.

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The Spartans played their first carrier-based college basketball game in 2011 on the decks of the USS Carl Vinson, also in San Diego, against then-No. 1 North Carolina.

"I know our players, coaches and staff and everyone in Michigan State athletics are very excited to have the opportunity to play a great program like Gonzaga on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln and to honor everyone who serves in our military," Michigan State. State coach Tom Izzo announced this in a statement. "This game is huge for our program, Michigan State University and the Big Ten Conference."

Only one other carrier game was played in the 11 years after Michigan State: Syracuse and San Diego State played on the carrier the following year, but the game was postponed two days due to rain. Two other carrier games scheduled for the same year were postponed due to poor ground conditions.

Last season, Gonzaga went 28-4 and was the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but lost in the Sweet 16 to Arkansas. The Bulldogs lost No. 2 pick Chet Holmgren, but return All-American forward Drew Timm.

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If you purchase a product or sign up for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. President Obama and the First Lady wrapped up Veterans Day aboard the USS Carl Vinson, watching the University of North Carolina men's basketball team defeat Michigan State University.

The NCAA men's basketball game between the University of North Carolina and Michigan State University begins aboard the USS Carl Vinson, docked at the Naval Station on November 11, 2011 in San Diego, California. (Official White House Photo of Lawrence Jackson)

President Obama and the First Lady wrapped up Veterans Day aboard the USS Carl Vinson, where they watched the University of North Carolina men's basketball team defeat Michigan State University in the inaugural Carrier Classic.

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama watch the lowering of the colors on the USS Carl Vinson at Naval Station North Island on November 11, 2011 in San Diego, California. Players from North Carolina and Michigan State University. There was a pause while sailors on the ship led the ceremony, an evening tradition that takes place at sunset. (Official White House photo by Pete Souza)

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More than 8,000 people were in the stands aboard the 95,000-ton Nimitz-class warship, most of them military personnel in uniform. As much as the president loves a good basketball game, he said the real reason for the event was to celebrate members of the U.S. armed forces and their families and to make sure our nation does right by its heroes:

This week, all week, we celebrate our veterans, but we must turn our words into action. So what we've done is we've made sure that Congress passes legislation that makes it easier for companies to hire our veterans. We've made a number of reforms to help veterans make sure they get the counseling and jobs they need. The first lady, along with Dr. Jill Biden, put together something called Joining Forces, which has now made commitments: 100,000 jobs for veterans and military spouses across the country. And we thank them for this effort. But every American citizen can take a solemn pledge today to find an opportunity to support our troops, those still on active duty, our National Guard, our reservists and our veterans.

UPDATE: View a slideshow of photos from Veterans Day events with the president, first lady and vice president. Copyright © 2023, The San Diego Union-Tribune | CA Collection Notice | Do not sell or share my personal information

Michigan State's Draymond Green scores a touchdown against No. 11 North Carolina in 2011, during the first college game played on the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson. A year later, the Aztecs played Syracuse on the USS Midway.

Michigan State Spartans Guard Brandon Wood (30) Fights For A Rebound Against North Carolina Tar Heels Forward James Michael Mcadoo (43) At The Ncaa Carrier Classic Men's College Basketball Game On The

Second-ranked Gonzaga will take on Michigan State on the USS Abraham Lincoln on Friday before taking on the third-ranked carrier in San Diego Bay.

San Diego is one of America's most sought-after vacation destinations. It is a place to breathe the ocean air and enjoy the sunset. It offers a chance to relax, unwind and let the daily stresses melt away.

"You just know when you play Michigan State, you're going to be in for a real, real physical battle," Gonzaga basketball coach Mark Few said. "Then we better put on our helmets and be ready."

The No. 2 Bulldogs will face the Spartans in the Armed Forces Classic at 3:30 p.m. Friday on the USS Abraham Lincoln. This is the first time college basketball has returned to the water in a decade since San Diego State played Syracuse on the USS Midway in 2012.

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Michigan State is not ranked. To suggest the Spartans are injured, undersized or vulnerable is somewhat at odds with all those testing seasons under coach Tom Izzo.

Michigan State has averaged more than 25 wins a season since the turn of the century. The program has reached the NCAA Tournament in all but one of Izzo's last 25 seasons.

"Michigan State is playing hard," Gonzaga consensus All-American Drew Thiem said. "That's Tom Izzo's DNA. They're very blue during the game. If we want to be nice and everything, then they're going to beat us.

Carrier games mean more dirty noses than usual. Shooting the 3 becomes a messy business when the wind blows off San Diego Bay. In the 2012 game, the Aztecs made just one of 18 long-range attempts in a 62-49 loss.

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"Nobody's going to make (outside) shots anyway," ESPN analyst Seth Greenberg said, half joking, half quoting history. "A couple of people tried to tell me it's perfect for Izzo. They turn around. They're cutting the glass. I said, 'Mark, you led the country in 2-point field goal percentage (twice in the last four seasons).' Try this. Someone else.'

The Bulldogs ranked second nationally in 2-point field goal percentage before the season by two-tenths of a point. They were ranked first or second in each of the previous three seasons.

"This is a game changer," Greenberg said. "It's a scrappy game. It's a glass game. It's a game of getting ahead of the defense. You've got to get to the basket."

This return to the Armed Forces classic on Veterans Day comes to a city with deep and meaningful military ties. Greenberg's father, a Marine who served in World War II, was aboard the aircraft carrier USS Franklin on March 19, 1945, when a 550-pound Japanese bomb hit the flight deck.

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"I'm a basketball purist, but I also have the ability to put things into perspective," Greenberg said. "It's an honor to be on that ship. It blows my mind to see how young they are. If my father hadn't survived that day, I wouldn't be here. Let's put it in perspective. It's the first week. of November."

Country knows what Gonzaga can do with Thiem, junior Julian Strawther and a balanced cast behind them. The Spartans look more unfamiliar, despite always looking in form in March.

They also start a solid core of seniors in Joey Hauser, Tyson Walker and Malik Hall to go with junior A.J. Hoggard.

"They will compete because it's their identity and their culture," Greenberg said. "Is this Izzo's most talented team? I don't think it is. But he didn't take the easy way to the signing portal. They're older with those guys and some nice new pieces."

Michigan State Spartans Center Adreian Payne (5) Goes To The Basket Against North Carolina Tar Heels Forward John Henson (31) At The Ncaa Carrier Classic Men's College Basketball Game On The Deck

It's a meat grinder of college hoops for the Spartans, who face No. 4 Kentucky on Tuesday in Indianapolis, host No. 16 Villanova on Nov. 18, open the Phil Knight Invitational with No. 20 Alabama on Nov. 24. 21 Oregon opportunity after that.

The Spartans also played their first carrier game, also in San Diego, when they took on No. 1 North Carolina on Nov. 11, 2011, aboard the USS Carl Vinson.

"We've been at the U box for 20 years now, and other schools are catching up," Izzo said. "It's good and that's why I didn't want to miss this game, even though the schedule was brutal to begin with.

"... In the summer when we started, I was nervous

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