VCU to face Purdue in Emerald Coast Classic

VCU will battle Big Ten stalwart Purdue in Niceville, Fla. as part of semifinals of the Emerald Coast Classic on Nov. 29 at 9:30 p.m. on CBS Sports Network, it was revealed Monday.

The Rams (25-8), who captured the Atlantic 10 Conference regular season championship and received an NCAA berth for the eighth time in nine seasons in 2018-19, will be meeting the Boilermakers for the second time in school history and the first since the 2011 NCAA Tournament. VCU scored a 94-76 win in that Round of 32 match-up to springboard into the Sweet 16 and eventually the Final Four.

Purdue reached the Sweet 16 and won the Big Ten regular season championship last season. The Boilermakers (26-10) earned the No. 3 seed in the South Region and finished No. 8 in the USA Today/Coaches Top 25 Poll, as well as No. 13 in the final Associated Press Top 25 rankings.

VCU will advance to face either Florida State or Tennessee on Nov. 30. Both schools reached tine Sweet 16 in 2018-19.

Additionally, the Emerald Coast Classic announced that VCU will host Jacksonville State (Nov. 17) and Alabama State (Nov. 23) at the E.J. Wade Arena at the Stuart C. Siegel Center in campus-round match-ups.

The Rams are set to return four starters and 10 letter-winners in 2019-20.

Ticket information will be available later this summer.

2019 EMERALD COAST CLASSIC TOURNAMENT

First and Second Round Games

Nov. 16                       
Chicago State at Purdue

Nov. 17                       
Jacksonville State at VCU

Nov. 20                       
Chattanooga at Florida State
Alabama State at Tennessee

Nov. 23                       
Jacksonville State at Purdue
Alabama State at VCU

Nov. 25                       
Chicago State at Florida State
Chattanooga at Tennessee

Third Round – Niceville, Fla.

Nov. 29                       
Jacksonville State vs. Chicago State, Noon
Alabama State vs. Chattanooga, 2:30 p.m.
Florida State vs. Tennessee, 7 p.m. – CBS Sports Network
VCU vs. Purdue, 9:30 p.m. – CBS Sports Network

Final Round – Niceville, Fla.

Nov. 30
Loser of JSU/Chicago State vs. Loser of ASU/Chattanooga, 11 a.m.
Winner of JSU/Chicago State vs. Winner of ASU/Chattanooga, 1:30 p.m.
Loser of FSU/Tennessee vs. Loser of VCU/Purdue, 4 p.m.
Winner of FSU/Tennessee vs. Winner of VCU/Purdue, 7 p.m. – CBS Sports Network

°Home team is listed second on schedule for games played in Niceville.