The Gotham Classic is an annual college basketball event played at the beginning of the season, featuring NCAA Division I men's basketball teams. The event is produced by the Gazelle Group, Inc. and was first played in 2012. The event has been played in Madison Square Garden in New York City six out of its twelve years, and will be played at Barclays Center in 2024. The sponsors for the event have changed year to year, with O'Reilly Auto Parts, Discount Tire, Guaranteed Rate, and Nutrafol as the most recent sponsors.
The most recent winner of the Gotham Classic is Maryland, who defeated Syracuse 87–60 in the 2024 game.
History The inaugural Gotham Classic took place in 2012, with Temple winning 83–79 over No. 3 Syracuse. The win marked the fifth straight season Temple had beaten a top 10 team while being unranked themselves. As for Syracuse, this loss snapped its 52-game regular season non-conference winning streak. The event featured five teams, with two making the showcase game. This format would last up until 2021.
The event was played in Madison Square Garden in New York City its first four years, up until 2016, when it began to move around. In 2016, the event was played in the Mullins Center in Amherst, Massachusetts. In 2017, the event was moved back to Madison Square Garden in New York City. In 2018, the event was played in the Edmund P. Joyce Center in Notre Dame, Indiana. In 2019, the event was played in Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.
COVID-19 caused cancelation of the 2020 Gotham Classic, but in 2021 Madison Square Garden opened its doors to the event which featured St. John’s taking on long-time former Big East foe Pitt. This was the first year of the four team format. In 2022, the event was played in UBS Arena in Belmont Park, New York, and continued the four team format.
Yearly champions, runners-up, and MVPs +YearWinnerScoreOpponentTournament MVPOther ParticipantsVenue2024Maryland 87–60SyracuseSelton Miguel (Maryland) —Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY2023Mississippi State 70–60RutgersJimmy Bell Jr. (Mississippi State) —Prudential Center, Newark, NJ2022St. Bonaventure63–51Notre DameChad Venning (St. Bonaventure)Bowling Green, Southern IndianaUBS Arena, Belmont Park, NY2021Pittsburgh59–57St. John'sJamarius Burton (Pittsburgh)Monmouth, ColgateMadison Square Garden, New York, NY2020Cancelled due to COVID-192019Saint Louis64–54Boston CollegeJordan Goodwin, Saint LouisEastern Washington, Belmont, High PointConte Forum, Chestnut Hill, MA2018Notre Dame67–56DuquesneJohn Mooney, Notre DameRadford, William & Mary, UICEdmund P. Joyce Center, Notre Dame, IN2017Louisville81–72MemphisQuentin Snider, LouisvilleSiena, Albany, BryantMadison Square Garden, New York, NY2016Massachusetts72–48PacificMalik Hines, MassachusettsRider, Kennesaw State, North Carolina A&TMullins Center, Amherst, MA2015Pittsburgh94–69DavidsonMichael Young, PittsburghWestern Carolina, Morehead State, Eastern WashingtonMadison Square Garden, New York, NY2014Richmond65–63PepperdineT.J. Cline, RichmondIUPUI, Howard, South Alabama2013Ohio State64–61Notre DameLaQuinton Ross, Ohio StateDelaware, Bryant, North Dakota State2012Temple83–79SyracuseKhalif Wyatt, TempleDetroit, Canisius, Alcorn State
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