The Oklahoma men's and women's basketball teams will take on Florida in the inaugural Jumpman Invitational in the 2022-23 season, the Charlotte Sports Foundation announced Thursday.
OU's men's basketball team takes on the Gators at 8:30 p.m. CT on Dec. 20, followed by the women's team matching up with Florida at 8:30 p.m. CT on the 21st. OU Vice President and Athletics Director Joe Castiglione was instrumental in the formation of the Jumpman Invitational.
"We're very excited about the opportunity to join North Carolina, Florida and Michigan in this unique holiday basketball event," said OU Vice President and Athletics Director Joe Castiglione. "We also want to recognize all the efforts of Michael Jordan, the Jordan Brand, Danny Morrison and the Charlotte Sports Foundation, as well as Fred Whitfield and the Charlotte Bobcats, to bring the one-of-a-kind Jumpman Invitational to fruition and begin its legacy as one of the premier events in college basketball. It is a tremendous opportunity to showcase the Oklahoma men's and women's basketball teams alongside the other three original Jordan Brand schools and create this special event in the Queen City and nationally on ESPN. We look forward to participating in this annual marquee event and to it becoming a staple during the holiday season for years to come."
The two-day invitational, slated for December 20-21 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C., showcases the original four Jordan Brand schools: Florida, Michigan, North Carolina and Oklahoma.
The partnership with the Charlotte Sports Foundation and the Jordan Brand to host the Jumpman Invitational is for three years. The Foundation will host the event at Charlotte's Spectrum Center in partnership with Hornets Sports & Entertainment, which owns the NBA's Charlotte Hornets and operates the facility.
Both the men's and women's teams from North Carolina and Michigan will play each day in the game before Oklahoma takes the court. The ESPN family of networks will air all four games in order to maximize its global reach.
The Oklahoma men's basketball team welcomes eight newcomers to pair with seven returners to form the 2022-23 squad. The Sooners, under the leadership of Porter Moser, will play Florida for the second time in as many seasons. The two schools have split their all-time meetings (2-2), including a 74-67 Oklahoma victory during last season's clash.
The Oklahoma women's team return over 90% of its production from last year's NCAA Tournament team. Led by second-year head coach Jennie Baranczyk, the Sooners welcome back the nation's highest-scoring trio in Madi Williams, Taylor Robertson and Ana Llanusa.
Both teams' full 2022-23 schedules will be released at a later date.
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