**release courtesy of Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame**ATLANTIC CITY, NJ – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) of Atlantic City announced today the field of teams for the first-ever Boardwalk Classic presented by Citi, a newly developed college basketball showcase to be held at Historic Boardwalk Hall on Saturday, December 15, 2018. It is another signature event created by CRDA's ongoing programming alliance with IMG.The one-day quadruple-header will feature Temple University (American Athletic) vs. Davidson College (Atlantic 10); Iona College (MAAC) vs. Princeton University (Ivy League); Penn State (Big Ten) vs. North Carolina State University (ACC); and Virginia Tech (ACC) vs. University of Washington (Pac-12). Seven of the eight schools participated in the 2018 college basketball post season, including Penn State, who won the NIT tournament (joined in that event by Temple and Washington.) Davidson, the Atlantic 10 tourney champ, appeared in the NCAA tournament, along with N.C. State, Virginia Tech, and Iona."Atlantic City has long been a popular destination on the east coast with wonderful hotels, dining and entertainment. We are very excited to host the inaugural Boardwalk Classic at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City this December," said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. "The eight teams participating and the fans who travel with them are sure to have a fantastic experience in this unique venue.""The CRDA is pleased to welcome back the best of college basketball to Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall," added CRDA Board Chairman Robert Mulcahy. "Working with the Hall of Fame and IMG, this event brings to the resort regional and national basketball powers, as well as a national television audience."Quotes from Participating Head Coaches"We are excited to take part in the inaugural Basketball Hall of Fame Boardwalk Classic. Boardwalk Hall is a great venue and Temple has had tremendous success there, winning three conference championships over the last decade. We are looking forward to playing against Davidson in the quadruple-header in December." - Fran Dunphy, Temple University"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to play in the Basketball Hall of Fame Boardwalk Classic. Playing a very challenging opponent like Temple, competing against a superb coach like Fran Dunphy, and being in the exciting venue of Atlantic City all combine to make this experience one that we feel very fortunate to be part of." – Bob McKillop, Davidson College"We've very excited to participate in the Basketball Hall of Fame Boardwalk Classic in Atlantic City. Playing a regional rival in Princeton as part of a quadruple-header with seven other accomplished basketball programs in a venue that our fans can attend makes this an event we are absolutely looking forward to participating in." - Tim Cluess, Iona College"We're pleased to be a part of a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame event once again this year. Our guys had a great experience around the event in Miami last year, and we're looking forward to being a part of another fantastic event this year with seven other really good teams on a schedule that should make for a fun Saturday at Boardwalk Hall." - Mitch Henderson, Princeton University"We know our team is in a great environment anytime we can play in front of our alumni, fans and family, and the Basketball Hall of Fame is giving us the opportunity to showcase our program at the Boardwalk Classic in Atlantic City. Penn State has been invited to participate in previous Basketball Hall of Fame events and we've had great experiences. We're excited about this game and the destination." - Patrick Chambers, Penn State"We are excited to play in the Basketball Hall of Fame Boardwalk Classic. Boardwalk Hall is a historic venue with heaps of tradition and Penn State is a strong team that will provide a great test for our team." - Kevin Keatts, NC State"We are extremely excited to compete in the Basketball Hall of Fame Boardwalk Classic. Washington has an outstanding team that will be a challenging opponent for our squad. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is such an important part of our sport and it is great to join them in this event. We hope to continue to help the Hall of Fame celebrate basketball's moments and people. The Hokies are looking forward to participating in this event." - Buzz Williams, Virginia Tech"We're very excited for the opportunity to face Virginia Tech in Atlantic City as part of the Basketball Hall of Fame Boardwalk Classic. It will give us a great test against a team that made the 2018 NCAA Tournament that we also faced in November of last year. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame always puts on a great event and we're ready to bring Husky Basketball to New Jersey." -, University of WashingtonLocated in Springfield, Massachusetts, the birthplace of basketball, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame promotes and preserves the game of basketball at every level – professional, collegiate, men and women. For more information on these and other upcoming events, please visit www.hoophall.com or call 1-877-4-HOOPLA.The only agency of its kind nationwide, the CRDA has used Atlantic City casino reinvestments as a catalyst for meaningful, positive improvement in the lives of New Jersey residents since 1984. Under the 2011 Tourism District Act, the Authority's mission evolved from statewide projects to becoming the state's key economic development agency for Atlantic City. CRDA's expanded responsibilities now include land use regulation, tourism marketing and clean and safe initiatives. The CRDA also oversees Historic Boardwalk Hall (the leading entertainment venue of its size in the country) and the Atlantic City Convention Center. In total, CRDA has invested nearly $2 billion in more than 400 projects statewide, of which $1.8 billion has been invested in Atlantic City, spurring business investments and expansions, and creating permanent jobs in the process. For more information about CRDA and our projects, visit www.njcrda.com. Follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/njcrda, and Twitter at www.twitter.com/njcr