Huskies Will Play NC State in Jimmy V Classic at The Garden

UConn has lined up another non-opponent for next season, and from a power conference it is. The Huskies will participate in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden, playing North Carolina State on Dec. 4 at 9 p.m. The game will be part of a double header that also features Georgetown vs. Texas at 7 p.m.

The Wolfpack has a big year in 2011-12, going 24-13, losing to Kansas in the Sweet 16.

UConn and NC State have split four prior meetings, NC State winning at Gampel in 1991, the Huskies at Raleigh two years later. UConn eliminated the Wolfpack in The NCAA Tournament in 2002, NC State eliminated UConn in ’05.

The Huskies will play Washington at Gampel or XL on Dec. 29, and will also appear in the Paradise Jam in November. More non-conference opponents will be firmed up in the next few weeks.

This will be UConn’s first appearance in the Jimmy V Classic. Here are some details on the event’s history from the UConn press release:

The doubleheader will mark the 18^th annual Jimmy V Basketball Classic, which was begun in 1995 to raise money for the V Foundation for Cancer Research, which has raised more than $120 million to fund cancer research grants. The V Foundation was founded by the late Jim Valvano, former head coach at North Carolina State and ESPN basketball analyst, who fell victim to the disease in 1993. This is the 10^th consecutive season that the Classic has been played at Madison Square Garden.