Mason to compete with University of Richmond in first Holiday Hoop Classic

Governor McDonnell stands with coaches and mascots of different Virginia basketball teams to celebrate the Holiday Hoop Classic. (Photo courtesy of governor.va.gov)

This holiday season, George Mason University will be giving back to the community by participating in the first ever Governor’s Holiday Hoops Classic, where Mason’s men’s basketball team will play the University of Richmond.

The event is encouraging fans to donate canned foods and raise money through The Cause of the Classic Food Drive. George Mason University is competing against the University of Richmond to see who can donate the most in support of the Capital Area Food Bank.

Governor Bob McDonnell announced the event in December 2011 as an opportunity for Virginia schools to compete against one another in basketball.

“Unfortunately, given scheduling constraints and conference affiliations, we too rarely get to witness our in-state teams competing against each other. The ‘Classic’ will change that,” McDonnell said, according to the Classic’s website.

Canned foods can be dropped off at various bins around Mason’s Fairfax campus, and financial donations can be made at Mason Gives Back. Donations will also be collected at the Patriot Center during the upcoming men’s and women’s basketball games on Dec. 5 and 8, and at the RAC at the wrestling match on Dec. 8.

The donation competition against Richmond will run from Nov. 15 until Dec.15.

Other participants this year include Old Dominion University and the University of Virginia, who will play each other after the Patriots-Spiders game.

Chris Kreider, an assistant coach of Mason’s men’s basketball, is excited to play Richmond because they haven’t played them in over a year, and says it will be a great test for the team.

“Richmond has had a lot of recent success and gives us another possible top 100 RPI opponent on our non-conference schedule,” Kreider said in an email. “With their unique style of play on both ends of the floors, they force you to prepare for them and will try to use their match up zone to take you out of what you normally like to do”.

Mason will play the Spiders at 3:00 p.m. on Dec. 22 at the Richmond Coliseum, followed by ODU vs. UVa. at 5:00 p.m. The winners of each donation competition will be announced between games.