Tulsa to Play Rhode Island at 2025 Veterans Classic
6/11/2025 10:12:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Annapolis, Md. –– The University of Tulsa will face Rhode Island as part of the 12th edition of the Veterans Classic men's basketball doubleheader on Friday, Nov. 7 in Annapolis, Md. The Golden Hurricane and Rams will tip at 5 p.m. (CT) with Navy vs. Yale to follow afterward. CBS Sports Network will televise both contests.
"It's a tremendous honor for our program to compete in the Veterans Classic," head coach Eric Konkol said. "Being at the U.S. Naval Academy, surrounded by its rich history, tradition and commitment to service, provides an inspiring experience for our players. On the court, we face a strong opponent in Rhode Island on a national stage early in the season, which only adds to the significance of the event. It's a special opportunity for our players to grow, represent the University of Tulsa with pride, and gain perspective beyond the game. We're grateful to be part of such a meaningful and memorable competition."
The Veterans Classic, held annually around Veterans Day, honors our nation's veterans and showcases the U.S. Naval Academy. Each of the visiting teams immerse themselves in the inner workings of the U.S. Naval Academy through guided tours followed by lunch with the Brigade of Midshipmen on the day before the games. Veterans from all service branches are honored during the course of the Friday night doubleheader.
One TU student-athlete has a personal connection to the event. Junior forward Tyler Behrend spent five years serving in the U.S. Navy before joining the Golden Hurricane last season. Behrend played a season at Olympic Community College while his ship, the USS Theodore Roosevelt, was docked while undergoing retrofitting in Bremerton, Washington.
This year is Tulsa's first time to compete in the Veterans Classic, and the Golden Hurricane is the seventh American Athletic Conference team to compete in the event. TU has won all three previous matchups with Rhode Island. The last time the teams met was the 2021 Sunshine Slam in Daytona Beach, a 77-71 victory for the Golden Hurricane. Rhode Island tallied an 18-13 record a year ago, which included a 7-11 record during the Atlantic 10 regular season. The 18 wins were the most for the Rams since they won 21 games during the 2019-20 season.
"It is an honor to be able to bring our program to Annapolis for the Veteran's Classic," Rhode Island head coach Archie Miller said. "The opportunity to visit the U.S. Naval Academy and all it stands for will be a great experience for everyone in our program. I have a lot of respect for Eric Konkol and what he is doing to rebuild Tulsa. His success at Louisiana Tech speaks for itself. The Veteran's Classic will be a good measuring stick for two programs looking to prove themselves early in the season."
Winners of past Veterans Classic games include VCU, Michigan State, North Carolina, Florida, Marquette, Ohio State, Alabama, Maryland, Auburn, Virginia Tech and Houston, with Navy recording victories against Pittsburgh, East Carolina, George Washington, Princeton and Harvard.
In the 10 seasons in which a postseason tournament has been held in the same year as the Veterans Classic, 15 visiting teams advanced to the NCAA Tournament with an additional four teams competing in the NIT. This honor roll includes Michigan State, which reached the 2015 Final Four, and North Carolina, which advanced to the 2016 national championship game. The field for the 2022 Veterans Classic featured Houston and Princeton, both of which advanced to the Sweet 16 in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. The 2023 edition saw Duquesne advance to the second round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament and the College of Charleston also receive a bid to the event. VCU won its 2024 Veterans Classic game against Boston College on its way to posting a 28-7 record and advancing to the NCAA Tournament.
There have been 37 Veterans Classic players who have gone on to play in the NBA. Five former Veterans Classic players have won an NBA Championship, with a sixth guaranteed in 2025 as either Jarace Walker (Houston, 2022) of Indiana or Aaron Wiggins (Maryland, 2018) of Oklahoma City will earn one in the coming week.
Tickets for the Veterans Classic will go on sale Monday August 18 by either calling or texting 1-800-US4-NAVY or by clicking on the TICKETS tab in the masthead of NavySports.com and then selecting BASKETBALL. Reserved tickets for the doubleheader in the lower level of Alumni Hall are $40 and upper-level general admission seats can be purchased for $25.).
Past Veterans Classic Results
2014: No. 15 VCU 85, Tennessee 69; No. 18 Michigan State 64, Navy 59
2015: No. 1 North Carolina 91, Temple 67; Florida 59, Navy 41
2016: Marquette 95, Vanderbilt 71; Ohio State 78, Navy 68
2017: No. 25 Alabama 82, Memphis 70; Navy 71, Pittsburgh 62
2018: Wichita State 83, Providence 80; Maryland 78, Navy 57
2019: No. 24 / 23 Auburn 76, Davidson 66; Navy 62, East Carolina 57
2020: Navy 78, George Washington 71
2021: Utah State 85, Richmond 74; Virginia Tech 77, Navy 57
2022: No. 3 / 3 Houston 81, Saint Joseph's 55; Navy 74, Princeton 73
2023: Duquesne 90, College of Charleston 72; Temple 75, Navy 68
2024: VCU 80, Boston College 55; Navy 85, Harvard 80
Veterans Classic Visiting Team Conference Representation
American Athletic Conference (7): Temple (2015, 2023), Memphis (2017), Wichita State (2018), East Carolina (2019), Houston (2022), Tulsa (2025)
Atlantic Coast Conference (4): North Carolina (2015), Pittsburgh (2017), Virginia Tech (2021), Boston College (2024)
Atlantic 10 Conference (8): VCU (2014, 2024), Davidson (2019), George Washington (2020), Richmond (2021), Saint Joseph's (2022), Duquesne (2023), Rhode Island (2025)
Big East Conference (2): Marquette (2016), Providence (2018)
Big Ten Conference (3): Michigan State (2014), Ohio State (2016), Maryland (2018)
Colonial Athletic Association (1): College of Charleston (2023)
Ivy League (3): Princeton (2022), Harvard (2024), Yale (2025)
Mountain West Conference (1): Utah State (2021)
Southeastern Conference (5): Tennessee (2014), Florida (2015), Vanderbilt (2016), Alabama (2017), Auburn (2019)
Future NBA Players to play in the Veterans Classic (37)
2014: Michigan State - Matt Costello, Branden Dawson, Bryn Forbes**, Denzel Valentine; Tennessee - Tariq Owens, Josh Richardson; VCU - Treveon Graham
2015: Florida - Chris Chiozza**, Dorian Finney-Smith, Devin Robinson; North Carolina - Isaiah Hicks, Justin Jackson**, Brice Johnson, Theo Pinson
2016: Ohio State - Keita Bates-Diop, Micah Potter, Jae'Sean Tate; Vanderbilt - Luke Kornet**; Marquette - Markus Howard, Sam Hauser**
2017: Alabama - Donta Hall, Herbert Jones; Memphis - Jeremiah Martin
2018: Providence - David Duke; Wichita State - Dexter Dennis, Jaime Echenique; Maryland - Bruno Fernando, Jalen Smith, Aaron Wiggins
2019: Auburn - Isaac Okoro; East Carolina - Tristen Newton
2020: George Washington - Jamison Battle
2021: Richmond - Jacob Gilyard
2022: Houston - Marcus Sasser, Jamal Shead, Jarace Walker; Princeton - Tosan Evbuomwan
** = won NBA Championship
"It's a tremendous honor for our program to compete in the Veterans Classic," head coach Eric Konkol said. "Being at the U.S. Naval Academy, surrounded by its rich history, tradition and commitment to service, provides an inspiring experience for our players. On the court, we face a strong opponent in Rhode Island on a national stage early in the season, which only adds to the significance of the event. It's a special opportunity for our players to grow, represent the University of Tulsa with pride, and gain perspective beyond the game. We're grateful to be part of such a meaningful and memorable competition."
The Veterans Classic, held annually around Veterans Day, honors our nation's veterans and showcases the U.S. Naval Academy. Each of the visiting teams immerse themselves in the inner workings of the U.S. Naval Academy through guided tours followed by lunch with the Brigade of Midshipmen on the day before the games. Veterans from all service branches are honored during the course of the Friday night doubleheader.
One TU student-athlete has a personal connection to the event. Junior forward Tyler Behrend spent five years serving in the U.S. Navy before joining the Golden Hurricane last season. Behrend played a season at Olympic Community College while his ship, the USS Theodore Roosevelt, was docked while undergoing retrofitting in Bremerton, Washington.
This year is Tulsa's first time to compete in the Veterans Classic, and the Golden Hurricane is the seventh American Athletic Conference team to compete in the event. TU has won all three previous matchups with Rhode Island. The last time the teams met was the 2021 Sunshine Slam in Daytona Beach, a 77-71 victory for the Golden Hurricane. Rhode Island tallied an 18-13 record a year ago, which included a 7-11 record during the Atlantic 10 regular season. The 18 wins were the most for the Rams since they won 21 games during the 2019-20 season.
"It is an honor to be able to bring our program to Annapolis for the Veteran's Classic," Rhode Island head coach Archie Miller said. "The opportunity to visit the U.S. Naval Academy and all it stands for will be a great experience for everyone in our program. I have a lot of respect for Eric Konkol and what he is doing to rebuild Tulsa. His success at Louisiana Tech speaks for itself. The Veteran's Classic will be a good measuring stick for two programs looking to prove themselves early in the season."
Winners of past Veterans Classic games include VCU, Michigan State, North Carolina, Florida, Marquette, Ohio State, Alabama, Maryland, Auburn, Virginia Tech and Houston, with Navy recording victories against Pittsburgh, East Carolina, George Washington, Princeton and Harvard.
In the 10 seasons in which a postseason tournament has been held in the same year as the Veterans Classic, 15 visiting teams advanced to the NCAA Tournament with an additional four teams competing in the NIT. This honor roll includes Michigan State, which reached the 2015 Final Four, and North Carolina, which advanced to the 2016 national championship game. The field for the 2022 Veterans Classic featured Houston and Princeton, both of which advanced to the Sweet 16 in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. The 2023 edition saw Duquesne advance to the second round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament and the College of Charleston also receive a bid to the event. VCU won its 2024 Veterans Classic game against Boston College on its way to posting a 28-7 record and advancing to the NCAA Tournament.
There have been 37 Veterans Classic players who have gone on to play in the NBA. Five former Veterans Classic players have won an NBA Championship, with a sixth guaranteed in 2025 as either Jarace Walker (Houston, 2022) of Indiana or Aaron Wiggins (Maryland, 2018) of Oklahoma City will earn one in the coming week.
Tickets for the Veterans Classic will go on sale Monday August 18 by either calling or texting 1-800-US4-NAVY or by clicking on the TICKETS tab in the masthead of NavySports.com and then selecting BASKETBALL. Reserved tickets for the doubleheader in the lower level of Alumni Hall are $40 and upper-level general admission seats can be purchased for $25.).
Past Veterans Classic Results
2014: No. 15 VCU 85, Tennessee 69; No. 18 Michigan State 64, Navy 59
2015: No. 1 North Carolina 91, Temple 67; Florida 59, Navy 41
2016: Marquette 95, Vanderbilt 71; Ohio State 78, Navy 68
2017: No. 25 Alabama 82, Memphis 70; Navy 71, Pittsburgh 62
2018: Wichita State 83, Providence 80; Maryland 78, Navy 57
2019: No. 24 / 23 Auburn 76, Davidson 66; Navy 62, East Carolina 57
2020: Navy 78, George Washington 71
2021: Utah State 85, Richmond 74; Virginia Tech 77, Navy 57
2022: No. 3 / 3 Houston 81, Saint Joseph's 55; Navy 74, Princeton 73
2023: Duquesne 90, College of Charleston 72; Temple 75, Navy 68
2024: VCU 80, Boston College 55; Navy 85, Harvard 80
Veterans Classic Visiting Team Conference Representation
American Athletic Conference (7): Temple (2015, 2023), Memphis (2017), Wichita State (2018), East Carolina (2019), Houston (2022), Tulsa (2025)
Atlantic Coast Conference (4): North Carolina (2015), Pittsburgh (2017), Virginia Tech (2021), Boston College (2024)
Atlantic 10 Conference (8): VCU (2014, 2024), Davidson (2019), George Washington (2020), Richmond (2021), Saint Joseph's (2022), Duquesne (2023), Rhode Island (2025)
Big East Conference (2): Marquette (2016), Providence (2018)
Big Ten Conference (3): Michigan State (2014), Ohio State (2016), Maryland (2018)
Colonial Athletic Association (1): College of Charleston (2023)
Ivy League (3): Princeton (2022), Harvard (2024), Yale (2025)
Mountain West Conference (1): Utah State (2021)
Southeastern Conference (5): Tennessee (2014), Florida (2015), Vanderbilt (2016), Alabama (2017), Auburn (2019)
Future NBA Players to play in the Veterans Classic (37)
2014: Michigan State - Matt Costello, Branden Dawson, Bryn Forbes**, Denzel Valentine; Tennessee - Tariq Owens, Josh Richardson; VCU - Treveon Graham
2015: Florida - Chris Chiozza**, Dorian Finney-Smith, Devin Robinson; North Carolina - Isaiah Hicks, Justin Jackson**, Brice Johnson, Theo Pinson
2016: Ohio State - Keita Bates-Diop, Micah Potter, Jae'Sean Tate; Vanderbilt - Luke Kornet**; Marquette - Markus Howard, Sam Hauser**
2017: Alabama - Donta Hall, Herbert Jones; Memphis - Jeremiah Martin
2018: Providence - David Duke; Wichita State - Dexter Dennis, Jaime Echenique; Maryland - Bruno Fernando, Jalen Smith, Aaron Wiggins
2019: Auburn - Isaac Okoro; East Carolina - Tristen Newton
2020: George Washington - Jamison Battle
2021: Richmond - Jacob Gilyard
2022: Houston - Marcus Sasser, Jamal Shead, Jarace Walker; Princeton - Tosan Evbuomwan
** = won NBA Championship
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's BasketballMBB | Eric Konkol Pre AAC Tourney
Monday, March 10
MBB | Konkol Temple Postgame
Tuesday, March 04
MBB | Eric Konkol Tulane Preview
Monday, February 24
MBB | Eric Konkol Pre UNT
Monday, February 17