Tennessee hoops announces preseason exhibition vs. B1G foe, proceeds to go to Maui relief efforts
Tennessee basketball will take on Michigan State in a preseason charity exhibition game and the proceeds will go towards relief efforts for those affected by the wildfires in Maui.
The game, which will take place Oct. 29, will take place at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Michigan.
The matchup will feature two teams that will likely be in the top-10 to begin the season. Last season, the two teams scrimmaged privately, but the results are unknown.
Tennessee basketball has visited Maui three times, including a 2016 trip with head coach Rick Barnes. Every year, Maui hosts the Maui Jim Maui Invitational.
“First, I appreciate coach Izzo and Michigan State for hosting this game, which will benefit a community that means so much to the world of college basketball,” Barnes said. “While we certainly need to continue to pray for the families in Maui who have been impacted, this benefit game will enable us to offer tangible support toward the restoration of Maui and its beautiful spirit.”
The exhibition game works out well for the two teams, as they already had plans of facing off in a preseason scrimmage. When the opportunity came up to do some good, it only made sense.
“We’ve had plans to scrimmage Rick’s team since last Fall, and we spoke about what we could do to help and honor the city of Lahaina and the people there who are in need,” Michigan State head coach Tim Izzo said. “I’m hopeful that our Spartan family will pack the Breslin Center for what will be a great game, but will have an even greater mission, and that’s to help the Lahaina community as much as we can.”