TheHall of Fame Classic (formerly known as theGuardians Classic,CBE Classic, andCBE Hall of Fame Classic) created by theNational Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) is an annual season-opening college basketball tournament founded in 2001. The tournament is currently held in mid-November atT-Mobile Center inKansas City, Missouri, which also contains theNational Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. Before the 2007 tournament, the final rounds were held atMunicipal Auditorium, except for one year atKemper Arena in 2001.
From the inaugural tournament in 2001 until 2019, twelve teams participated in the tournament. In this format; the first two rounds were played at campus sites on two different days hosted by regional hosts, regional hosts automatically advanced to the championship rounds which are played atT-Mobile Center inKansas City, Missouri. Championship rounds took place one week after the initial round. Teams not hosting advanced to sub regional rounds where they played three games. From 2020 until 2023 and again since 2025, four teams participate in a traditional four team tournament with a Championship and Consolation game.[1] The 2024 Hall of Fame Classic was a showcase doubleheader, instead of a traditional four team tournament.[2]
| Year | Champion | Score | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Missouri | 78–77 | Iowa |
| 2002 | Creighton | 80–75 | Notre Dame |
| 2003 | South Carolina | 67–61 | Richmond |
| 2004 | Creighton | 65–64 (OT) | Ohio State |
| 2005 | Texas | 68–59 | Iowa |
| 2006 | Marquette | 73–62 | Duke |
| 2007 | UCLA | 68–63 | Michigan State |
| 2008 | Syracuse | 89–81 (OT) | Kansas |
| 2009 | Texas | 78–62 | Pittsburgh |
| 2010 | Duke | 82–68 | Kansas State |
| 2011 | Missouri | 92–53 | Cal |
| 2012 | Kansas | 73–59 | St. Louis |
| 2013 | Wichita State | 75–62 | BYU |
| 2014 | Maryland | 72–63 | Iowa State |
| 2015 | North Carolina | 80–70 | Kansas State |
| 2016 | Kansas | 65–54 | Georgia |
| 2017 | Baylor | 65–59 | Creighton |
| 2018 | Texas Tech | 70–52 | Nebraska |
| 2019 | Butler | 69–68 | Stanford |
| 2020 | TCU | 56–52 | Liberty |
| 2021 | Arkansas | 73–67 | Cincinnati |
| 2022 | San Francisco | 67–63 | Wichita State |
| 2023 | Colorado State | 69–48 | Creighton |
| 2024 | Showcase Format | ||
| 2025 | Nebraska | 86–85 | Kansas State |
| Year | Third place | Points | Fourth Place | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Alabama | 81 | Memphis | 70 |
| 2002 | Furman | 70 | IUPUI | 62 |
| 2003 | Missouri State | 72 | San Francisco | 52 |
| 2004 | Houston | 57 | Missouri | 55 |
| 2005 | Kentucky | 80 | West Virginia | 66 |
| 2006 | Air Force | 67 | Texas Tech | 53 |
| 2007 | Missouri | 84 | Maryland | 70 |
| 2008 | Florida | 86 | Washington | 84 |
| 2009 | Wichita State | 74 | Iowa | 57 |
| 2010 | Gonzaga | 66 | Marquette | 63 |
| 2011 | Georgia | 61 | Notre Dame | 57 |
| 2012 | Texas A&M | 55 | Washington State | 54 |
| 2013 | Texas | 77 | DePaul | 59 |
| 2014 | Alabama | 76 | Arizona State | 71 |
| 2015 | Northwestern | 67 | Missouri | 62 |
| 2016 | UAB | 81 | George Washington | 74 |
| 2017 | UCLA | 72 | Wisconsin | 70 |
| 2018 | USC | 99 | Missouri State | 80 |
| 2019 | Oklahoma | 77 | Missouri | 66 |
| 2020 | South Carolina | 69 | Tulsa | 58 |
| 2021 | Illinois | 72 | Kansas State | 64 |
| 2022 | Grand Canyon | 69 | Northern Iowa | 67 |
| 2023 | Loyola Chicago | 71 | Boston College | 68 |
| 2024 | Showcase Format | |||
| 2025 | New Mexico | 80 | Mississippi State | 78 |
* – Denotes overtime period
| Semifinals November 20 Peacock/NBC Sports NOW | Championship November 21 Peacock/NBC Sports NOW | ||||||||
| Nebraska | 84 | ||||||||
| New Mexico | 72 | ||||||||
| Nebraska | 86 | ||||||||
| Kansas State | 85 | ||||||||
| Kansas State | 98 | ||||||||
| Mississippi State | 77 | Consolation November 21 Peacock/NBC Sports NOW | |||||||
| New Mexico | 80 | ||||||||
| Mississippi State | 78 | ||||||||
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| Semifinals November 22 CBSSN | Championship November 23 CBSSN | ||||||||
| Boston College | 74 | ||||||||
| Colorado State | 86 | ||||||||
| Colorado State | 69 | ||||||||
| 8 | Creighton | 48 | |||||||
| 8 | Creighton | 88 | |||||||
| Loyola Chicago | 65 | Consolation November 23 CBSSN | |||||||
| Boston College | 68 | ||||||||
| Loyola Chicago | 71 | ||||||||
| Semifinals November 21 CBSSN | Championship November 22 CBSSN | ||||||||
| San Francisco | 75 | ||||||||
| Northern Iowa | 69 | ||||||||
| San Francisco | 67 | ||||||||
| Wichita State | 63 | ||||||||
| Grand Canyon | 43 | ||||||||
| Wichita State | 55 | Consolation November 22 CBSSN | |||||||
| Northern Iowa | 67 | ||||||||
| Grand Canyon | 69 | ||||||||
| Semifinals November 22 ESPNews | Championship November 23 ESPN2 | ||||||||
| Cincinnati | 71 | ||||||||
| 14 | Illinois | 51 | |||||||
| Cincinnati | 67 | ||||||||
| 13 | Arkansas | 73 | |||||||
| 13 | Arkansas | 72 | |||||||
| Kansas State | 64 | Consolation November 23 ESPNews | |||||||
| 14 | Illinois | 72 | |||||||
| Kansas State | 64 | ||||||||
| Semifinals November 28 | Championship November 29 | ||||||
| Liberty | 78 | ||||||
| South Carolina | 62 | ||||||
| Liberty | 52 | ||||||
| TCU | 56 | ||||||
| TCU | 70 | ||||||
| Tulsa | 65 | Consolation November 29 | |||||
| South Carolina | 69 | ||||||
| Tulsa | 58 | ||||||
All matches aired on ESPN Networks
| Game 1 November 16 FS1 | Game 2 November 22 FS1 | ||||||||
| Butler | 68 | ||||||||
| Butler | 80 | Morehead State | 50 | ||||||
| Wofford | 61 | ||||||||
| Game 1 November 18 SECN+ | Game 2 November 20 SECN+ | ||||||||
| Missouri | 70 | ||||||||
| Missouri | 75 | Morehead State | 52 | ||||||
| Wofford | 56 | ||||||||
| Game 1 November 19 P12N | Game 2 November 22 P12N | ||||||||
| Stanford | 81 | ||||||||
| Stanford | 76 | William & Mary | 50 | ||||||
| Maryland Eastern Shore | 55 | ||||||||
| Game 1 November 18 Fox Sports Oklahoma | Game 2 November 21 Fox Sports Oklahoma | ||||||||
| Oklahoma | 91 | ||||||||
| Oklahoma | 75 | Maryland Eastern Shore | 64 | ||||||
| William & Mary | 70 | ||||||||
| Semifinals November 25 ESPNU ESPNU/ESPN2 | Championship November 26 ESPN2 | ||||||||
| Butler | 63 | ||||||||
| Missouri | 52 | ||||||||
| Butler | 68 | ||||||||
| Stanford | 67 | ||||||||
| Stanford | 73 | ||||||||
| Oklahoma | 54 | Consolation November 26 ESPNews | |||||||
| Missouri | 66 | ||||||||
| Oklahoma | 77 | ||||||||
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| Game 1 November 6 Pac-12 Network | Game 2 November 14 Pac-12 Network | ||||||||
| Stetson | 59 | ||||||||
| Robert Morris | 62 | USC | 95 | ||||||
| USC | 83 | ||||||||
| Game 1 November 6 BTN+ | Game 2 November 11 ESPNU | ||||||||
| Southeastern Louisiana | 35 | ||||||||
| Mississippi Valley State | 37 | Nebraska | 87 | ||||||
| Nebraska | 106 | ||||||||
| Game 1 November 9 Fox Sports Southwest+ | Game 2 November 13 Fox Sports Southwest | ||||||||
| Southeastern Louisiana | 40 | ||||||||
| Mississippi Valley State | 52 | Texas Tech | 59 | ||||||
| Texas Tech | 84 | ||||||||
| Game 1 November 9 ESPN3 | Game 2 November 11 KOZL | ||||||||
| Stetson | 70 | ||||||||
| Robert Morris | 60 | Missouri State | 83 | ||||||
| Missouri State | 74 | ||||||||
| Semifinals November 19 ESPNU ESPNU/ESPN2 | Championship November 20 ESPN2 | ||||||||
| Texas Tech | 78 | ||||||||
| USC | 63 | ||||||||
| Texas Tech | 70 | ||||||||
| Nebraska | 52 | ||||||||
| Nebraska | 85 | ||||||||
| Missouri State | 62 | Consolation November 20 ESPN3 | |||||||
| USC | 99 | ||||||||
| Missouri State | 80 | ||||||||
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| Game 1 November 10 Fox Sports Southwest | Game 2 November 17 Fox College Sports | ||||||||
| Alcorn State | 61 | ||||||||
| Central Arkansas | 66 | 25 | Baylor | 78 | |||||
| 24 | Baylor | 107 | |||||||
| Game 1 November 10 Big Ten Network + | Game 2 November 12 Big Ten Network | ||||||||
| Yale | 61 | ||||||||
| South Carolina State | 50 | Wisconsin | 89 | ||||||
| Wisconsin | 85 | ||||||||
| Game 1 November 10 Fox Sports Midwest | Game 2 November 12 Fox Sports 1 | ||||||||
| Alcorn State | 72 | ||||||||
| Yale | 76 | Creighton | 109 | ||||||
| Creighton | 92 | ||||||||
| Game 1 November 15 Pac-12 Network | Game 2 November 17 Pac-12 Network | ||||||||
| South Carolina State | 68 | ||||||||
| Central Arkansas | 101 | 23 | UCLA | 96 | |||||
| 23 | UCLA | 106* | |||||||
| Semifinals November 20 ESPNU ESPN2 | Championship November 21 ESPN2 | ||||||||
| Creighton | 100 | ||||||||
| 23 | UCLA | 89 | |||||||
| Creighton | 59 | ||||||||
| 22 | Baylor | 65 | |||||||
| 22 | Baylor | 70 | |||||||
| Wisconsin | 65 | Consolation November 21 ESPN3 | |||||||
| 23 | UCLA | 72 | |||||||
| Wisconsin | 70 | ||||||||
| Game 1 November 14 | Game 2 November 19 | ||||||||
| Alcorn State | 76 | ||||||||
| South Carolina State | 54 | Central Arkansas | 102 | ||||||
| Yale | 86 | ||||||||
| Game 1 November 21 | Game 2 November 22 | ||||||||
| Yale | 87 | ||||||||
| Central Arkansas | 73 | Alcorn State | 73 | ||||||
| South Carolina State | 64 | ||||||||
| Semifinals November 21 | Championship November 22 | ||||||||
| George Washington | 73 | ||||||||
| Georgia | 81 | ||||||||
| Georgia | 54 | ||||||||
| 5 | Kansas | 65 | |||||||
| 5 | Kansas | 83 | |||||||
| UAB | 63 | Consolation | |||||||
| George Washington | 74 | ||||||||
| UAB | 81 | ||||||||
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| Semifinals November 23 | Championship Game November 24 | ||||||||
| Kansas State | 66 | ||||||||
| Missouri | 42 | ||||||||
| Kansas State | 70 | ||||||||
| 9 | North Carolina | 80 | |||||||
| 9 | North Carolina | 80 | |||||||
| Northwestern | 69 | Consolation | |||||||
| Missouri | 62 | ||||||||
| Northwestern | 67 | ||||||||
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| Semifinals November | Championship November | ||||||||
| Arizona State | 73 | ||||||||
| Maryland | 78 | ||||||||
| Maryland | 72 | ||||||||
| 13 | Iowa State | 63 | |||||||
| Alabama | 74 | ||||||||
| 13 | Iowa State | 84 | Consolation | ||||||
| Arizona State | 71 | ||||||||
| Alabama | 76 | ||||||||
Kansas State,Mississippi State andNebraska, will headline the 2025 Hall of Fame Classic, with the fourth team to be announced.[3]
