SPOKANE, Wash. — ESPN has confirmed Gonzaga and Michigan State will face off in the 2022 Armed Forces Classic game on the USS Abraham Lincoln flight deck in the San Diego harbor on Veterans Day.
It will be the second time for both teams to play in the Armed Forces Classic. Gonzaga played Pittsburgh in the 2015 event at U.S. Marine Corps Base Smedley D. Butler in Okinawa, Japan, while Michigan State took part in the inaugural event in 2011.
“We are extremely honored to be a part of the Armed Forces Classic,” Gonzaga head coach Mark Few said. “This is a special opportunity for our program to support those who fight for our country in our own small way. We’re excited to face an incredible program in Michigan State and a great colleague in Coach Izzo. I’m sure this will be a great memory for all of us.”
“I know our players, coaches and staff, and all of Michigan State Athletics are very excited about the opportunity to play a tremendous program like Gonzaga on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln while honoring all of those who serve in our military," said Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo.
This is not Gonzaga's first game in a military setting. In 2015, Gonzaga played Pitt at a military base in Japan, only to have the game canceled at halftime due to humidity causing condensation on the court. The condensation made several players slip and made both teams concerned for their players' well-being.
Aircraft carrier games were popular in the early 2010s, but nature became a problem as playing basketball on water wasn't exactly ideal and caused condensation issues on courts. In 2012, San Diego State-Syracuse had to be postponed while Ohio State-Marquette and Florida-Georgetown were canceled. Aircraft carrier games have not been played since.
The game will air on TV on Friday, Nov. 11 during primetime on ESPN.
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