“KEMI Northern Classic” Features High-Octane Early-Season Tournament Hoops Action

Winchester, VA – October 11, 2018

With only two-seasons under their belts since completing the full transition to Division-I basketball, the Northern Kentucky Norse not only won the tournament in their first year of D-I postseason eligibility, receiving a bid into the 2017 NCAA Tournament, they followed that up with a 2018 regular-season Horizon League championship and trip to the NIT. Now, the Norse get to share the spoils of their success with their fans by hosting the KEMI Northern Kentucky Basketball Classic. The early-season event is highlighted by a six game round-robin tournament which features quality mid-major programs that have each experienced program-defining success in recent years. In addition to NKU, event participants Manhattan, Coastal Carolina, and UNC Asheville have each won a conference tournament championship and earned NCAA Tournament bids within the last four seasons. As former conference foes, UNC Asheville represented the Big South in the 2016 NCAA Tournament, which was Coastal Carolina’s last season in the conference before joining the Sun Belt. In 2015, Coastal defeated Asheville in the Big South tournament on its way to the championship and an NCAA Tournament bid. Manhattan also made basketball history reaching the 2015 NCAA Tournament after winning the MAAC tournament. NKU has never faced any of its three round-robin opponents, so new rivalries will be forged this November 16th through 18th at BB&T Arena.

SCHEDULE

November 6th – Wilmington College vs Northern Kentucky November 16th – Manhattan vs Coastal Carolina; UNC Asheville at Northern Kentucky November 17th – Coastal Carolina vs UNC Asheville; Manhattan at Northern Kentucky November 18th – UNC Asheville vs Manhattan; Coastal Carolina at Northern Kentucky

Northern Kentucky Norse – John Brannen (Horizon League) Only three short years ago, John Brannen took over as Head Coach of a Norse program still transitioning to full D-I membership. His first season was also the team’s inagural season in the highly touted Horizon League, which fit NKU’s geographic footprint. The realignment in the Horizon League would pay off big time in NKU’s second season in the league and first year of NCAA postseason eligibility. Brannen’s Norse finished the historic season with 24 wins, a 15-win improvement from the year prior, and the final three wins capped off the Horizon League tournament championship for NKU, earning them an NCAA Tournament bid. Proving it was no fluke for “Norse Nation”, last season NKU won the regular-season title in the Horizon League with a 15-3 conference record, part of 22 overall victories.

UNC Asheville Bulldogs – Mike Morrell (Big South Conference) First time head coach Mike Morrell looks to continue the strong tradition at UNC Asheville, a program that has experienced consistent success over the last decade. Across the last eight seasons, Asheville has reached the NCAA Tournament three times, and finished with a .500 winning percentage or better each year. The .500+ actually stretches to ten of the last 11 seasons, the only minor blemish being a 15-17 record in 2009-10. Meanwhile, in Mike’s 11 seasons working at the D-I level, he’s contributed to a whopping nine NCAA tournament berths, including six combined while working with Shaka Smart at VCU and Texas. Mike has a big task ahead this year, inheriting a team with the leading returning scorer at 3.1 ppg. ESPN’s 2015 “Top Recruiter in the Country Under 35” has brought in eight freshmen to retool the roster.

Manhattan Jaspers – Steve Masiello (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) Beginning his eighth season as Head Coach of the Jaspers, New York native Steve Masiello brought back-to-back MAAC tournament championships and NCAA Tournament bids to Riverdale in 2013-14 and 2014-15. Coach Masiello was also part of the prior two Manhattan conference tournament championships and NCAA Tournament teams as an assistant, achieved in 2002-03 and 2003-04. Remarkably, Masiello has coached on four of the five conference tournament championship teams, and half of the eight Jasper NCAA Tournament teams, in program history. Along with 116 career coaching wins, as a player, Masiello was part of back-to-back Kentucky Final Four teams, including helping the Wildcats to the 1998 National Championship.

Coastal Carolina Chanticleers – Cliff Ellis (Sun Belt Conference) Among the most decorated coaches in , Cliff Ellis has amassed 825 total collegiate victories over 40+ years. Among those victories, 747 are at the D-I level, where Cliff is the only coach in history to win 150+ games with four different D-I programs (South Alabama, Clemson, Auburn, and Coastal Carolina). Ellis has six conference coach of the year awards, 10 NCAA Tournament bids, and 13 NIT bids, with each program earning four or more postseason bids under his watch. During the 1989-90 season, Ellis coached Clemson to its only regular-season ACC title and only Sweet 16 appearance in history. The 1999 AP Coach of the Year led Auburn to a 29-4 record, SEC Championship, and a Sweet 16 berth. At Coastal, Ellis has two NCAA Tournament bids, two NIT bids, two CIT bids, and finished runner-up in the 2016-17 CBI.

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About Russ Potts Productions, Inc.

The “KEMI Northern Kentucky Basketball Classic” is organized by Russ Potts Productions, Inc. (RPPI). RPPI has organized over 850 major college and professional sporting events over 35 plus years in the industry. RPPI is led by Founder and President Russ Potts. Russ has been a pioneer in sports marketing since his time at the University of Maryland (his alma mater), then becoming Director of Athletics at Southern Methodist University (SMU). Russ also served as Vice President of the Chicago White Sox before becoming a four-term State Senator in Virginia.

RPPI’s sports marketing and event organization arm is currently managed by Senior Vice President Zach Franz, and Director of Business Development Adam Syprzak. In addition to sports marketing, promotion, and event organization, RPPI also provides business development, consulting, fundraising, and corporate sponsorship services.

Russ Potts Productions, Inc. ● 117 E. Piccadilly Street, Ste. 100C ● 540.665.0598 ● rppi.net