UB to play at ‘Bubbleville’ tournament

UB men’s basketball will play a pair of games in a new preseason tournament called “Bubbleville” at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut.

The Bulls will be a part of Pod Three, facing off against Vermont on Monday, Nov. 30 and Iona on Tuesday, Dec. 1. This adds to the Bulls’ non-conference schedule which also includes West Virginia, a perennial top 25 and NCAA tournament team.

There will be nine pods, totaling 30 teams that will participate in other “Bubbleville” preseason tournaments at Mohegan Sun Arena from Nov. 25 through Dec. 5.

According to a game contract between UB, The Gazelle Group and Basketball Hall of Fame, UB will pay a maximum of $35,000 to participate in “Bubbleville.”

This includes travel to and from Mohegan Sun Arena, the cost of both games played in the tournament, up to 15 hotel rooms, three meals per day for up to 25 people, a private team meeting space and all costs involved in COVID protocols and game operations.

The Bulls have a 4-4 record against Iona, but this time they face a different Iona team than in years past. Iona hired legendary coach Rick Pitino on March 14 to head their program. Pitino was fired by Louisville in 2017 after an sex scandal involving an escort lead to the NCAA vacating Pitino’s 2013 national championship with Louisville.

UB  played Vermont in 2015 at the Mohegan Sun Arena, defeating them 77-71 in the final game of the Hall of Fame Classic.

UB will begin conference play Dec. 6 against Bowling Green.

Alex Lenneberg is an assistant sports editor and can be reached at alex.lenneberg@ubspectrum.com or on Twitter @lennebergalex.

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