Ohio State will open the 2020-21 season against Memphis in Crossover Classic

Ohio State will open the 2020-21 season against Memphis in the first round of the Crossover Classic in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

The Nov. 25 game will be played will be part of the eight-team event that was initially scheduled to be the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the event has instead been moved to the Sanford Pentagon and will also include Dayton, Texas A&M, West Virginia, Creighton, Utah and Wichita State.

The Buckeyes and Tigers will tip at 4:30 p.m. Eastern.

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Ohio State is on the same side of the bracket as West Virginia and Texas A&M, and the winners and losers of the opening games will play each other the following day.

A limited number of tickets will go on sale Nov. 1. Masks will be required for all attendees.

According to a press release, the traveling parties for each team will be tested regularly while on site and will remain in a controlled environment for the duration.

The remainder of the schedule is still being finalized. The Big Ten is almost certain to play 20 league games again, and Ohio State's participation in a multi-team event means the Buckeyes can play a maximum of 27 league games.

Ohio State will play an unknown ACC opponent in the annual showdown between the two leagues and will participate in the CBS Sports Classic on Dec. 19 against North Carolina in a to-be-announced location.

Morehead State and Alabama A&M will come to Value City Arena on Dec. 2 and 5, respectively.

Had the Big Ten opted to increase its number of league games, the Buckeyes might not have taken part in the Crossover Classic.

Ohio State and Memphis most recently faced each other in the 2015 Hoophall Miami Invitational. The Tigers won that game, 81-76, in overtime in a game played in AmericanAirlines Are.

Both teams have changed coaches since that game. Memphis went from Josh Pastner to Tubby Smith to Penny Hardaway and Ohio State has transitioned from Thad Matta to Chris Holtmann.

ajardy@dispatch.com

@AdamJardy