Auburn to play UNC Asheville in the Rocket City Classic

AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn will play reigning Big South Conference champion UNC Asheville in the Rocket City Classic presented by Akima on Wednesday, Dec. 13, at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Ala.
 
For the first time in 14 years, the Tigers return to the VBC and Huntsville. It will mark the third time in program history to play a neutral-site game in the Rocket City next to Grambling in 2003 and Tennessee Tech in 1989. AU played a road game at the VBC against Alabama A&M in 2009.
 
Auburn is coming off a season that saw the Tigers advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, compiling a 21-13 record under head coach Bruce Pearl.
 
"I am excited to bring our team to participate in the Rocket City Classic and engage with the Auburn family throughout north Alabama, where we have some of the most loyal and passionate Auburn fans in the country," Pearl said. "To partner with our friends at Nations of Coaches to make this event happen will enable them to invest more in young men through their character-building and faith-based programs.
 
"UNC Asheville has been one of the top mid-major programs in this part of the country, so it will be a good test for us. I am also excited to bring Denver Jones home as well as Chaney Johnson, who started his collegiate career at UAH."
 
Akima, a leader in the defense industry, has increased its presence in Huntsville with a recent acquisition of Pinnacle Solutions. Their increased presence aligns with the growth of Huntsville and continues Akima's commitment to delivering superior outcomes for their customers.
 
"Akima is proud to be the presenting sponsor of the Rocket City Classic and being part of the fabric of Huntsville," said Bill Monet, President and CEO of Akima. "We are committed to supporting the communities where our employees live and work, and we look forward to two great games this fall that will showcase the best of the Rocket City."
 
The Rocket City Classic came together through a partnership with Nations of Coaches, the Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Huntsville Sports Commission and KnightEady. Nations of Coaches is a non-profit supporting college basketball coaches and student-athletes with character building programs that focus on them as a person who plays basketball, not just a basketball player.
 
"We are always looking for opportunities to elevate our mission and increase support for the student-athletes and thanks to our friends in Huntsville we are able to make this dream a reality," said Tommy Kyle, Executive Director of Nations of Coaches. "We look forward to this being just the start of something special that allows us to pour more resources into building the next generation of leaders."
 
New hospitality suites and courtside tickets will be available for the game. Tickets for the Rocket City Classic will officially go on sale to the public on Aug. 16 at 10 a.m. (CT) on Ticketmaster and the Von Braun Center Box Office.