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North Carolina opened the season with a win over Michigan State, but the story was the location: The flight deck of the USS Carl Vinson. For more on the game, visit Michigan State blog The Only Colors and North Carolina blog Carolina March.
It was closer than many expected, but the No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels used a late first half spurt to take the lead before cruising to a 67-55 win over the Michigan State Spartans on Friday night in the Carrier Classic. The game was almost a subplot though, with the USS Carl Vinson and the San Diego backdrop taking center-stage. Basketball on an aircraft carrier on Veteran's Day is a sight to behold.
Michigan State held its own, taking an early lead and keeping Friday's matchup somewhat close throughout. UNC, try as it might, was never able to pull away, though the game was never much in doubt after a first half run had the Tar Heels heading into the locker room with a double-digit lead.
Harrison Barnes finished with a game-high 17 points while also grabbing six rebounds. John Henson and Dexter Strickland were also in double-digits for the Tar Heels, scoring 12 and 10 points, respectively.
Draymond Green scored a team-high 13 points and added a game-high 15 rebounds in the loss. Branden Dawson and Adreian Payne each added 10 points for the Spartans.
For more on this game, Tar Heels fans should visit Carolina March while Spartans fans should join The Only Colors and SB Nation Detroit. Be sure to stay tuned to our Carrier Classic StoryStream for everything else taking place around this historic game.
This is more like what we were expecting. After Michigan State inched ahead in the early-goings of the 2011 Carrier Classic, played on the flight deck of the USS Carl Vinson, North Carolina began to assert itself as the first half wore on. At the half, North Carolina holds a double-digit lead, 36-25.
Harrison Barnes and John Henson paced the Tar Heels in the first half, each scoring eight points. Barnes had three rebounds and an assist, as well. Dexter Strickland scored six points, with James Michael McAdoo and Kendall Marshall each adding four.
Brandon Dawson scored six points to lead the way for the Spartans. Brandon Wood added five, Draymond Green chipped in four and Derrick Nix had four points in the half, as well. Green has a game-high seven rebounds thus far.
And did we mention this was being played on a boat? Because it is. This game is awesome.
For more on this game, Tar Heels fans should visit Carolina March while Spartans fans should join The Only Colors and SB Nation Detroit. Be sure to stay tuned to our Carrier Classic StoryStream for everything else taking place around this historic game.
After the pregame festivities finally came to a close, a real, live basketball game tipped off on the USS Carl Vinson, docked in San Diego. Michigan State and UNC have the honors in a game that was simply a brilliant idea. The setting is an absolutely incredible sight.
But yes, there is actual basketball going on. Lopsided as the matchup seems on paper -- UNC comes in ranked No. 1 in the nation and is expected to be a juggernaut this year -- Michigan State is putting up a fight with a strong start. Just about midway through the first half, Michigan State holds the lead, 13-8.
Draymond Green and Derrick Nix each have four points to lead the Spartans. Brandon Wood has three points and Branden Dawson has two. Nix and Dawson each have four rebounds to lead the way, as well.
On the other side, Harrison Barnes has four points and a rebound. John Henson and Dexter Strickland each have two points.
For more on this game, Tar Heels fans should visit Carolina March while Spartans fans should join The Only Colors and SB Nation Detroit. Be sure to stay tuned to our Carrier Classic StoryStream for everything else taking place around this historic game.
Everything about the Carrier Classic is awesome. Basketball, Veteran's Day, an aircraft carrier ... it's just so perfect. It's enough to make anyone want to scream out "AMERICA" or "I'm on a boat." This, friends, is how every basketball game should be played.
And you can't tell me you don't want this leather Air Force One bomber jacket President Barack Obama is rocking for the festivities.
Via Clay Travis
Clearly a brand-new jacket being worn for the first time. If it was me, I'd probably never take the thing off.
For more on this game, Tar Heels fans should visit Carolina March while Spartans fans should join The Only Colors and SB Nation Detroit. Be sure to stay tuned to our Carrier Classic StoryStream for everything else taking place around this historic game.
The University of North Carolina Tar Heels and Michigan State Spartans will play one of the most unique games in college basketball history on Friday night as the two teams face off in the Carrier Classic. Since it will be the first-ever college basketball game aboard a United States Navy Aircraft Carrier - The USS Carl Vinson -- the teams will add to the patriotic nature of the Veteran's Day game with special camouflage uniforms.
The Michigan State uniforms have been given much better reviews than the Tar Heels jerseys, but when looking at the two together, it actually seems like a pretty neat tribute to the armed forces as the college basketball teams play on the aircraft carrier.
For what it's worth, both of the team's head coaches also seem to be fans of the uniforms with Roy Williams particularly enjoying the fact that "U.S.A." will replace last names on the back of their jerseys.
For more on this game, Tar Heels fans should visit Carolina March while Spartans fans should join The Only Colors and SB Nation Detroit. Be sure to stay tuned to our Carrier Classic StoryStream for everything else taking place around this historic game.
The Michigan State Spartans are set to take on the North Carolina Tar Heels in the first-ever college basketball game aboard a United States Navy Aircraft Carrier, The USS Carl Vinson, on November, 11, 2011, Veterans Day, in the 2011 Quicken Loans Carrier Classic
The season opener for both teams, the game will be televised on ESPN at 7:00 pm.
North Carolina enters the game as the No. 1 team in the nation according to both the AP and Coaches Polls. Michigan State is unranked and expected to be in the midst of a rebuilding year. The game is a rematch of the 2009 National title game and features legendary coaches Roy Williams (UNC) and Tom Izzo (MSU).
Former Los Angeles Lakers teammates Magic Johnson (MSU) and James Worthy (UNC) will be on-hand as honorary captains for their alma maters. Other notable guests include President Barack Obama, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, 2,000 Navy sailors and a collection of wounded service members that have been invited.
There is a chance of rain late Friday night or early Saturday morning, disrupting the event. However, If rain is in the forecast for San Diego around game time, the game will be played in the USS Carl Vinson’s hangar bay. Unfortunately, not all of the 7,000 expected-spectators would be able to watch the game in the hangar bay. Organizers will make the final call of "indoor or outdoor" at 3 pm on Friday.
Check out the time-lapsed footage of the Carrier Classic court set-up. For more information on the North Carolina Tar Heels, visit Carolina March. For more on the Michigan State Spartans, visit The Only Colors.
The 2011 Carrier Classic hasn't even been played and already it's spawned a follow up game for next season. The Arizona Wildcats and Connecticut Huskies have agreed to play in the 2012 Carrier Classic, perhaps better known as THE COLLEGE BASKETBALL GAME PLAYED ON A FREAKING AIRCRAFT CARRIER ON SAN DIEGO BAY.
The inaugural Carrier Classic will be played on Friday -- Veterans Day -- between North Carolina and Michigan State in San Diego. The second edition would likely be played on Nov. 9, but is not set in stone.
With another matchup between marquee programs, this game could turn into a must-see annual event -- the NCAA basketball's version of NHL's Winter Classic.
SBNation Arizona's Scott Coleman is excited for the matchup:
This of course will likely be the first game between Arizona and UCONN since their last meeting in the 2011 Elite Eight. As 'Cats fans are well aware, UA came just a three-pointer short of a Final Four appearance. To say revenge will be on the minds of Solomon Hill, Kevin Parrom, Jordin Mayes and others is an understatement.
If the prospect of the Wildcats and Huskies matching up on an aircraft carrier is somehow not exciting enough, I offer this time-lapse video of the court getting set up for this season's game provided by the Navy. It cannot be watched enough times.
For more on the 2011 Carrier Classic, visit our Tar Heels blog Carolina March and our Michigan State blog The Only Colors, as well as our Comprehensive Carrier Classic StoryStream.
On Friday, Michigan State and North Carolina will take the court on the flight deck of the USS Carl Vinson in one of the cooler early-season basketball games you'll see. Yes, the matchup is between two titans, but the fact the location is on an aircraft carrier makes this is a must-see event.
We've seen the photos of the Carrier Classic court and seating arrangements, but the time-lapse video of the construction efforts may be even more mesmerizing than seeing a basketball court on an aircraft carrier. If you're wondering what it took to assemble the court and seating, hit the jump for an awesome time-lapse provided by the Navy.
With just a little over 24 hours to go before Michigan State faces North Carolina in the first "Carrier Classic" comes word that the Spartans have already agreed to play in the game again in 2013. This according to Joe Rexrode, who cites Mike Whalen of the Morale Entertainment Foundation as his source.
Additionally, Rexrode says the event has already been scheduled to continue next season with a men's game between Arizona and Connecticut, and a women's game between Ohio State and Notre Dame. The women's teams from Connecticut and Stanford have also reportedly agreed to participate in 2013. As of this moment, no opponent for Michigan State has been named.
Friday night's game between the Spartans and Tar Heels will be played on the USS Carl Vinson, which attracted attention in May for being the site of Osama Bin Laden's burial at sea. The game will take place on the aircraft carrier's flight deck, which has been designed to sit roughly 7,000 people, most of whom will be servicemen.
The event was initially thought up as a way to commemorate Veteran's Day, but it now appears poised to morph into college basketball's newest annual tradition.
When you first heard that Michigan State and UNC were going to play a basketball game on an aircraft carrier into San Diego, that may have been a tough idea to process. Like theoretically you knew it was happening, but now that it's a day away... It's really happening.
Check out the photo after the jump.
The White House announced today that renowned college basketball fan, President Barack Obama will be attending the Carrier Classic between Michigan State and North Carolina. The game will be taking place Nov. 11 on the deck of the USS Carl Vinson in San Diego.
"This Veterans Day, President Obama will honor our nation's veterans by laying a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery and then by traveling to San Diego, California, to attend the Carrier Classic on the deck of the USS Carl Vinson,'' the White House said in a statement. "He looks forward to a great game between Michigan State and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.''
The flight deck of the Carl Vinson - which attracted attention in May for being the site of Osama Bin Laden's burial at sea - will be designed to sit roughly 7,000 people, most of whom will be servicemen. Tickets will not be sold to the public.
"We're honored that President Obama plans to attend the game on the Carl Vinson," said Rear Admiral Dennis Moynihan, the Navy's chief spokesman. "The ship is a representative of more than 100 Navy ships that are deployed right now. We see this as a celebration of service for all veterans, and we also see this as a great opportunity to showcase what our Navy does on a daily basis."
It had previously been announced that Magic Johnson will be serving as the honorary captain for Michigan State, and that James Worthy will be assuming the same title for North Carolina.
Really looking forward to the 2016 meeting between these two on Mars with President Ryan Gosling in attendance. I have really high hopes for the near future.
The North Carolina Tar Heels and Michigan St. Spartans are trying to cram an entire basketball game onto an aircraft carrier. How are they going to do such a thing?
For those of us who are visual learners, here are three artist's renditions via the Lansing State Journal:
The aircraft carrier game between the North Carolina Tar Heels and Michigan St. Spartans isn't for many more months, but a report in the Lansing State Journal has presented some more info about the affair. Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan are expected to serve as the game's honorary captains. With each school's most famous alum aboard, this game would be a pretty big deal anyway, even if it weren't being played at sea.
Four thousand of the 7,000 seats will be reserved for military members -- with 1,500 more to be split between the two schools. Ensuring the crowd is almost entirely accounted for by the military and/or the two schools involved helps with security; as organizer Mike Whalen is quoted as saying, "Again, this is a United States warship."
There's still no word on which craft will be used, though the USS Ronald Reagan is the clubhouse leader.
For more, Heels fans should visit Carolina March, and Spartans fans should join The Only Colors and SB Nation Detroit.
Remember that story about the aircraft carrier game to be played between the North Carolina Tar Heels and Michigan St. Spartans? Thought it was a done deal already, didn't you? It is now, with the San Diego Sports Commission finally announcing the game will take place on Veteran's Day aboard an as-yet unidentified ship.
As far back as November, we were wondering how this game would work. However it ends up looking, it sounds pretty awesome.
In January UNC coach Roy Williams confirmed the report, and Sparty athletic director Mark Hollis shared that the game would likely admit about 6,000 spectators. According to the plan as it stood at the time, 500 tickets would be given to each school, with the remainder going to troops and their families. He also said they're looking to get Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan involved.
For more on water sports and patriotism, Heels fans should visit Carolina March, and Spartans fans should join The Only Colors and SB Nation Detroit.
2011 Carrier Classic Photos: Scenes From A Spectacular Event
The North Carolina Tar Heels downed the Michigan State Spartans in the 2011 Carrier Classic, but the story of the evening was clearly the setting. Docked in San Diego, the flight deck of the USS Carl Vinson served as the venue for Friday night's matchup, and the ship was the star of the show.
Check out a few of the photos from the flight deck below and try not to have your jaw drop. You can't.
As darkness fell, the scenes were even more spectacular.
Superb photos courtesy of Harry How of Getty Images.
The Carrier Classic will be back again next year, which I think we can all agree is a great thing. Friday night's scene was jaw-dropping, and I'm not sure the novelty of watching a college basketball game on an aircraft carrier will ever wear off. Just way too cool to see.
For more on this game, Tar Heels fans should visit Carolina March while Spartans fans should join The Only Colors and SB Nation Detroit. Be sure to stay tuned to our Carrier Classic StoryStream for everything else taking place around this historic game.
Nov 11 10:21p by Brian Floyd - 0 comments