Northwestern to participate in 2017 Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament

Northwestern continues to fill its non-conference schedule, accepting an invitation to the 2017 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament on Nov. 18-19.

Teams are separated into two divisions, the Springfield and Naismith, with the winner of the Naismith bracket named tournament champion. Interestingly enough, eight games are played on the ‘campus’ (home gym) of the teams in the Naismith division while the tournament itself is played at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.

The teams in the Springfield division are Maine, Sacred Heart, Saint Peter’s, and South Alabama. Northwestern will host Saint Peter’s and Sacred Heart. We already knew about Saint Peter’s, but Sacred Heart is a new addition to the schedule.

The Naismith division is composed of Northwestern, Boston College, La Salle, and Texas Tech. The Wildcats will take on La Salle and depending on that game, will play the winner/loser of Boston College and Texas Tech.

Duke defeated Rhode Island in last year’s Hall of Fame Tip-Off, and past winners include Purdue, Providence, UNC, Ohio State, and Kentucky. Northwestern is solidifying its non-conference schedule and could put itself in terrific company if they manage to win. Northwestern is also scheduled to play Oklahoma and Valparaiso next year.