ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Rhode Island and Tulsa will play each other as part of a doubleheader at the 2025 Veterans Classic on Nov. 7. Host Navy will battle Yale in the other half of the doubleheader, with both games airing on CBS Sports Network.

The 12th edition of the Veterans Classic men's basketball doubleheader will begin at 6 p.m. with Rhody and the Golden Hurricane tipping off, followed at 8:30 p.m. by the Navy-Yale game.

The Veterans Classic, held annually around Veterans Day, honors our nation's veterans and showcases the U.S. Naval Academy.  Each of the visiting teams immerse themselves in the inner workings of the U.S. Naval Academy through guided tours followed by lunch with the Brigade of Midshipmen on the day before the games. Veterans from all service branches are honored during the course of the Friday night doubleheader.
 
Tickets for the Veterans Classic will go on sale Monday August 18 by either calling or texting 1-800-US4-NAVY or by clicking on the TICKETS tab in the masthead of NavySports.com and then selecting BASKETBALL.  Reserved tickets for the doubleheader in the lower level of Alumni Hall are $40 and upper level general admission seats can be purchased for $25.

Tulsa posted an overall record of 13-20 last season and finished the American Athletic Conference regular season with a 6-12 record. The Golden Hurricanes are the seventh AAC team to take part in the Veterans Classic.

"It's a tremendous honor for our program to compete in the Veterans Classic," said Tulsa head coach Eric Konkal. "Being at the US Naval Academy, surrounded by its rich history, tradition and commitment to service, provides an inspiring experience for our players. On the court, we face a strong opponent in Rhode Island on a national stage early in the season, which only adds to the significance of the event. It's a special opportunity for our players to grow, represent the University of Tulsa with pride, and gain perspective beyond the game. We're grateful to be part of such a meaningful and memorable competition."

Rhode Island tallied an 18-13 record a year ago, which included a 7-11 record during the Atlantic 10 regular season.  The 18 wins were the most for the Rams since they won 21 games during the 2019-20 season. This is the seventh season in a row and the eighth year overall in which an Atlantic 10 team is playing in the Veterans Classic.

"It is an honor to be able to bring our program to Annapolis for the Veteran's Classic," said Rhode Island head coach Archie Miller. "The opportunity to visit the U.S. Naval Academy and all it stands for will be a great experience for everyone in our program. I have a lot of respect for Eric Konkol and what he is doing to rebuild Tulsa. His success at Louisiana Tech speaks for itself. The Veteran's Classic will be a good measuring stick for two programs looking to prove themselves early in the season."

Winners of past Veterans Classic games include VCU, Michigan State, North Carolina, Florida, Marquette, Ohio State, Alabama, Maryland, Auburn, Virginia Tech and Houston, with Navy recording victories against Pittsburgh, East Carolina, George Washington, Princeton and Harvard.  

In the 10 seasons in which a postseason tournament has been held in the same year as the Veterans Classic, 15 visiting teams advanced to the NCAA Tournament with an additional four teams competing in the NIT.  This honor roll includes Michigan State, which reached the 2015 Final Four, and North Carolina, which advanced to the 2016 national championship game.  The field for the 2022 Veterans Classic featured Houston and Princeton, both of which advanced to the Sweet 16 in the 2023 NCAA Tournament.  The 2023 edition saw Duquesne advance to the second round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament and the College of Charleston also earn a bid to the event.  VCU won its 2024 Veterans Classic game against Boston College on its way to posting a 28-7 record and advancing to the NCAA Tournament.

There have been 37 Veterans Classic players who have gone on to play in the NBA.  
 
Past Veterans Classic Results
2014: No. 15 VCU 85, Tennessee 69; No. 18 Michigan State 64, Navy 59
2015: No. 1 North Carolina 91, Temple 67; Florida 59, Navy 41
2016: Marquette 95, Vanderbilt 71; Ohio State 78, Navy 68
2017: No. 25 Alabama 82, Memphis 70; Navy 71, Pittsburgh 62
2018: Wichita State 83, Providence 80; Maryland 78, Navy 57
2019: No. 24 / 23 Auburn 76, Davidson 66; Navy 62, East Carolina 57
2020: Navy 78, George Washington 71
2021: Utah State 85, Richmond 74; Virginia Tech 77, Navy 57
2022: No. 3 / 3 Houston 81, Saint Joseph's 55; Navy 74, Princeton 73
2023: Duquesne 90, College of Charleston 72; Temple 75, Navy 68
2024: VCU 80, Boston College 55; Navy 85, Harvard 80
 
Veterans Classic Visiting Team Conference Representation
American Athletic Conference (7): Temple (2015, 2023), Memphis (2017), Wichita State (2018), East Carolina (2019), Houston (2022), Tulsa (2025)
Atlantic Coast Conference (4): North Carolina (2015), Pittsburgh (2017), Virginia Tech (2021), Boston College (2024)
Atlantic 10 Conference (8): VCU (2014, 2024), Davidson (2019), George Washington (2020), Richmond (2021), Saint Joseph's (2022), Duquesne (2023), Rhode Island (2025)
Big East Conference (2): Marquette (2016), Providence (2018)
Big Ten Conference (3): Michigan State (2014), Ohio State (2016), Maryland (2018)
Colonial Athletic Association (1): College of Charleston (2023)
Ivy League (3): Princeton (2022), Harvard (2024), Yale (2025)
Mountain West Conference (1): Utah State (2021)
Southeastern Conference (5): Tennessee (2014), Florida (2015), Vanderbilt (2016), Alabama (2017), Auburn (2019)
 
Future NBA Players to play in the Veterans Classic (37)
2014: Michigan State - Matt Costello, Branden Dawson, Bryn Forbes, Denzel Valentine; Tennessee - Tariq Owens, Josh Richardson; VCU - Treveon Graham
2015: Florida - Chris Chiozza, Dorian Finney-Smith, Devin Robinson; North Carolina - Isaiah Hicks, Justin Jackson, Brice Johnson, Theo Pinson
2016: Ohio State - Keita Bates-Diop, Micah Potter, Jae'Sean Tate; Vanderbilt - Luke Kornet; Marquette - Markus Howard, Sam Hauser
2017: Alabama - Donta Hall, Herbert Jones; Memphis - Jeremiah Martin
2018: Providence - David Duke; Wichita State - Dexter Dennis, Jaime Echenique; Maryland - Bruno Fernando, Jalen Smith, Aaron Wiggins
2019: Auburn - Isaac Okoro; East Carolina - Tristen Newton
2020: George Washington - Jamison Battle
2021: Richmond - Jacob Gilyard
2022: Houston - Marcus Sasser, Jamal Shead, Jarace Walker; Princeton - Tosan Evbuomwan