Madison Square Garden gets another college basketball test when Florida, UConn, BYU and Clemson drop in for the Jimmy V Classic. On Tuesday, Dec. 9, the men’s doubleheader headlines ESPN’s V Week for Cancer Research, the annual partnership with the V Foundation that turns game broadcasts into a rolling fundraiser for cancer research in honor of former NC State coach Jim Valvano.

The women’s leg of the annual showcase tips off the following night in Ames, Iowa, for a high-profile showdown between Iowa and Iowa State. Here’s how to make sure you don’t miss any of the action:

How to watch the 2025 Jimmy V Classic
GameTime (ET)TVStream

Clemson vs. BYU

6:30 p.m., Tue.

ESPN

Florida vs. UConn

9 p.m., Tue.

ESPN

Iowa at Iowa State (women)

7 p.m., Wed.

ESPN

All ESPN programming can also be streamed with ESPN Unlimited.

On Tuesday, Clemson and No. 10 BYU get the opener at the home of the New York Knicks. Clemson leans on experience and tries to flatten pace, while BYU arrives with the nation’s top recruit, AJ Dybantsa, and enough size and shooting to stretch the floor in every direction. They’ve each gotten off to strong starts, making this a significant test for both sides.

The Tigers are 7-2, coming off a hard-fought 90-84 loss to ranked Alabama. Dybantsa leads the Cougars with an average of 19.4 points per game. At 7-1, their only blemish is a two-point loss to UConn last month at a different NBA venue (the Boston Celtics’ TD Garden). 

No. 18 Florida and No. 5 UConn follow in a collision of recent champions. Florida is trying to run back last season with a recognizable core and new rotation pieces layered around it. UConn, under Dan Hurley, still profiles like a title blueprint built on guard pressure, rim protection and lineups that turn a single blown box out into three points the other way.

The Gators have had a few bumps along the way. Last week, they fell to Duke on the road by one point in the ACC/SEC Challenge. That was the third defeat for Florida (5-3) this season, but the talent for the reigning champs is obvious. The Huskies are 8-1 and have several impressive wins, including over BYU, Illinois and Kansas.

MSG tends to show which top teams are ready to travel in March, with NBA sightlines, a New York crowd and a neutral floor that strips away most of the comfort of a campus game.

On Wednesday, the spotlight shifts to Ames for the women’s side. The Jimmy V Women’s Classic, added in 2002 and traditionally played on campus sites, pits Iowa State against in-state rival Iowa at Hilton Coliseum, a Cy-Hawk game that rarely needs extra branding.

Audi Crooks, who comes in with a nation-leading 27.3 points per game, powers a Cyclone offense that ranks in the top five in the country. But she’ll have her work cut out for her opposite Hawkeyes center Ava Heiden, who nearly averages a double-double each outing (16.1 points, 9.2 rebounds). No. 11 Iowa enters Wednesday at 9-0, while No. 10 Iowa State is 10-0. 

Call it a fundraiser with consequences. The results of these games will linger on Selection Sunday.

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