Several top women’s basketball teams will participate in the inaugural Coretta Scott King Classic, which kicks off on January 20.
Organizers announced the event Tuesday, which will be played for the first time on Martin Luther King Jr. Day at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The doubleheader will feature Baylor vs. UCLA and Texas vs. Maryland, with the first game scheduled for 3 p.m. ET. Specific game slots have yet to be determined. The event will be televised nationally on Fox.
According to organizers, the CSK Classic “was formed to honor the legacy of Mrs. King and celebrate the empowerment of women in sports.” It was organized in partnership with The King Center, which was founded by Coretta Scott King and is led by her and Martin Luther King Jr.’s daughter Dr. Bernice A. King.
“My mother, Mrs. Coretta Scott King, is often remembered and revered as my father’s devoted wife and life partner,” King said in a statement. “But she was also a staunch defender of civil and human rights.
“She lived nearly four decades after the assassination of my father, Martin Luther King, Jr., and continued the work of creating a humane, just, equitable, and peaceful world through Kingian nonviolence. She was a leading advocate and activist in the cause of equality and empowerment of women.”
King called it “fitting” that she gave her mother’s name to the tournament amid growing female empowerment in sports.
“At a time when recognition of female empowerment is growing and the fight for gender equality in sports is beginning to bear fruit, it is a fitting time to honor my mother by creating a collegiate women’s basketball event bearing her name,” King said.
The matchups could be high stakes. Texas, UCLA and Baylor all have the potential to enter the upcoming season with top 10 rankings. Texas reached the NCAA Tournament regional finals last season as a No. 1 seed. UCLA was a No. 2 seed and also reached the Elite Eight.
Baylor reached the Sweet 16 as a No. 5 seed. Maryland lost in the first round of NCAA competition as a No. 10 seed.
