ORLANDO – The University of Dayton men's basketball team will play in the Magic Bracket of the Terry's Chocolate ESPN Events Invitational during Feast Week this November at Walt Disney World Resort's State Farm Field House at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Kissimmee, Fla.
The Magic Bracket includes BYU, Dayton, Georgetown and Miami. The semifinals will be played on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 27, with the championship and consolation games on Friday, Nov. 28.
"Terry's Chocolate is thrilled to announce its sponsorship of the ESPN Events Invitational," said Albane de La Neuville, Category Director for Terry's Chocolate. "We are delighted to be back for a new early-season Division I college basketball event, as Terry's Chocolate aims to enhance the fan experience with delicious treats and exciting activities. Players will dunk the ball, fans will slam the Terry's Chocolate ball open, and everyone will celebrate! As we renew this ESPN and Terry's Chocolate partnership, we'd like to remind everyone that it really is 'time to have a blast!'"
Dayton has won the ESPN Events Invitational twice in its history, in 2011 and 2021, and has a record of 8-1 in its three trips to the Most Magical Place on Earth. The Flyers have defeated the likes of Iowa, Kansas, Miami, Minnesota and Wake Forest in previous iterations of the event.
The ESPN Events Invitational will mark the 18th consecutive exempt tournament in a full season schedule for UD, once again giving the Flyers another opportunity to enhance their non-conference schedule and increase national attention to the University.
Field Highlights
• BYU (Big 12) reached its first NCAA Sweet 16 since 2011, posting a 26-10 record under first year head coach Kevin Young. The Cougars finished tied for third in their debut season in the Big 12. BYU welcomes the #1 ranked recruit in ESPN's Top 100 for the Class of 2025, AJ Dybantsa of Brockton, Mass. (Utah Prep).
• Dayton (Atlantic 10) won the ESPN Events Invitational in 2011 and 2021, and reached the championship game in 2015. The Flyers reached the second round of the 2024 NIT, finishing with a 23-11 record. Dayton graduate
Anthony Grant is in his ninth year as head coach.
• Georgetown (Big East) finished with an 18-16 record, its highest win total since 2018-19, under second year coach Ed Cooley. The Hoyas played in the 2008 Old Spice Classic in Kissimmee, winning two of three games. Georgetown has reached the NCAA Tournament 31 times, most recently in 2021.
• Miami (Atlantic Coast) will be led by first time head coach Jai Lucas, who spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach at Duke. Lucas replaces the Hurricanes' winningest coach, Jim Larranaga, who led the team to a pair of NCAA Elite Eight appearances. Miami last played Thanksgiving weekend in Kissimmee in 2016.
This will be the 19th year Walt Disney World has hosted the Thanksgiving week college basketball at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, and the first time the event has featured three brackets. All the games will once again be played at State Farm Field House – a venue that has been the site of world-class basketball competitions including NBA games and elite youth tournaments.
