Auburn, UNC Asheville Feature in Huntsville’s Rocket City Classic

Huntsville, Alabama, will host Auburn men’s basketball for the first time in more than a decade when the Tigers face reigning Big South Conference champions UNC Asheville on December 13 in the Rocket City Classic at the Von Braun Center.

It will be the third time that Auburn plays a neutral-site game in Huntsville, having last done so against Grambling in 2003 and Tennessee Tech in 1989. The Tigers played a road game at Alabama A&M in 2009 in Huntsville.

“I am excited to bring our team to participate in the Rocket City Classic and engage with the Auburn family throughout north Alabama, where we have some of the most loyal and passionate Auburn fans in the country,” Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said.

The Rocket City Classic is through a partnership with Nations of Coaches, the Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Huntsville Sports Commission and KnightEady. Nations of Coaches is a non-profit supporting college basketball coaches and student-athletes with character building programs.

Auburn finished last season 21-13 and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament. UNC Asheville set a school record for wins with 27 and won both the Big South Regular Season and Tournament titles before losing to UCLA in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Akima, a defense industry business, will be the presenting sponsor of the game.