Gophers, St. Thomas to play inaugural basketball games at U.S. Bank Stadium

MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis will host its first ever basketball games this fall in preparation for next year's NCAA Final Four. 

The two-day, four-game event has been dubbed the U.S. Bank Stadium Basketball Classic and will take place on Friday, Nov. 30 and Saturday, Dec. 1. The games will be a test run before U.S. Bank Stadium hosts the 2019 NCAA Final Four.

The Minnesota Gophers will be one of the first basketball teams to play in the stadium. They will face Oklahoma State University on Friday, Nov. 30. The two teams have meet six times in the past, with the last time in 2015. They are tied in the series at three wins a piece. 

The U of M will have a limited number of tickets for current students, with season ticket holders getting the first chance to buy.

"We couldn't be more excited to take part in the U.S. Bank Stadium Basketball Classic," head coach Richard Pitino said in a statement. "The opportunity to play in the first basketball event at a state-of-the-art venue against a tremendous opponent in Oklahoma State was too good to pass up. I'm looking forward to seeing a lot of Maroon and Gold among the purple seats in November."

The other matchups are St. Thomas University and the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, North Dakota State University and Drake University and South Dakota State University and the University of Northern Iowa. 

GAME SCHEDULE 

Friday, Nov. 30

St. Thomas University vs. University of Wisconsin-River Falls, 6 p.m. 

University of Minnesota vs. Oklahoma State University, 8:30 p.m. 

Saturday, Dec. 1 

North Dakota State University vs. Drake University, 5:30 p.m. 

South Dakota State University vs. University of Northern Iowa, 8 p.m. 

Tickets go on sale Friday, August 10 at 10 a.m. and are available for two-day or single-day packages.