Diamond Head Classic

Diamond Head Classic
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2024 Diamond Head Classic
SportCollege basketball
Founded2009
No. of teams8
CountryUnited States
Venue(s)SimpliFi Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center
Honolulu, Hawaii
Most recent
champion(s)		Nebraska
Most titlesUSC (2)
TV partner(s)ESPNU, ESPN2
Sponsor(s)Hawaiian Airlines
Official websitediamondheadclassic.com

The Diamond Head Classic is a three-day invitational college basketball tournament held at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, Hawaii on the campus of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Each team plays three games, winners facing winners and losers facing losers. The Big West Conference serves as the host. The tournament is ESPN-owned and operated.[1]

The inaugural tournament was won by USC in 2009. The most recent champions are the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

Yearly champions, runners-up, and MVPs

Year Winner Score Opponent Tournament MVP
2009 USC 67–56[2] UNLV Mike Gerrity, USC
2010 Butler 84–68[3] Washington State Matt Howard, Butler
2011 Kansas State 77–60[4] Long Beach State Rodney McGruder, Kansas State
2012 Arizona 68–67[5] San Diego State Solomon Hill, Arizona
2013 Iowa State 70–66[6] Boise State DeAndre Kane, Iowa State
2014 George Washington 60–54[7] Wichita State Kevin Larsen, George Washington
2015 Oklahoma 83–71[8] Harvard Buddy Hield, Oklahoma
2016 San Diego State 62–48[9] San Francisco Zylan Cheatham, San Diego State
2017 USC 77–72 [10] New Mexico State Bennie Boatwright, USC
2018 TCU 83–69[11] Indiana State Alex Robinson, TCU
2019 Houston 75–71[12] Washington Fabian White Jr., Houston
2020 Tournament not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021 The championship final between Stanford and Vanderbilt was canceled because of COVID-19 issues in the Cardinal camp. Vanderbilt awarded championship.[13][14] Darius McGhee, Liberty
2022 Hawai’i 58–57[15] SMU JoVon McClanahan, Hawai’i
2023 Nevada 72–64[16] Georgia Tech Jarod Lucas, Nevada
2024 Nebraska 78–66[17] Oregon State Brice Williams, Nebraska

Appearances and championships

Team Appearances Years Tournament Record
Akron 2 2013, 2017 1–5 (1.67)
Arizona 1 2012 3–0 (1.000)
Auburn 2 2011, 2015 2–4 (.333)
Ball State 1 2019 1–2 (.333)
Baylor 1 2010 1–2 (.333)
Boise State 2 2013, 2019 4–2 (.667)
Bucknell 1 2018 2–1 (.667)
Butler 1 2010 3–0 (1.000)
BYU 2 2015, 2021 4–2 (.667)
Charleston 2 2009, 2024 3–3 (.500)
Charlotte 2 2018, 2024 1–5 (.167)
Clemson 1 2011 1–2 (.333)
Colorado 2 2014, 2018 2–4 (.333)
Davidson 1 2017 1–2 (.333)
DePaul 1 2014 0–3 (.000)
East Tennessee State 1 2012 0–3 (.000)
Florida State 1 2010 2–1 (.667)
George Mason 1 2013 1–2 (.333)
George Washington 2 2014, 2022 3–3 (.500)
Georgia Tech 2 2019, 2023 4–2 (.667)
Harvard 1 2015 2–1 (.667)
Hawai'i 12 2009–2019, 2021–2022, 2023–2024 21–20 (.515)
Houston 1 2019 3–0 (1.000)
Illinois State 1 2016 2–1 (.667)
Indiana State 2 2012, 2018 4–2 (.667)
Iona 1 2022 2–1 (.667)
Iowa State 1 2013 3–0 (1.000)
Kansas State 1 2011 3–0 (1.000)
Liberty 1 2021 1–2 (.333)
Long Beach State 1 2011 2–1 (.667)
Loyola Chicago 1 2024 0–3 (.000)
Loyola Marymount 1 2014 1–2 (.333)
Miami (FL) 2 2012, 2017 3–3 (.500)
Middle Tennessee State 1 2017 1–2 (.333)
Mississippi State 1 2010 1–2 (.333)
Murray State 1 2024 1–2 (.333)
Nebraska 2 2014, 2024 5–1 (.833)
Nevada 1 2023 3–0 (1.000)
New Mexico 1 2015 0–3 (.000)
New Mexico State 1 2017 2–1 (.667)
Northeastern 1 2009 1–2 (.333)
Northern Iowa 2 2015, 2021 1–4 (.200)
Oakland 1 2024 1–2 (.333)
Ohio 1 2014 1–2 (.333)
Oklahoma 1 2015 3–0 (1.000)
Old Dominion 1 2023 1–2 (.333)
Ole Miss 1 2012 2–1 (.667)
Oregon State 2 2013, 2024 3–3 (.500)
Pepperdine 1 2022 1–2 (.333)
Portland 2 2019, 2023 0–6 (.000)
Princeton 1 2017 2–1 (.667)
Rhode Island 1 2018 1–2 (.333)
Saint Mary's 2 2009, 2013 2–4 (.333)
San Diego 1 2010 1–2 (.333)
San Diego State 2 2012, 2016 5–1 (.833)
San Francisco 2 2012, 2016 3–3 (.500)
Seattle 1 2022 1–2 (.333)
SMU 2 2009, 2022 2–4 (.333)
South Carolina 1 2013 2–1 (.667)
South Florida 1 2021 1–2 (.333)
Southern Illinois 1 2011 0–3 (.000)
Southern Miss 1 2016 0–3 (.000)
Stanford 1 2021 2–0 (1.000)
Stephen F. Austin 1 2016 1–2 (.333)
TCU 2 2018, 2023 5–1 (.833)
Temple 1 2023 1–2 (.333)
Tulsa 1 2016 1–2 (.333)
UMass 1 2023 2–1 (.667)
UNLV 2 2009, 2018 3–3 (.500)
USC 2 2009, 2017 6–0 (1.000)
Utah 2 2010, 2016 2–4 (.333)
Utah State 1 2022 2–1 (.667)
UTEP 2 2011, 2019 3–3 (.500)
Vanderbilt 1 2021 2–0 (1.000)
Washington 1 2019 2–1 (.667)
Washington State 3 2010, 2015, 2022 4–5 (.444)
Western Michigan 1 2009 2–1 (.667)
Wichita State 1 2014 2–1 (.667)
Wyoming 1 2021 2–1 (.667)
Xavier 1 2011 1–2 (.333)

References

  1. ^ "About Diamond Head Classic". espnevents.com. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  2. ^ "2009–2010 Diamond Head Classic". RealGM Basketball. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  3. ^ "2010–2011 Diamond Head Classic". RealGM Basketball. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  4. ^ "2011–2012 Diamond Head Classic". RealGM Basketball. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  5. ^ "2012–2013 Diamond Head Classic". RealGM Basketball. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  6. ^ "2013–2014 Diamond Head Classic". RealGM Basketball. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  7. ^ "George Washington upsets Wichita St. to win Diamond Head Classic". Retrieved Dec 26, 2014.
  8. ^ "2015–16 Diamond Head Classic". RealGM Basketball. Retrieved December 26, 2015.
  9. ^ "San Diego State vs. San Francisco - Game Summary - December 25, 2016 - ESPN". ESPN.com.
  10. ^ "USC vs. New Mexico - Game Summary - December 25, 2017 - ESPN". ESPN.com.
  11. ^ "Bracket | Matchups | Tournament | Diamond Head Classic". espnevents.com. Retrieved 2019-03-18.
  12. ^ "Houston vs. Washington - Game Summary - December 25, 2019 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
  13. ^ "Stanford's game vs. Vandy canceled amid COVID". ESPN.com. 2021-12-26. Retrieved 2022-11-23.
  14. ^ "PRESS RELEASES AND HISTORY". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2023-12-22.
  15. ^ "McClanahan's Game-Winner Lifts Warriors To Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic Title". University of Hawai'i at Manoa Athletics. 2022-12-25. Retrieved 2023-12-25.
  16. ^ "Nevada tops Georgia Tech 72-64 to win Diamond Head Classic championship". ESPN. Retrieved 2023-12-25.
  17. ^ "Nebraska 78-66 Oregon State (Dec 25, 2024) Final Score". ESPN. Retrieved 2024-12-26.