The four team field for the 2021 Empire Classic has been announced and joining the Providence Friars will be Louisville, Gonzaga, & Oklahoma State.

Source: Oklahoma State will be the fourth team in the 2021 Empire Classic at MSG and will not participate in the 2021 Legends Classic at Barclays Center as originally scheduled.

Current field for 2021 Legends Classic:

UCLA
Virginia
Northwestern
4th team is TBD https://t.co/xfj8R2g1jb

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) July 1, 2020

Although Oklahoma State has received a tournament ban for this upcoming season, the fact that Cade Cunningham, the projected number 1 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, will still be attending OK State and playing in the Empire Classic is more than reason enough to watch these games.

The Friars previously played in this tournament in 2017, winning the Empire Classic by beating Washington and St. Louis after the Billikens had upset Virginia Tech.

Friarbasketball provided some extensive highlights of PC’s triumph on their way to the 2017 Classic Championship.

Kyron Cartwright was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player award after averaging 9.5 pts, 6.5 asts, and 3 rebs over the two games.  Cartwright also moved himself into the Top Ten on the all-time assist list for the Friars at the time.

Any tournament that’s at MSG is a great tournament for me based on proximity alone.  Here’s to hoping that the Friars circle back on this tournament every couple of years.  It also doesn’t hurt that the tournament is benefiting the Wounded Warrior Project either.