A slate of powerhouse women’s basketball programs will play in the inaugural Coretta Scott King Classic, slated to make its debut on Jan. 20.
Organizers announced the event on Tuesday, which will be played for the first time on Martin Luther King Jr. Day at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The double-header will feature Baylor vs. UCLA and Texas vs. Maryland with the first game slated for 3 p.m. ET. Specific game slots have yet to be set. The event will be broadcast nationally on Fox.
Per organizers, the CSK Classic was “formed to honor the legacy of Mrs. King and celebrate female empowerment in sports.” It was organized in collaboration with the The King Center, which was founded by Coretta Scott King and is led by hers and Martin Luther King Jr’s daughter Dr. Bernice A. King.
“My mother, Mrs. Coretta Scott King, is often thought of and honored as my father’s dedicated spouse and life partner,” King said, via a statement. “But she was also a civil and human rights stalwart in her own right.
“She lived for almost four decades following my father, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination and continued the work to create a humane, just, equitable and peaceful world through ‘Kingian’ nonviolence. She was a leading advocate and activist in the causes of women’s equality and empowerment.”
Dr. Bernice King described lending her mother’s name to the tournament during a rise of female empowerment in sports as “fitting.”
“During a time when the recognition of female empowerment is on the rise and the fight for gender equality in sports is beginning to bear fruit, honoring my mother through a women’s college basketball event bearing her name is timely and fitting,” King continued.
The matchups could have high stakes attached. Texas, UCLA and Baylor all have the potential to start the upcoming season ranked in the top 10. Texas advanced to the regional final round of the NCAA tournament last season as a No. 1 seed. UCLA was a No. 2 seed and also advanced to the Elite Eight.
Baylor advanced to the Sweet 16 as a No. 5 seed. Maryland lost in the first round of NCAA play as a No. 10 seed.
