NCAA Teams to Host Charity Games for Hurricane Relief

In an effort to lend what aid they can to those devastated by hurricane damage in Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, college basketball teams around the country have been petitioning the NCAA for special waivers to hold additional pre-season contests for charity.

Temple and Jefferson have gained approval to host an exhibition game Nov. 9 at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, with all proceeds from ticket sales pledged to One American Appeal for hurricane relief.

Temple head coach Fran Dunphy told The Inquirer, “When the opportunity presented itself to play an exhibition game to raise money for the people suffering from the recent hurricanes in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico, we knew right away that we needed to be a part of it. I called my good friend, Herb Magee, one of the most respected men in the business, and he felt the same way. This gives our fans a rare opportunity to see our programs compete while also helping out those in need.”

Meanwhile, Vanderbilt and Memphis are in the beginning stages of orchestrating an exhibition game at Memorial Gym in Nashville, to be played at earliest at the end of next week. It has not yet been settled where funds will be allocated, but discussions have centered around relief being sent to the Virgin Islands.

Vanderbilt coach Bryce Drew told The Tennessean, “We met so many great people (in the Virgin Islands). We were devastated when we saw the damage. Some people have made the comment that we saw it the last time how it was for a long time. That's really sad because it's such a beautiful place."

The NCAA has also recently approved a waiver for a pre-season charity game between Kansas and Missouri to benefit hurricane relief efforts.