NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Intersport, a leading sports marketing and event management agency, announced today that Ohio State and Virginia will square off in the Nashville Hoops Showdown, a premier men’s college basketball event set for Feb. 14 at Bridgestone Arena in downtown Nashville.
Game time and broadcast details will be released in the coming weeks. Tickets for the event are set to go on sale Dec. 10, with a 24-hour presale set for Dec. 9. Fans interested in earning presale access and learning more about the event should register online at www.bit.ly/25NashvilleHoops.
Ohio State boasts a rich basketball tradition that includes 11 Final Four appearances, 20 Big Ten Championships and four Big Ten Tournament titles. The Buckeyes are led by second-year head coach Jake Diebler, who enters his 10th overall season on the Ohio State staff. His team is anchored by Bruce Thornton, an All-Big Ten Second Team selection who averaged 17.7 points and 4.6 assists per game last season and returns as one of the conference’s elite guards.
“We pushed for a high-level non-conference game in February, and we certainly got that against Virginia,” said Diebler. “As we go through the stretch run of Big Ten play, this game will provide us with a valuable big game, neutral site, and NCAA tournament type feel. We are thankful for the work Intersport did to help execute this game and look forward to working with them.”
Virginia enters its inaugural year under Ryan Odom, who owns a 222-127 all-time record in nearly 10 full seasons as a head coach. The Cavaliers welcome a retooled roster after adding 11 newcomers to this year’s squad, headlined by Malik Thomas (19.9 PPG at San Francisco, All-WCC First Team), Sam Lewis (16.2 PPG at Toledo), and Jacari White (17.1 PPG at North Dakota State). The Cavaliers own 26 all-time NCAA Tournament berths, including the 2019 national title and a combined 14 ACC Championships.
“We are excited for the challenge of playing a highly-competitive nonconference game against a program like Ohio State,” Odom said. “The matchup will test us in the midst of our conference schedule and help prepare us for the postseason. Playing in a premier venue, in a vibrant city, also creates an exciting experience for our fans.”
This will mark the seventh meeting all-time between Ohio State and Virginia, with the series currently tied 3-3. Ohio State captured the first three games in the series, including matchups in 1931, 1932, and 1980, while Virginia’s victories came in 1981, 2015 and 2016. In the most recent meeting, Virginia rallied from a 16-point deficit to defeat the Buckeyes 63–61 in Charlottesville. That win followed a 64-58 Virginia road victory in 2015. Both matchups were part of the ACC-Big Ten Challenge.
The Nashville Hoops Showdown is part of Intersport’s expanding lineup of neutral-site college basketball showcases hosted in destination cities. The event highlights Nashville’s growing reputation as a premier sports and entertainment hub, offering fans the opportunity to experience high-level college basketball in one of the country’s most vibrant settings.
To receive the latest event news, ticket information and more, follow Intersport Basketball on Twitter (X) and Instagram at @IntersportHoops. To view the most up-to-date schedule of Intersport basketball events for the 2025-26 season, please see the attached PDF.
About Intersport
Intersport is an award-winning agency that fills the empty space between marketing campaigns and consumers—helping brands make more meaningful connections. Its industry-leading team offers expert insights in content marketing, experiential marketing, hospitality, partnership consulting and platform development. The Chicago-based agency also owns and operates events across the professional and collegiate sports landscape, including basketball, football, golf, pickleball and volleyball. Intersport has been headquartered in Chicago since its inception in 1985 and has an additional office in Detroit. Learn more at www.intersport.global and on social media (LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook).
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