The San Diego State men's basketball team confirmed on Tuesday night that they will open their season against Syracuse in the Battle on the Midway aboard the USS Midway Museum flight deck in San Diego.
The inaugural event is set for Friday, Nov. 9, 2012, at 4 p.m. PT, and is being planned by San Diego-based Syndicus Entertainment, in partnership with a number of San Diego organizations including the San Diego Sports Commission.
"We are very excited to be participating in the Battle on the Midway," SDSU head coach Steve Fisher said in a statement. "We look forward to bringing the focus of the nation to the military, the city and San Diego State University with this wonderful event."
"It is natural for SDSU to take a part in an event which will showcase our community to the country," Fisher added. "The fact that we are playing Syracuse, the top-ranked squad for most of this past season and a perennial top-10 team, will help make it a national draw."
Both the Orange and the Aztecs have appeared in the NCAA Tournament for three consecutive years and have both won at least 25 games in each of the last four seasons. The Orange beat San Diego State in the 2007 NIT, the only other time the two teams have played each other.
According to San Diego State, television arrangements for the game have not been determined as of yet. Tickets for the game are said to be extremely limited, with school allotments not determined as of yet.