Irish to host UConn women in Jimmy V Classic

UConn will visit reigning national champion Notre Dame in the 2018 Jimmy V Women's Classic on Sunday, Dec. 2, the school announced on Tuesday.

The annual game, to be played at Purcell Pavilion, will tip at 4 p.m. and be televised nationally on ESPN. The Huskies will be playing in the game for the eighth straight year and 10th time in the 17 years the event has been held.

"Being a part of the Jimmy V Classic is always very special," UConn coach Geno Auriemma said in a release. "For several years now, this game has become part of the ESPN college basketball landscape and to be associated with it says something about your program and how it is viewed nationally.

"More importantly, being a part of the Classic gives us the opportunity to teach this year's group of players a little about Jimmy, what he stood for and how important the cause of curing cancer is. Playing in this game never gets old."

The game will be part of the 12th annual V Week for Cancer Research — the weeklong initiative across multiple ESPN platforms and programs featuring special content to help raise funds for cancer research. ESPN's 2017 V Week for Cancer Research raised a record-setting $4.5 million for the V Foundation for Cancer Research. Over the past 11 years, V Week has raised $22.2 million for cancer research.

The teams met last year in the national semifinals when Notre Dame beat UConn 9189 in overtime, ending the Huskies' perfect season. The Fighting Irish beat Mississippi State two days later to win the NCAA title.