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The 2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer tips off the college basketball season as 16 teams from 16 conferences compete at four sites across the country. The winners of the regional sites (Duke, UCLA, Michigan and Southern Illinois) advance to the Championship Rounds in New York City this Thursday and Friday at the historic Madison Square Garden.

While it would be easy to focus on the players – Gerald Henderson, Greg Paulus, Jon Scheyer, Kyle Singler, Nolan Smith, Darren Collison, Josh Shipp, Jrue Holiday, Manny Harris, DeShawn Sims, Carlton Fay, Kevin Dillard and Bryan Mullins – we decided to take a long at the four legendary coaches featured in the tournament.

Coach Mike Krzyzewski (Duke), fresh from coaching the USA men’s basketball team to Olympic gold, begins his 2008-09 campaign in this prestigious event along with coaches Ben Howland (UCLA), John Beilein (Michigan) and Chris Lowery (Southern Illinois).

In 28 years at Duke, Coach K has been inducted into the Hall of Fame and been named National Coach of the Year 12-times. He has built a dynasty that few programs in the history of the game can match. Entering the 2008-09 season, Coach K owns an 803-267 career record in 33 years of coaching, while attaining a 730-208 mark in 28 seasons in Durham.

Entering his sixth year as the Bruins’ head coach in 2008-09, Coach Howland has led UCLA to back-to-back-to-back Pacific-10 titles (2006-08) and back-to-back-to-back Final Four appearances (2006-08). He also guided the Bruins to a school-record 35 victories in 2008 and won more games in a three-year span (97 from 2006-08) than any other coach in UCLA history.

Having spent all 16 years of his Division 1 coaching career as a head coach, Coach Beilein has produced success at every stop and is considered to be one of the best tactical basketball minds in the country. A proven winner throughout his career, Beilein has won 561 career games, placing him in the top 20 in victories among active Division I head coaches.

Coach Lowery, lucky enough to coach at his alma mater, was named Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year after leading SIU to a 25-5 regular season record in 2007. A highlight win for the season was when they beat highly ranked Butler on the road. The Salukis received a No. 4 seed in the 2007 NCAA Tournament, the highest for any Valley team since Indiana State received a 1-seed in 1979.

Name: 2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer

Where: Madison Square Garden

When: November 10-13 (Regional Rounds), November 20-21 (Championship Rounds)

Level of Play: Elite college-level

Who’s Played Here? The event has featured three of the last seven national champions (Florida in 2005-06, Syracuse in 2002-03 and Maryland in 2001-02) and has also featured six NCAA Final Four teams (Memphis in ’07-08, Florida and George Mason in ’05-06; Syracuse, Marquette and Texas in ’02-03) in the past six seasons.

How to Join This Tournament: Eat your Wheaties and hit the gym

For more information, visit www.CoachesvsCancer.com

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