ESPN: 49ers vs. Arizona State on Thanksgiving

ESPN has confirmed the Charlotte 49ers men's basketball team will indeed face Arizona State in the first round of the 2008 Anaheim Classic, which opens on Thanksgiving Day at the Anaheim (Calif.) Convention Center.

The 49ers, who finished 20-14 and advanced to the National Invitation Tournament last season, will meet the Sun Devils, coached by former N.C. State coach Herb Sendek, in the third quarterfinal at 9 p.m. (EST) on Nov. 27. The game will be televised on ESPNU.

The winner will meet the winner of the Providence/Baylor game at 12:30 a.m. (EST) on Nov. 29. The losers of each game will play at 5:30 p.m. (EST) Nov. 28.

The final four games begin at 3 p.m. (EST) Nov. 30, with the championship at 10:30 p.m. (EST) and aired on ESPN2. All games in the tournament will be broadcast on either ESPU or ESPN2.

Arizona State won 21 games last season, just the fourth time in 27 years the school has won 20 or more games. Wake Forest was 17-13 last season under first-year coach Dino Gaudio and lost 63-59 to Charlotte in a game played at what is now called Time Warner Cable Arena.

Anaheim Classic Schedule
(last season's record; home team listed second)

Thursday, Nov. 27
Quarterfinal #1: Saint Mary's* (25-7) vs. UTEP# (19-14), 2 p.m. ET, ESPNU
Quarterfinal #2: Wake Forest (17-13) vs. Cal State Fullerton* (24-9), 4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Quarterfinal #3: Arizona State^ (21-13) vs. Charlotte^ (20-14), 9 p.m. ET, ESPNU
Quarterfinal #4: Providence (15-16) vs. Baylor* (21-11), 11:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2

Friday, Nov. 28
Consolation #1: 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPNU
Consolation #2: 5:30 p.m. ET, ESPNU
Semifinal #1: 10 p.m. ET, ESPNU

Saturday, Nov. 29
Semifinal #2: 12:30 a.m. ET, ESPN2

Sunday, Nov. 30
Seventh-place game: 3 p.m. ET, ESPNU
Fifth-place game: 5 p.m. ET, ESPNU
Third-place game: 8 p.m. ET, ESPNU
Championship: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2