Ohio State and Virginia to Meet in Valentine’s Day Tilt in Nashville

Buckeyes and Cavaliers to clash in Nashville Hoops Showdown on Feb. 14 at Bridgestone Arena

Tickets for the event are set to go on sale December 10, with a 24-hour presale set for December 9.

Fans interested in earning presale access for the event should register here.

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.

Virginia enters its inaugural year under head coach Ryan Odom, who owns a 222-127 all-time record in nearly 10 full seasons as a head coach. The Cavaliers welcome a significantly 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).

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.

Media Contact:

Dan Mihalik, Intersport, dmihalik@intersport.global