Mar 30, 2011
[March 30, 2011] CHICAGO – Kansas State’s Jacob Pullen and Kansas’ Brady Morningstar highlight the men’s 3-point roster for the 23rd annual State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships, Intersport announced today. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. CT Thursday in Hofheinz Pavilion on the University of Houston campus and will premiere at 9 p.m. ET Thursday on ESPN2.
Pullen and Morningstar will join the following participants in the 2011 Mercedes-Benz Men’s 3-Point Shooting Championship: LaceDarius Dunn, Baylor; Andrew Goudelock, College of Charleston; Dwight Hardy, St. John’s; Ravern Johnson, Mississippi State; Mickey McConnell, St. Mary’s (Calif.); and Chris Warren, Mississippi.
The 2011 State Farm Women’s 3-Point Shooting Championship roster includes: Kelsey Bolte, Iowa State; Brittany Johnson, Ohio State; Tatiyiana McMorris, Marquette; Cerie Mosgrove, Massachusetts; Sam Quigley, DePaul; Jaleesa Ross, Fresno State; Brittney Scott, University of Houston; and Courtney Ward, Florida State.
After the men’s and women’s competitions, the winner from each event will participate in a Battle of the Champions to crown an overall 3-point winner.
In the Denny’s Slam Dunk Championship, Illinois College’s Jacob Tucker, whose YouTube highlight video has garnered more than 2.6 million views, won a Facebook fan vote for the only non-Division I spot in the event. He will compete against seven players in the Denny’s Slam Dunk Championship: Gilbert Brown, Pittsburgh; Justin Burrell, St. John’s; Will Coleman, Memphis; Justin Tubbs, East Tennessee State; Billy White, San Diego State; Darnell Wilks, Cincinnati; and John Williams, UNC Asheville.
The judges panel for the Denny’s Slam Dunk Championship: Hall of Famer and second-leading scorer in NBA history Karl Malone; Hall of Famer and former Houston Rocket Calvin Murphy; 2008 first-round NBA draft pick and Houston Rocket Courtney Lee; former Kentucky standout, current Houston Rocket and 2005 College Slam Dunk participant Chuck Hayes; and two-time Pro-Bowl participant and former Defensive Rookie of the Year, Houston Texan DeMeco Ryans.
The State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships program consists of the Mercedes-Benz Men’s 3-Point Shooting Championship, State Farm Women’s 3-Point Shooting Championship, Battle of the Champions and the Denny’s Slam Dunk Championship. FRS Healthy Performance, Skechers, TD Ameritrade and U.S. Marines are participating sponsors in the event.
Previous event participants include Gary Payton (Oregon State), Allan Houston (Tennessee), Steve Nash (UC-Santa Clara), Wes Matthews (Marquette), Michael Finley (Wisconsin), Bobby Hurley (Duke), Aaron Brooks (Oregon), Desmond Mason (Oklahoma State), Hayes (Kentucky), Scoonie Penn (Ohio State), Damon Stoudamire (Arizona), Kyle Korver (Creighton), Sonny Weems (Arkansas), Bryce Drew (Valparaiso), A.J. Guyton (Indiana), Chris Quinn (Notre Dame), Katie Gearlds (Purdue), Jennifer Jacoby (Purdue), Kelly Mazzante (Penn State) and Cappie Pondexter (Rutgers).
The ESPN broadcast team includes Dan Dakich, Jimmy Dykes, Brad Nessler and Holly Rowe. The program will reair numerous times on ESPN networks.
Gates open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets for the 2011 College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships are $15 for adults and $10 for students and can be purchased at www.collegeslam.com. Hofheinz Pavilion is located at 3875 Holman Street, Houston, Texas.
For media credentials, please contact Lauren Price at 312-645-5417 or lprice@intersportnet.com.