May 25, 2006

CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait – Twelve NCAA basketball coaches and sports personalities, including USC’s basketball coach Dave Odom, traveled to Kuwait to coach military teams in the Operation Hardwood II basketball tournament May 23-28 and have hit the ground running.

The event kicked off Wednesday as coaches met and practiced with their teams. That evening the coaches introduced themselves and answered troops’ questions during a town hall meeting. They also signed autographs, took pictures and met with troops.

Other than coaching basketball, the coaches will also get the chance to learn about military life in Kuwait as well as the Kuwaiti culture. They will get the opportunity to ride in an M1 Abrams tank, a Bradley Fighting Vehicle and a camel. The coaches will also visit troops at the Arifjan hospital, tour the humvee up-armor facility and hold a basketball clinic for Kuwait children in Kuwait City.

The tournament consists of 12 teams of servicemembers from the seven Kuwait military camps. The teams will play games in one of three pools. How they perform during pool play will determine their seeding for the single-elimination tournament.

The coaches are Tubby Smith, Kentucky; Tom Izzo, Michigan State; Mark Gottfried, Alabama; Gary Williams, Maryland; Dave Odom, South Carolina; Kelvin Sampson, Indiana; Rick Barnes, Texas; Bobby Lutz, UNC – Charlotte; Jim Crews, West Point; Reggie Minton, former Air Force Academy coach; Billy Lange, Naval Academy; and Jay Bilas, ESPN analyst. Sports correspondent Leeann Tweeden from the “Best Damn Sports Show” is also entertaining troops at the event.