Games to be played at Mohegan Sun Arena; Media Credentials for all Events are now Open
UNCASVILLE, CT(September 5, 2024) – The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced that tickets for all regular-season college basketball events at Mohegan Sun will go on sale starting Friday, September 6. Tickets for the Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Game (exhibition) will go on sale starting Friday, September 13.
The 10,000-seat Mohegan Sun Arena will host 20 college basketball games this upcoming season, making Mohegan Sun the place to be for basketball fans this winter.
“Mohegan Sun will be an exciting home for hoops during the fall and winter, as we’re set to host both the UConn Men & Women, Providence, UMass, and so many other great college programs,” said Jeff Hamilton, President & General Manager of Mohegan Sun. “Our partnership with the Basketball Hall of Fame has been remarkable, and we can’t wait to showcase this powerhouse lineup of basketball inside Mohegan Sun Arena, beginning October 14!”
Fans can secure their seats for all regular-season games at Mohegan Sun Arena via Ticketmaster.com and the Mohegan Sun Arena box office starting Saturday, September 7. Tickets for the Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Game (exhibition) will go on sale via Ticketmaster.com and the Mohegan Sun Arena box office starting Saturday, September 14.
Media interested in covering any college basketball event can apply through hoophall.com/media.
Game times and television broadcast details will be released at a later date.
For more information, please visit hoophall.com or follow @hoophallu on all social platforms.
2024 COLLEGE EVENT SCHEDULE
Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Game (exhibition)
Invesco QQQ Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase
Mohegan Sun Arena – Uncasville, Connecticut
Tuesday, December 17
LSU vs. Seton Hall
UConn vs. Iowa State
Toyota Chris Paul HBCU Classic
Mohegan Sun Arena – Uncasville, Connecticut
Bracket #1
Thursday, December 19
Benedict College vs. Lincoln, PA
Winston-Salem State vs. Kentucky State
Friday, December 20
Consolation
Championship
Bracket #2
Thursday, December 19
Norfolk State vs. Alabama State
Delaware State vs. Grambling
Friday, December 20
Norfolk State vs. Grambling
Delaware State vs. Alabama State
ABOUT MOHEGAN SUN ARENA
Mohegan Sun Arena, one of the busiest sports and entertainment venues in the world today, was awarded the 2024 Newsweek Readers’ Choice award for “Best Casino with Live Entertainment in America”. Mohegan Sun Arena was also named “Best Casino/Resort Venue of the Year” at the 35th Annual Pollstar Awards. In 2021, the 10,000-seat Arena also received its first “#1 Indoor Arena” ranking for its size in the world from Pollstar and VenuesNow. Mohegan Sun Arena is consistently recognized among the top five venues in the United States, and also in 2021 was named “Innovator of the Year” by Celebrity Access for its ViacomCBS residency during the pandemic. In recent years, the “Most Beloved Venue in America” has also been named the “World’s Best Casino Venue,” by Best of Hartford Magazine, and is a seven-time national award winner for “Arena of the Year” by the Academy of Country Music Awards and G2E Las Vegas. For more information on concerts and other great events, visit Mohegan Sun. For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711.
ABOUT NAISMITH BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was born, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting, preserving, and celebrating the game of basketball at every level – men and women, amateur and professional players, coaches, and contributors, both domestically and internationally. The Hall of Fame museum is home to more than 450 inductees and over 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Nearly 200,000 people visit the Hall of Fame museum each year to learn about the game, experience the interactive exhibits, and test their skills on the Jerry Colangelo “Court of Dreams.” Best known for its annual marquee Enshrinement Ceremony honoring the game’s elite, the Hall of Fame also operates over 70 high school and collegiate competitions annually throughout the country and abroad. For more information on the Basketball Hall of Fame organization, its museum, and events, visit hoophall.com, follow @hoophallU, or call 1-877-4HOOPLA.
A weekly live sports betting podcast will take place every Thursday at 6:00pm featuring Mike “Mut” Mutnansky, Eytan Shander and Mohegan Sun FanDuel’s Sportsbook GM, Brad Bryant
Launching Thursday, September 5th just as the 2024/2025 pro-football season kicks off, is an all-new sports betting podcast recorded live in Mohegan Sun FanDuel Sportsbook. Mike Mutnansky and co-host Eytan Shander will broadcast Sportsbook Live from Mohegan Sun every Thursday through November 7th, followed by distribution on all major podcast platforms like Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music and more. Mohegan Sun FanDuel Sportsbook’s General Manager, Brad Bryant, will be featured on the podcast weekly, adding further game analysis, expert picks, and general sports talk in addition to detailing special events coming up in the Sportsbook! Each weekly episode will be available through mohegansun.com/sportsbooklive and episodes will also be live-streamed on YouTube.
After the 11,000 square-foot Mohegan Sun FanDuel Sportsbook opened in the winter of 2022, Brad Bryant became a regular on Mut Mutnansky’s weekly Boston-sports radio show, providing picks, banter and betting advice on the weekend’s biggest games across College and Pro Football. The two sports betting experts will be reunited, alongside Mut’s co-host and Philly sports media veteran, Eytan Shander when Sportsbook Live from Mohegan Sun debuts at 6:00pm on September 5th. Fans interested in viewing the live show can make reservations through UrVenue.
“It’s going to be a thrill to join Mut & Eytan for this all-new weekly sports podcast live from Mohegan Sun,” said Brad Bryant, GM of Mohegan Sun FanDuel Sportsbook. “We’ll talk real-time analysis, make predictions and showcase the incredible game-day experience at Mohegan Sun FanDuel Sportsbook. It’s going to be a ton of fun.”
Produced in partnership with OddsShopper, Sportsbook Live from Mohegan Sun will also cover the MLB playoff stretch, the NBA and other major sports. With a 6:00pm – 7:00pm live schedule from September 5th through November 7th, the live podcast leads into the big pro-football games on Thursday night, viewable on the largest continuous video wall on the East Coast inside the Mohegan Sun FanDuel Sportsbook. The sportsbook also features 225+ seats, a Mezzanine level with a private bar, a Race Book, 33 betting kiosks available 24/7, six cashier windows, a winning dining menu and much more.
*Guests must be 21+ to enter Mohegan Sun FanDuel Sportsbook
ABOUT MIKE “MUT” MUTNANSKY: New England Sports personality Mike “Mut” Mutnansky has been a staple in the Boston sports radio and podcast scene for more than 20 years. Mut is also an avid handicapper and horse racing fan who has hosted various events at Mohegan Sun. Mutnansky writes about sports, sports betting, Saratoga and sports media through his MutStack blog, available at Mutstack.com. Mutnansky is a graduate of UConn and also hosts the MutStack Podcast.
ABOUT BRAD BRYANT: Originally from Texas, Brad Bryant is a veteran in Sportsbook management. His career began at Boulder & Sunset Station in Las Vegas followed by becoming Director of Race, Sports & Poker at Planet Hollywood Las Vegas Resort & Casino. Bryant would move on to the role of Director of Operations for Fair Grounds Racecourse and Slots in Louisiana prior to joining Mohegan Sun. Known in Las Vegas as “Bomber Brad” for his longshot horse picks on the radio show “Raceday Las Vegas,” Bryant has been with Mohegan Sun since 2021, leading Sportsbook & Race Book operations.
ABOUT EYTAN SHANDER: Eytan Shander is a well-known sports radio and TV personality based out of Philadelphia. He writes a weekly sports column on PhillyVoice.com in addition to providing insights on the Post Flight podcast hosted on Philly Voice. Shander’s content can also be found on oddsshopper.com, where he provides sports betting and fantasy sports predictions and analysis. Follow Shander on X at @shandershow!
And to learn more on Mohegan’s online casino and sports betting offerings, visit: CT.mohegansuncasino.com
ABOUT MOHEGAN SUN
Owned by Mohegan, Mohegan Sun is one of the largest, most spectacular entertainment, gaming, dining and shopping destinations in the United States. Situated on 185 acres along the Thames River in scenic Southeastern Connecticut, Mohegan Sun is home to two unique casinos, 1,600 deluxe hotel rooms, two world-class spas, a golf course, over 70 shops, restaurants and bars as well as three award-winning entertainment venues including a 10,000-seat Arena. Mohegan Sun is within easy access of New York, Boston, Hartford and Providence and located 15 minutes from the museums, antique shops and waterfront of Mystic Country. More information is available by calling 1.888.226.7711 or visiting mohegansun.com. Connect with us on Facebook, follow us on X and Instagram @mohegansun and view us on YouTube.
The former all-time great for the Huskies will meet & greet with fans on the same night his alma mater takes on Miami for a bid into the Championship game; ESPN’s Gordon Damer is also live inside the Sportsbook from 3:00pm-6:00pm
WHAT: MoheganSunCasino.com, which is Mohegan’s iGaming platform equipped with hundreds of online casino games, is set to host a special event this Saturday, featuring former Huskies basketball star Charlie Villanueva. Villanueva, an all-time great for UConn who went on to play 11 seasons in the pros, will join fans inside the 11,000 square-foot Mohegan Sun FanDuel Sportsbook for a special meet & greet. The event is scheduled for 5:15pm and this appearance was made possible through Mohegan’s partnership with FanDuel! In addition to Villanueva’s M&G, ESPN’s Gordon Damer will also be broadcasting live from the Sportsbook from 3:00pm-6:00pm.
WHERE/WHEN: Mohegan Sun FanDuel Sportsbook | Saturday, April 1st from 3-6pm followed by a night of exciting semi-final college basketball | Charlie Villanueva M&G: 5:15pm – 6:15pm
IN DETAIL: In addition to the live broadcast and meet & greet with Charlie Villanueva this Saturday, the beer special at Mohegan Sun FanDuel Sportsbook will be Two Conn Easy Ale by Two Roads Brewing. Reservations (subject to availability) for the afternoon and evening can also be made at mohegansun.com/sportsbook.
(9) FAU vs. (5) San Diego State tips-off at 6:09pm and (4) UConn vs. (5) Miami will tip-off at 8:49pm. Mohegan Sun FanDuel Sportsbook is also home to a full dining menu and drink menu featuring popular offerings like the Nashville Chicken Sandwich and the Jesus Shuttlesworth mixed drink (Knob Creek Rye Mohegan Sun Series 1, Fruitful Blackberry liqueur, lime sour and Fever-Tree ginger beer).
ABOUT CHARLIE VILLANUEVA: Charlie Villanueva was a major part of the UConn men’s 2nd national title in 2004, a year in which he also led the team in scoring and averaged 8+ rebounds per game. UConn voted Villanueva team MVP in 2004 as well, and the star Power Forward was also second-team All-Big East that year. Drafted by the Toronto Raptors ahead of the 2005-06 season, Villanueva would go on to have a long career in the pros after being named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. His best year in the NBA was the 2008-09 season where he averaged 16.2 points to go along with nearly 7 rebounds per game.
ABOUT MOHEGAN: Mohegan is the owner, developer and manager of premier entertainment resorts in the United States, Canada, and Northern Asia. Mohegan’s U.S. operations include resorts in Connecticut, Washington, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Nevada; Canadian operations are based in Niagara Falls; and Mohegan Inspire is located in Incheon, South Korea. The brand’s iGaming division, Mohegan Digital, provides cutting-edge online gaming solutions to Mohegan’s loyal fan base and meets the digital needs of customers on a global scale. Mohegan Digital launched MoheganSunCasino.com and associated smartphone apps in Connecticut on October 19, 2021. The platform offers hundreds of online casino games and industry leading promotions. To download the real-money casino app, visit www.ct.mohegansuncasino.com, iOS or Google Play. For more information on Mohegan and its properties, please visit mohegangaming.com.
Mohegan Sun to Host Michael Buffer, Larry Holmes, Chris Hogan, Dan Koppen and more for a Grand Opening Celebration of the new Mohegan Sun FanDuel Sportsbook
WHAT: The all-new 11,000 square foot multi-levelMohegan Sun FanDuel Sportsbook will host a Grand Opening celebration, open to the public, on Saturday, March 5th from 7:00pm – 10:00pm. This Grand Opening party will be a star studded affair, bringing together the world-renowned ring announcer, Michael Buffer, former Heavyweight champion, Larry Holmes, former New England Patriot linemen, Max “Big Country” Lane and Dan Koppen as well as stand-out NFL wide receiver Chris Hogan, who played on the championship winning 2017 New England Patriots.
A special parade is also set to kick the festivities off, traveling from Sky Tower hotel lobby to the new sportsbook, beginning at 6:30pm. At 7:00pm, a champagne toast MC’d by Michael Buffer, alongside officials from Mohegan Sun and FanDuel, will take place to officially launch the Mohegan Sun FanDuel Sportsbook, which also just opened a full drink + dining menu and a high stakes Race Book section. Guests will be able to wager on the biggest games that night, as well as enter to win great prizes like a signed Derek Jeter baseball, a signed Aaron Rodgers football and more.
WHEN & WHERE: Saturday, March 5th from 6:30pm – 10:00pm
Mohegan Sun FanDuel Sportsbook located in Casino of the Earth
WHO:Mohegan Sun President & GM, Jeff Hamilton | Mohegan Sun FanDuel Sportsbook GM, Brad Bryant | FanDuel CMO, Mike Raffensperger | Michael Buffer | Former NFL player, Chris Hogan |Former Heavyweight Champion, Larry Holmes |Former NFL player, Max Lane | Former NFL Pro Bowl Center, Dan Koppen| DJAE Melee |Additional special guests
IN DETAIL:The Mohegan Sun FanDuel Sportsbook is one of the of the largest FanDuel Sportsbook’s in the United States, checking in at 11,000 square-feet and featuring luxury seating for more than 200 people, an incredible 140-foot Hi-Def video wall, six cashier windows and 39 easy-to-use betting kiosks available 24/7 for a variety of sports betting opportunities on all major sports like NCAA Basketball, NBA, MLB, MMA, Boxing, NHL and much more.
Mohegan Sun FanDuel Sportsbook also rolled out a full dining menu on February 28th, offering Philly cheese steaks, pizza, tacos, wings, nachos and a variety of specialty burgers (including Impossible™ Burger options). The drink menu includes highlights like the “Shooter McGavin” (Basil Hayden bourbon, Proof white peach syrup, lemon sour and black tea), the “Jesus Shuttlesworth” (Knob Creek Rye Mohegan Sun Series 1, Fruitful Blackberry liqueur, lime sour and Fever-Tree ginger beer). Craft beer favorites include the likes of Blue Moon, Sam Adams, Cisco Brewers, UFO, Outer Light Brewing Company and plenty more.
The Grand Opening event on March 5th celebrates the completion of this exciting new sportsbook, which has created 120 new jobs. The Mohegan Sun FanDuel Sportsbook will roll in this new era of casino resort sports betting with the one-and-only, Michael Buffer, alongside a collective of some of the biggest names in sports, past and present.
Guests 21+ can experience the ceremony beginning at 7:00pm and then enter to win prizes that will be given away every 20 minutes through 10:00pm. Prizes include a signed Chris Paul basketball, a signed Derek Jeter baseball, a signed Aaron Rodgers football and more. Additionally, a very special guest is slated to make an appearance just after the festivities begin. DJAE Melee, one of New England’s best, will be spinning throughout the evening. For more information, click HERE.
*Media interested in a tour of the new Mohegan Sun FanDuel Sportsbook this week for coverage opportunities ahead of this Grand Opening event can reach out to PR Manager, Cody Chapman, at [email protected]. Credential requests for the Grand Opening on March 5th can also be submitted to Mohegan Sun PR via the above email.
Three Connecticut Sun players were named to the AT&T WNBA All-Star 2021 roster on Wednesday afternoon. Brionna Jones, Jonquel Jones and DeWanna Bonner will head to Las Vegas, NV on July 14 to compete in the 17th WNBA All-Star game. The game will be broadcast on ESPN at 7pm EST.
Brionna Jones, who received the first All-Star selection of her career, is averaging a career-best 14.4 points per game and 6.7 rebounds per game in a career-high 31.1 minutes of action per game. Drafted eighth overall in the 2017 WNBA Draft, Jones has solidified herself as one of the top frontcourt players in the league. In 2020, the 6-3 forward saw her first career start and has been in the starting line-up for every contest she has seen action in since.
Jonquel Jones, is due to make the third All-Star appearance (2017, 2019) of her career in 2021. The 6-6 forward is currently leading the Sun in points per game (21.7) and rebounds per game (10.9). Averaging a career-high in points and a second-best in rebounds, Jones sits third in the WNBA for points per game and first in rebounds per game. In 2017 and 2019, when Jones was also selected as an All-Star, she led the league in rebounding both years.
Bonner, a 12-year WNBA veteran, will also be representing the Sun in this year’s All-Star Game. The 6-4 forward is currently second on the team in points and rebounds per game. Averaging 16.1 points and 7.4 rebounds. Bonner will appear in her fourth All-Star game.
Those selected as all-stars will compete against the USA Basketball Women’s National Team ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Team WNBA will be coached by Co-Head Coaches, Lisa Leslie and Tina Thompson.
For more information on AT&T WNBA All-Star 2021, head to wnba.com/allstar. Below are the rosters for Team WNBA and the USA Basketball Women’s National Team.
TEAM WNBA
(Co-Head Coaches, WNBA Legends Lisa Leslie and Tina Thompson)
PLAYER
TEAM
POSITION
HT
BIRTHDATE
COLLEGE/COUNTRY
YRS.
ASG
DeWanna Bonner
Connecticut
Frontcourt
6-4
8/21/87
Auburn
11
4
Liz Cambage
Las Vegas
Frontcourt
6-8
8/18/91
Australia
4
4
Kahleah Copper^
Chicago
Backcourt
6-1
8/28/94
Rutgers
5
1
Dearica Hamby^
Las Vegas
Frontcourt
6-3
11/6/93
Wake Forest
6
1
Brionna Jones^
Connecticut
Frontcourt
6-3
12/18/95
Maryland
4
1
Jonquel Jones
Connecticut
Frontcourt
6-6
1/5/94
George Washington
4
3
Betnijah Laney^
New York
Backcourt
6-0
10/29/93
Rutgers
5
1
Arike Ogunbowale^
Dallas
Backcourt
5-8
3/2/97
Notre Dame
2
1
Candace Parker
Chicago
Frontcourt
6-4
4/19/86
Tennessee
13
6
Satou Sabally^
Dallas
Frontcourt
6-4
4/25/98
Oregon/Germany
1
1
Courtney Vandersloot
Chicago
Backcourt
5-8
2/8/89
Gonzaga
10
3
Courtney Williams^
Atlanta
Backcourt
5-8
5/11/94
South Florida
5
1
USA WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM
(Head Coach Dawn Staley)
PLAYER
TEAM
POSITION
HT.
BIRTHDATE
COLLEGE
YRS.
ASG
Ariel Atkins^
Washington
Backcourt
5-8
7/30/96
Texas
3
1
Sue Bird
Seattle
Backcourt
5-9
10/16/80
Connecticut
17
12
Tina Charles
Washington
Frontcourt
6-4
12/5/88
Connecticut
10
8
Napheesa Collier
Minnesota
Frontcourt
6-1
9/23/96
Connecticut
2
2
Skylar Diggins-Smith
Phoenix
Backcourt
5-9
8/2/90
Notre Dame
7
5
Sylvia Fowles
Minnesota
Frontcourt
6-6
10/6/85
LSU
13
7
Chelsea Gray
Las Vegas
Backcourt
5-11
10/8/92
Duke
6
4
Brittney Griner
Phoenix
Frontcourt
6-9
10/18/90
Baylor
8
7
Jewell Loyd
Seattle
Guard
5-10
10/5/93
Notre Dame
6
3
Breanna Stewart
Seattle
Frontcourt
6-4
8/27/94
Connecticut
4
3
Diana Taurasi
Phoenix
Backcourt
6-0
6/11/82
Connecticut
16
10
A’ja Wilson
Las Vegas
Frontcourt
6-4
8/8/96
South Carolina
3
3
^ denotes first-time All-Star selection
YRS denotes number of seasons completed entering 2021
ASG denotes number of All-Star selections including 2021
platform equipped with hundreds of online casino games, is set to host a special event this Saturday, featuring former Huskies basketball star Charlie Villanueva. Villanueva, an all-time great for UConn who went on to play 11 seasons in the pros, will join fans inside the 11,000 square-foot 
Mohegan Sun FanDuel Sportsbook also rolled out a full dining menu on February 28th, offering Philly cheese steaks, pizza, tacos, wings, nachos and a variety of specialty burgers (including Impossible™ Burger options). The drink menu includes highlights like the “Shooter McGavin” (Basil Hayden bourbon, Proof white peach syrup, lemon sour and black tea), the “Jesus Shuttlesworth” (Knob Creek Rye Mohegan Sun Series 1, Fruitful Blackberry liqueur, lime sour and Fever-Tree ginger beer). Craft beer favorites include the likes of Blue Moon, Sam Adams, Cisco Brewers, UFO, Outer Light Brewing Company and plenty more.
roster on Wednesday afternoon. Brionna Jones, Jonquel Jones and DeWanna Bonner will head to Las Vegas, NV on July 14 to compete in the 17th WNBA All-Star game. The game will be broadcast on ESPN at 7pm EST.