A major change is coming to the annual CBS Sports Classic field

Since its inception in 2014, the CBS Sports Classic has featured the same field of four teams.

Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio State and UCLA are the founding members of the event, as each year these squads have faced off against one another in some games that turned out to be very memorable.

Leading up to the 2025-2026 season, a major change has occurred for the event, as one of the founding members is no longer included in the field of teams.

UCLA will no longer participate in the event, as their replacement was announced on Thursday morning:

Rick Pitino and St. John's will be joining the field of teams for this year's event in Atlanta, Georgia. The Johnnies will face off against Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats in this year's event.

While it would've made major headlines for the UNC basketball program to compete against St. John's (as we all know, Ian Jackson transferred between programs this offseason), the Tar Heels aren't likely to match up with the Johnnies until the 2027-2028 season. If the projected schedule holds firm, North Carolina would face Kentucky in next year's event before meeting up with St. John's the following season.

If that's the case (and no other meetings between the two teams occur before then), it would mark the first time since 2002 that North Carolina and St. John's have played against each other.

For North Carolina, this year's opponent has also been determined, as the Tar Heels will take on the Ohio State Buckeyes. The last meeting in the CBS Sports Classic was a memorable one for Tar Heel nation, as a Pete Nance buzzer-beater sent the game into overtime at Madison Square Garden, one that the Tar Heels would go on to win 89-84 over the then-ranked No. 23 team in the country.

St. John's addition to the field of teams will add some major intrigue to the event, especially given the Johnnies recent rise to national prominence under Pitino's direction. Hopefully, the event gives us all some outstanding non-conference action to enjoy in one of the more notable one-day events that college basketball has to offer.