2011 The inaugural Carrier Classic was played on
Veterans Day, November 11, 2011. The
North Carolina Tar Heels defeated the
Michigan State Spartans, 67–55, before 8,111 fans which included members of the military,
President Barack Obama and his family.
Harrison Barnes was the top scorer for North Carolina with 17 points, while
John Henson added 12 points. Branden Dawson and Adreian Payne each scored 10 points for Michigan State. The teams wore a special camouflage pattern on their uniforms. During the first half, the game was paused while sailors on board
Carl Vinson conducted the evening retiring of colors at sunset. Temporary seating was built directly on the
flight deck, in addition to the court and lighting. A duplicate setup was built in the
hangar bay in case of inclement weather but was not needed.
2012 The 2012 Carrier Classic was scheduled for November 9, 2012, on board in
Charleston Harbor,
South Carolina. It was supposed to be a double header, with one game featuring the women's teams of
Notre Dame and
Ohio State, and the other game featuring the men's teams of
Marquette and
Ohio State. Proceeds benefited charitable organizations including the
Wounded Warrior Project, and tickets were available for veterans and members of the armed forces, as well as for sale to the public. The 2012 Carrier Classic between Marquette and Ohio State was cancelled due to condensation on the court, an issue which was not present during the earlier Ohio State–Notre Dame game. The other men's game that day, between
Florida and
Georgetown, was started and played through the first half, with the Gators leading the Hoyas 27–23. However, the same condensation issue arose, and the second half was not played, with the game later cancelled and all stats accumulated during the game erased. ==Scores==