Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James is seen before tipoff of overtime of a game between the Cavs and the San Antonio Spurs. The Cavs beat the Spurs, 128-125, in overtime. Credit: Courtesy of TNS

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James is seen before tipoff of overtime of a game between the Cavs and the San Antonio Spurs. The Cavs beat the Spurs, 128-125, in overtime.
Credit: Courtesy of TNS

Ohio State might be home to the defending college football national champions, but for a night in October, it will host the defending NBA Eastern Conference champions, as well.

For the third consecutive year, the Schottenstein Center is set to be the sight of a Cleveland Cavaliers preseason game as the Cavs will meet the Memphis Grizzlies on Oct. 12.

The game is set to be the third of seven Cavs preseason games, with their opener on another Ohio college campus: Xavier University in Cincinnati.

Last season, the Cavs hosted the Chicago Bulls at the Schottenstein Center in front of a sold-out crowd of 19,049. The Cavs won that contest 107-98, with point guard Kyrie Irving and small forward LeBron James combining for 46 points and 13 assists.

The year before, the Cavs entertained the crowd with a 104-93 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Cleveland Browns also expanded their preseason to Columbus this year, bringing their Orange & Brown Scrimmage to Ohio Stadium on Aug. 7. That event drew just under 50,000 fans.

Last season, James returned to the Cavs after four years with the Miami Heat, leading them to a 53-29 record and second-ever trip to the NBA Finals, where they eventually fell to the Golden State Warriors in six games.

James, an Akron, Ohio, native and avid supporter of OSU athletics, was given a permanent locker in the home locker room at the Schottenstein Center in 2013.

Tickets to the Oct. 12 preseason matchup between the Cavs and Grizzlies go on sale at 10 a.m. on Sept. 10 and begin at $15. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

 

Correction Aug. 26: An earlier version of the story stated the 2013 game against the 76ers was the Cavs’ Columbus debut, when in fact they had played at the Schottenstein Center prior to that.