The defending national champion UConn women's basketball team will face off against St. John's in the annual Maggie Dixon Classic at 1 p.m. Jan. 4 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, according to an announcement Thursday by MSG Sports and the Dixon family.

UConn, which has a record nine NCAA titles, will make its fourth trip to the Maggie Dixon Classic following appearances in 2008, 2010 and 2013. In 2010, the Huskies topped Ohio State at The Garden for their 88th consecutive victory, tying the NCAA record formerly held by UCLA. It is the ninth anniversary of the Maggie Dixon Classic and the eighth straight season it will be held at Madison Square Garden.

Dixon, the former Army women's basketball coach, died on April 6, 2006 from an undiagnosed heart condition. She was 28. Previously, Dixon led the team to its inaugural NCAA tournament appearance in her first season as head coach.

Tickets for the Maggie Dixon Classic start at $20 and will go on sale at a later date. They will be available for purchase at the Madison Square Garden box office, all Ticketmaster locations and online at www.thegarden.com.

Madison Square Garden will once again team with the Dixon family to host a Heart Health Fair during the game.

The first Maggie Dixon Classic was held on Nov. 12, 2006, consisting of a men's game between Pittsburgh - coached by Jamie Dixon, Maggie's brother - and Western Michigan and a women's game between Army and Ohio State.

- Vickie Fulkerson