Spokane Arena To Play Host To WSU-Ucla Basketball

The Spokane Arena will be the site of two Washington State men’s basketball games this winter, including one against defending national champion UCLA.

Athletic director Rick Dickson announced Tuesday that the Cougars will face Gonzaga University Friday, Nov. 24, in the first collegiate basketball game played in the new facility and then play host to the Bruins on Thursday, Jan. 4, in a game that could go a long way toward deciding the Pacific-10 Conference title.

Both games are scheduled to start at 7 p.m.

Dickson said the site change for the UCLA game was prompted by the fact that WSU students will still be home on Christmas break in early January when the Bruins and USC are scheduled to make their annual swings through the Palouse.

History has shown that games played on the WSU campus with school not in session - even those involving top Pac-10 teams - have been notoriously poor draws.

“We were presented with the dilemma of playing a critical conference game (against UCLA) without our student body,” Dickson said. “Although it’s not our first preference, we’ve moved the UCLA game to Spokane to give our team a competitive edge in a good environment and to meet the financial needs that we have for all our programs.”

Spokane’s new arena seats 12,500 for basketball and Dickson said he expects to sell the place out.

He said he originally looked at moving the Cougars’ Jan. 6 home game against USC to Spokane, too, but decided against it in hopes of enticing some of those who attend the UCLA game to drive down to Pullman the following Saturday.

“Saturday, we feel like that even though we don’t have our students, it at least allows more people time to travel,” Dickson explained. “It’s more feasible that they can do that on a Saturday - make arrangements, come down, fly, drive, whatever - and return on the same day.

“But given a 7, 8 or 9-o’clock window to do that on a weeknight isn’t really feasible.”

Tickets for the UCLA basketball game will go on sale to the general public Nov. 13 and can be obtained at any G&B ticket outlet or by calling the WSU ticket office (1-800-GO-COUGS).

General public prices are $19.50, $15.50 and $9.50.

Dickson said the UCLA game will not be part of the season-ticket package currently being sold. But he added that WSU season-ticket holders - including those with three- and six-game packages - will have first priority at purchasing tickets for the game at a discount price of $14 each.

Cougar Club members who are not season-ticket holders will qualify for advance priority sales until Nov. 10, but will pay general public prices, Dickson explained.

Late start for late night

Late Night with the WSU men’s basketball team will be held in the late afternoon this year, according to coach Kevin Eastman’s intinerary for his team’s first day of practice.

The Cougars, who finished 18-12 and advanced to the quarterfinals of the National Invitation Tournament last year, will open practice for the 1995-96 season at 4 p.m. Sunday in Bohler Gym.

Eastman, in his second season at WSU, will welcome back his six top players from last year when he opens preseason drills with a 2-hour workout that is open to the public.

The Cougars’ first workout will include player introductions, a 3-point shooting contest, a dunk contest, some 3-on-3 drills and a brief scrimmage.

, DataTimes