Cougs will close down Mac

The Washington State Cougars will be the last Pac-10 visitor to play in Oregon’s McArthur Court on Saturday, as the Ducks will move into their $200 million Matthew Knight Arena prior to next year’s conference opener.

Mac Court, as it’s known, has been the Ducks’ home since 1927 and was paid for by the university’s students. But the second-oldest still-in-use American on-campus arena has a listed capacity of 9,087 and is considered outdated in every sense except character.

“It’s just a great basketball venue,” said WSU coach Ken Bone, who has coached in The Pit before. “You walk in there and you feel like you’re in the ’40s or ’50s, which is cool because you just don’t have that feeling anymore. … There are a few different arenas around the country, but not many left like Mac Court.”

With the Mac Court crowd saying goodbye to fan favorite – and senior – Tajuan Porter, Bone expects the place to be rocking – as it usually is.

“I’m not sure how their fans are taking their season right now,” Bone said. “I’m sure it will be a good crowd. It will be Senior Night, last (Pac-10) game at Mac Court. I’d be surprised if there was not a great crowd there.”

As part of the goodbye ceremonies this season, Oregon honors a former Ducks player and a former opponent star prior to each game. Saturday, James Donaldson will be the Cougars’ honoree and Kenya Wilkins will represent UO.