By snoadmin
Many students are excited about the Big West Tournament at the Anaheim Convention Center this weekend.
Beach Pride Coordinator Chance Decker said he expects approximately 400 students to attend Friday night’s Long Beach State men’s basketball game.
“We had a couple hundred students show up to last year’s tournament,” Decker said. “And the team’s doing really well this year, so I expect a lot more students will come out for support.”
Decker also said there is another reason to rally behind our team this year.
“Being the only local post-season game of the year, this tournament will be the last opportunity for students to watch their team live,” Decker said.
Decker has made arrangements for free tickets and a charter bus to transport 50 students from the campus to Friday night’s game. There will be additional free tickets for the first 50 CSULB students that drive themselves to the game.
Kinesiology major Jason Dinius said he “loves college basketball,” and is excited to see his team in the Big West Tournament and wants LBSU to make it to the NCAA Tournament.
“Besides more money and publicity for the university, I think a first-round win in the NCAA will increase the amount of athletes wanting to come to CSULB,” Dinius said. “Going to the NCAA will give the basketball team the national exposure it needs.”
Freshman political science major Nnaemeka Oguguo, said, “I hope they win the Big West Tournament, but depending on who they play in the first round of the NCAA’s is how well they will do.”
Playing against the top-seeded teams in the NCAA’s is much different that playing in the Big West, Oguguo said.
“Going to the NCAA will bring CSULB publicity and money, but it won’t change the fact that we don’t have a football team. That is what students look for in a college,” Oguguo said.
LBSU’s semifinal game is Friday with the tip off at 6:30 p.m. The Big West championship game will be at 8 p.m. Saturday, and will air on ESPN 2.
Tickets cost $8 with a student I.D. at the Anaheim Convention Center box office. Students can also purchase tickets online at www.ticketmaster.com. For more information, contact the Anaheim Convention Center at (714) 765-8980.
