Las Vegas Showdown to Feature Two Outstanding Match-Ups
10/8/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
LAS VEGAS - At a press conference today, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) and ESPN Regional Television officially announced the Las Vegas Showdown and welcomed the head coaches to Las Vegas. The eighth annual event, held on Dec. 20 at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), will feature the University of Oregon and the University of Alabama in Game 1 followed by Auburn University and UNLV in Game 2.
"During the past eight years, we have continually searched the top teams and conferences for participants in this prestigious event televised on ESPN," said Terry Jicinsky, senior vice president of marketing for the LVCVA. "We're looking forward to hosting the teams and fans in December, and we welcome them to enjoy everything that can be found in Las Vegas, the most exciting destination in the world."
Game 1, to be televised nationally on ESPN2, begins at 7 p.m. (PT) and features Ernie Kent's defending Pac-10 Tournament Champions, the Oregon Ducks against the Alabama Crimson Tide and head coach Mark Gottfried. Last season, the Tide appeared in the NCAA Tournament for a second consecutive time.
"This will be a wonderful opportunity to play in one of the premier basketball events, and in one of the best venues in the country," Kent said. "And we are looking forward to competing against one of the top programs in the SEC in Alabama, a team that continues to make a national name for itself under Coach Gottfried."
"It's a great event, and national television makes it great for your program," Gottfried said. "And I think it's a fun trip for your fans. The field is great. You have teams that were in the NCAA tournament last year with a lot of good players returning, so that makes for great competition. For the fans, it should be a heck of a basketball atmosphere."
Televised nationally on ESPN, Game 2 tips off at 9:30 p.m. (PT) pitting the Runnin' Rebels and head coach Charlie Spoonhour against Cliff Ellis' Auburn Tigers, who made an NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 appearance last season.
"It is great to have a first-class basketball event here in Las Vegas with the Showdown," Spoonhour said. "With Oregon and Alabama, you are talking about two really strong basketball teams. Couple that with Auburn, who did so well in the NCAA Tournament last season and have lots of players back, and you have a great college basketball doubleheader. We hope that this year's games will attract even bigger crowds than we have had in the past."
"We are looking forward to playing in such a prestigious event as the Las Vegas Showdown on ESPN," Ellis said. "We're going to play UNLV, which is one of the toughest places to play year in and year out. Their fans are as tough to go against as anyone we have seen."
The Las Vegas Showdown is expected to attract an enthusiastic crowd to the 18,500-seat Thomas & Mack Center.
"This doubleheader features two great national match-ups with teams from the Pac-10, SEC and Mountain West Conferences," said Pete Derzis, senior vice president, ESPN Regional Television. "Our goal for 2003 was to match traditional powers from the South against those in the West, and we're extremely excited to showcase these teams in Las Vegas."
Tickets for the Las Vegas Showdown are $28 for lower level seats and $22 for balcony seats. In Las Vegas, fans can call 739-FANS or log on to www.unlvtickets.com. For fans from Alabama, Auburn, or Oregon, calls can be directed to (866) 388-FANS or to the respective athletic ticket offices.
Following the Las Vegas Showdown, the holiday sports extravaganza will continue with the week-long college football experience culminating with the 12th annual Las Vegas Bowl, scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 24. The Las Vegas Bowl will match the Mountain West Conference against the Pac-10 Conference. The game will be televised live on ESPN beginning at 4:30 p.m. (PT).
