FULLERTON, Calif. – The Cal State Fullerton men's basketball program will compete in the 2015 Far West Classic Invitational, hosted by Oregon State and University of Portland at Moda Center, it was announced on Thursday.
The legendary 40-year holiday basketball tradition returns for the 2015-16 season on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 18-19.
The two-day doubleheader will be played at the home of the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers and feature the West Coast Conference's Portland Pilots against Weber State from the Big Sky Conference on Friday night, followed by Cal State Fullerton from the Big West Conference battling the Beavers from the Pac-12. Saturday will feature Cal State Fullerton facing Portland and the Beavers taking on Tulsa from the American Athletic Conference. The American, Pac-12 and WCC were all in the Top 10 in conference RPI last year. Preliminary tip-offs are set for 6 and 8 p.m.
"Our program is honored to be part of the return for this historic tournament," Cal State Fullerton head coach Dedrique Taylor said. "Our team will have the opportunity to play in one of the finest holiday tournaments in the country and face challenging competition against Oregon State and Portland. The chance to play at Moda Center – home of the Portland Trail Blazers – will also be an exceptional experience for our student-athletes."
The 2015-16 Far West Classic Invite will be played in Portland, the state of Oregon's largest metropolitan city with more than 2.2 million people.
For exclusive Far West Classic Invite presale ticket opportunities and other information, go to www.rosequarter.com/FWC2015.
The Titans previously competed in the Far West Classic during the 1980-81 season, suffering losses to Oregon, Utah and Princeton.
"Moda Center and the Rose Quarter proudly look forward to the return of one of the traditional powerhouse holiday tournaments in major college basketball," said Chris McGowan, President & CEO of the Trail Blazers and Rose Quarter. "We thank everyone associated with making this partnership happen, especially the athletic department leadership from Oregon State and the University of Portland."
The Far West Classic began in 1956 when the Beavers hosted three teams at Gill Coliseum in Corvallis. After three years as a four-team tournament, the event expanded to eight teams in 1959 with Oregon as a co-host. When Memorial Coliseum opened in Portland in 1960, the Far West Classic moved there and quickly became one of the best holiday basketball tournaments in the country.
The last eight-team tournament was held in 1989 and returned as a two-night, four-team tourney in 1991. The final Far West Classic was held in 1996. Oregon State won the first 10 Far West Classics and a tournament record 20 overall. Gary Payton, a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, was named the Most Valuable Player a record three times.
Other well-known players and coaches who participated in the Far West Classic include: Danny Ainge (BYU), Mel Counts (Oregon State), Walter Davis (North Carolina), Dale Ellis (Tennessee), A.C. Green (Oregon State), Jud Heathcote (Michigan State), Lionel Hollins (Arizona State), Kevin Johnson (California), Magic Johnson (Michigan State), Steve Johnson (Oregon State), Bobby Knight (Indiana), George McGinnis (Indiana), Mark Radford, (Oregon State), Cazzie Russell (Michigan), Charlie Scott (North Carolina), Charlie Sitton (Oregon State), Dean Smith (North Carolina) and John Stockton (Gonzaga).