Men's Basketball

Sept. 19, 2003

SEATTLE, Wash. - Northwest Sports & Entertainment today announced that tickets for the inaugural "Battle in Seattle" basketball event featuring Gonzaga University and the University of Missouri will go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m.

The game, which marks the homecoming of former Mercer Island High School standout and Missouri head coach Quin Snyder, will be played on Saturday, Dec. 13 at KeyArena. Tipoff will be 11 a.m. and the game will be televised nationally on CBS.

Ticket prices are $60 and $45 for lower-bowl seats, while upper-level seating is $24 and $18. A limited number of courtside seats, priced at $125 and $90, are also available. Seats can be purchased by calling 206-628-0888, by logging onto ticketmaster.com or by visiting ticketmaster locations throughout Washington.

Gonzaga, which brings its highest-ever preseason-ranked team to KeyArena for this matchup, is ranked in the nation's top 15 in the early 2003 preseason polls. Missouri is ranked in the top three in the majority of this year's early polls.

The Zags return last season's West Coast Conference Player of the Year Blake Stepp, and have added to their roster Seattle native and 2000 Washington State High School Basketball Player of the Year Erroll Knight.

The Tigers feature first-team preseason All-American Rickey Paulding and fellow 2003 USA Pan-American Team member Arthur Johnson.

"The Battle in Seattle" is Snyder's first official major college basketball visit to his hometown since joining the head coaching ranks after a successful playing career at Mercer Island and Duke University.

As part of "The Battle in Seattle" weekend, there will be a special ceremony to honor former Husky head coach and University of Washington Hall of Fame inductee Marv Harshman. The event is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 12 beginning at 6 p.m. at the Red Lion Hotel on Fifth Avenue in Seattle. Fans are encouraged to join the festivities and honor Marv at the special presentation. For more information on the ceremony, visit battleinseattle.com.