The first of 15 Grand Canyon University men’s basketball games and 14 women’s basketball games at Antelope Gymnasium is Friday.
Admission to all games is free.
As it did during the fall sports season and will continue throughout the 2010-11 school year, Grand Canyon will provide free admission to all home sporting events.
“It’s very unique and I doubt anyone else in America is doing it,” said GCU men’s basketball coach Russ Pennell, whose Antelopes take on Minnesota-Duluth at 7:15 p.m. Friday.
“I’m grateful the leadership of Grand Canyon is making our games available to the public for free. These are hard economic times. Offering entertainment to the community is our way of helping out during tough times.”
In lieu of an admission fee, GCU is accepting donations for St. Mary’s Food Bank. Fans are asked to bring two or more canned goods, which will enter them into a halftime raffle draw.
During the fall season, donations were taken for the Make a Wish Foundation. GCU will ask for donations to different charitable causes throughout the season.
“It’s another great commitment from the university,” said GCU women’s basketball coach Trent May, whose team tip-off at 5 p.m. against Queens College. “It’s great entertainment for no cost. People can come to our university and get great basketball for men and women and if they pay anything, it’s to a great cause.”
Grand Canyon is hosting the GCU Tip-Off Classic this weekend. Eight games, four Friday and four Saturday, will be played starting at noon each day. Other teams in the event include: Southern Indiana (women), Minnesota State Moorhead (women), St. Cloud State (men) and CSU Dominguez Hills (men).
Action begins with the MSU Moorhead women taking on Southern Indiana at noon Friday. It will be followed at 2:15 p.m. with CSU Dominguez Hills men playing St. Cloud State.
On Saturday, Moorhead takes on Queens College at noon, followed by CSU Dominguez Hills against Minnesota-Duluth. At 5 p.m., Grand Canyon's women play Southern Indiana. At 7:15 p.m., GCU's men play St. Cloud State.
Both GCU's women and Southern Indiana are receiving votes in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll. St. Cloud, a Final Four team a year ago, is ranked No. 9 in the USA Today/ESPN poll, No. 8 in the National Association of Basketball Coaches poll and No. 3 in the Division II Bulletin Preseason Top 25 poll.
On Friday, the first 500 fans will get a GCU T-shirt. On Saturday, the first 500 fans will get a GCU cup.
For more information or to order advanced tickets please contact Event Services at 602-639-7587. To check on upcoming promotions, please visit GCULopes.com and click on “Game Promotions” on the men’s and women’s basketball page.
Fans unable to attend can watch the GCU games, also for free, by clicking on the Live Video link on the GCULopes.com home page calendar. Live stats will also be available for all eight games this weekend.
GAME PROMOTIONS
GCU (MEN) vs. MINNESOTA DULUTH