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Dec. 9, 2010

PULLMAN, Wash. - Washington State University men's basketball's 2011-12 home series with Oregon and Oregon State will be played at Spokane Arena, WSU Athletics Director Bill Moos announced Thursday.

The Cougars open the 2011-12 Pacific-12 Conference season with the two Oregon schools beginning with Oregon followed by Oregon State. As of now the game against the Ducks is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 29 and the contest with the Beavers will take place Saturday, Dec. 31.

"It is vital to the growth of Cougar Athletics that we engage in the Spokane community and taking a conference basketball weekend to Spokane gives more fans the opportunity to see their team in person," said Moos. "With students away from Pullman during the holiday break, it's a great time to highlight Cougar basketball at one of the premier venues in the Pacific Northwest."

The location change allows for fans and alums in the Spokane area to enjoy a Pac-12 basketball experience in their own backyard. It also provides the opportunity for an enhanced game day environment with the Washington State students on winter break during that time. WSU will host its first Pac-12 games in Pullman Jan. 19 and 21 when the Bay Area schools come to town.

"We're excited for the opportunity to play a Pac-12 series in Spokane in front of Eastern Washington fans," WSU Head Coach Ken Bone said. "We hope that by playing in Spokane we can attract both our Spokane area fans along with the Pullman community. Both have always been very supportive of our program and Washington State Athletics and we're looking forward to opening the Pac-12 season in front of them."

WSU has hosted at least one game in Spokane six of the last seven seasons and last hosted a conference opponent Dec. 29, 2005, a 70-52 loss to Arizona. WSU is 15-12 at Spokane Arena and 5-7 against conference opponents at Spokane Arena. This season the Cougars host Texas-Pan American in nonconference action at Spokane Arena, Friday, Dec. 10 at 7 p.m.