Aug. 13, 2008
ANAHEIM, Calif. - For the second consecutive season, the San Diego State men's basketball team will take on Saint Mary's in the 15th annual John R. Wooden Classic at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. The non-conference tilt is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 13, and will precede the second game of the event between DePaul and UCLA.
In its first-ever Wooden Classic appearance last season, SDSU dropped a 69-64 decision to the Gaels, who were receiving votes in both Top 25 polls at game time. The Aztecs went on to finish the season with a 20-13 record and earned an invitation to the MasterCard NIT, while Saint Mary's finished at 25-7 and received at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament after finishing in second place in the West Coast Conference.
In 2008-09, San Diego State is expected to return all five starters and its top eight scorers from a year ago, including all-conference performers Lorrenzo Wade (first team), Ryan Amoroso (third team) and Billy White (third team and freshman of the year). When returning at least four starters off a team he coached the season before, Steve Fisher-led clubs have advanced to the postseason and won at least 21 games the previous eight times.
Saint Mary's, meanwhile, is expected to contend for the WCC crown with the return of first-team all-league selections Diamon Simpson and Patrick Mills, and honorable mention pick Omar Samhan. At season's end, Simpson was also named the conference's defensive player of the year, while Mills was tabbed the newcomer of the year and Randy Bennett was selected as co-coach of the year.
Between San Diego State, Saint Mary's, UCLA and DePaul, the four participating schools posted a record of 91-43 in 2007-08 with SDSU, SMC and UCLA all advancing to postseason play.
Tickets for the game will be available through the Aztec Ticket Office. For more information, please call (619) 283-SDSU (7378). In addition, a priority ticket order form is currently available at www.woodenclassic.com.
SDSU season tickets will go on sale Monday, Aug. 18, and start as low as $99 for chair-back reserve seats. For more information, contact the Aztec Ticket Office.
Established in 1994, the Wooden Classic is an annual tribute to the legendary former coach and the excellence he personifies. The event, co-produced by Pantheon International, LLC and Anaheim Arena Management, LLC, has a tradition of bringing the nation's finest college programs to Southern California.