2008 Woodie Awards
Pacific Tigers head to the Big West Championship with high hopes
Brandon Goucher
Issue date: 3/11/05 Section: Sports
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Tyler Newton and Christian Maraker each scored 15 points as the Pacific Tigers played their final home game of the season Feb. 26 against the Cal State Northridge Matadors at the Spanos Center.
During the beginning of the game, the Tigers were having a hard time scoring, but won the game with a final score of 75-61. They won before a sold-out crowd of 6,150 people, and 250 standing-only tickets were sold right before the tipoff. The Tigers played their last two regular season games on the road. The first at Cal State Fullerton and the other at UC Riverside, the Tigers won both games. The number 18-ranked AP poll and number 16 ESPN-USA TODAY ranked poll ended the regular season at 18-0 in the Big West Conference and 25-2 overall.
The Feb. 26 game was broadcast live on ESPN2 and the Feb. 19 game was part of ESPN's Bracket Buster Saturday event. The Tigers have been in the national spotlight this season. Last year the Tigers won the Big West Championship and making it into the NCAA Tournament. In the first round they beat Providence, but lost to Kansas in the second round. That did not slow down the Tigers. They have the second longest winning streak in the nation right now, and have won 32 games in a row in the Big West Conference and this is what is getting them national exposure. A writer from Sports Illustrated called them the best college basketball team in California. Two weeks ago they made the cover of the sports section of USA TODAY and the list goes on.
Doug Gottlieb, who broadcast the Feb. 19 and 26 games on ESPN, said, "I think they're a terrific basketball team. They play together, they shoot the ball well, and play great defense. It's not surprising they won a game in the NCAA Tournament last year, and it would not shock me if they won a game this year." When asked how far the Tigers could make it in the NCAA Tournament, "I think it's realistic to think they could win a game and with right the draw, maybe two games. To make to the sweet 16 would be a dream season for them," he said.
During the beginning of the game, the Tigers were having a hard time scoring, but won the game with a final score of 75-61. They won before a sold-out crowd of 6,150 people, and 250 standing-only tickets were sold right before the tipoff. The Tigers played their last two regular season games on the road. The first at Cal State Fullerton and the other at UC Riverside, the Tigers won both games. The number 18-ranked AP poll and number 16 ESPN-USA TODAY ranked poll ended the regular season at 18-0 in the Big West Conference and 25-2 overall.
The Feb. 26 game was broadcast live on ESPN2 and the Feb. 19 game was part of ESPN's Bracket Buster Saturday event. The Tigers have been in the national spotlight this season. Last year the Tigers won the Big West Championship and making it into the NCAA Tournament. In the first round they beat Providence, but lost to Kansas in the second round. That did not slow down the Tigers. They have the second longest winning streak in the nation right now, and have won 32 games in a row in the Big West Conference and this is what is getting them national exposure. A writer from Sports Illustrated called them the best college basketball team in California. Two weeks ago they made the cover of the sports section of USA TODAY and the list goes on.
Doug Gottlieb, who broadcast the Feb. 19 and 26 games on ESPN, said, "I think they're a terrific basketball team. They play together, they shoot the ball well, and play great defense. It's not surprising they won a game in the NCAA Tournament last year, and it would not shock me if they won a game this year." When asked how far the Tigers could make it in the NCAA Tournament, "I think it's realistic to think they could win a game and with right the draw, maybe two games. To make to the sweet 16 would be a dream season for them," he said.