MALIBU, Calif. ­- Starting now and running through October 12, Pepperdine basketball fans have their best opportunity to purchase tickets for the 2010 Zappos.com West Coast Conference Championships, set for Las Vegas on March 5-8.
For now, the eight WCC institutions are able to offer All-Session Tickets (which allows access to all men's and women's games). Due to anticipated sales, it is highly recommended that tickets are purchased by the October 12 deadline through Pepperdine's ticket office. After that point, tickets will go on sale to the general public.
In order to reserve seats within the Pepperdine rooting section, tickets can be purchased through the Athletics Ticket Office by calling (866) WAVE TIX (1-866-928-3849).
An All-Session Ticket (with access to all seven men's games and all seven women's contests) costs $200 per seat in the P2 (lower reserved) section, while P3 seats (upper reserved) are $135 each. There is limited availability for P2 seats and orders will be fulfilled on a first-come/first-serve basis. A general admission All-Session Ticket for the seven women's games only is $35.
The tournament will be held at the Orleans Arena once again, and special rates are available at the adjoining Orleans Hotel. Contact the hotel at (800) ORLEANS (1-800-675-3267) and identify yourself as a WCC Basketball Championships attendee. Or, book a room via the Orleans' website at www.orleanscasino.com and utilize the promo code 0FANC03 in the "Group Code" field.
The WCC has selected Anthony Travel as the official fan travel agent for the tournament. To utilize its services (including flights, hotel, transportation, etc.) simply call Anthony Travel at (888) 632-6951 and identify yourself as a fan of the WCC Basketball Championships.
"We attended the WCC Tournament in Las Vegas and had a great time. The arena was fantastic and having the venue within walking distance of our room made it very easy to attend the games! The hotel offered all of the amenities you would expect to find in a Las Vegas hotel - restaurants, entertainment, etc. - and if you wanted to visit the Strip, it was close by too! All in all, a very good experience." - Lou & Kathy Colombano, season ticket holders
"March Madness began in Vegas! The tournament felt like a big event. It was entertaining and fun to see which teams would represent the WCC in the NCAA Tournament. Part of the fun was being at a collegiate event and meeting new people, whether it was Pepperdine fans or fans from other schools." - Jim & Judy Zierick, season ticket holders
A young Pepperdine men's basketball team made great strides last season under the leadership of Tom Asbury, who returned to Malibu to begin his second stint as the head coach of the Waves. The squad went 9-23 overall and 5-9 for sixth place in the WCC, but three of the top four scorers were freshmen and the other one was a sophomore. The 2009-10 Waves have 12 returning lettermen, believed to be the most in school history.
The Pepperdine women's basketball squad, under the direction of sixth-year coach Julie Rousseau, posted a 16-13 overall record and took third place in the WCC with a 9-5 mark. Although five seniors (three of which were starters) have departed, a strong core of returners and a talented recruiting class should allow the Waves to continue to contend for a conference title.
Blue & Orange Madness (Pepperdine's version of Midnight Madness) is set for Friday, Oct. 16, at 8:45 p.m. in Firestone Fieldhouse.
Also, season tickets are now on sale for the 2009-10 men's basketball season. Special rates are in place until September 30: a courtside seat is $476, lower reserved seating is $179 and upper reserved seating is $143. Season tickets can be purchased by visiting the athletic offices in Heritage Hall, calling (866) WAVE-TIX or by visiting www.pepperdinesports.com, accessing the ticket brochure PDF and mailing it in.
