Bowling Green State University Athletics
2002 Coors Classic Field Announced
September 25, 2002 | Men's Basketball
Sept. 25, 2002
Mobile, Alabama - Another action-packed lineup is scheduled as theUniversity of South Alabama plays host to the fourth annual Coors Classic Dec. 14 at the 10,000-seat Mitchell Center in Mobile.
USA welcomes Southeastern Conference power Alabama, Atlantic Sun foe Georgia State and Bowling Green out of the Mid-American Conference.
The opening game, set for 5:30 p.m. Central Time, features preseason SEC favorite Alabama, coached by Mark Gottfried, son of USA Athletics Director Joe Gottfried, against Mid-American Conference member Bowling Green, under sixth-year coach Dan Dakich.
The second game, which willstart approximately 7:30 p.m., pits host USA, under first-year coach John Pelphrey, versus last season's NIT qualifier Georgia State, coached by the legendary Lefty Driesell. The event is co-sponsored by Coors and the GMAC Bowl, and will be televised by Comcast Sports Southeast (CSS).
"Needless to say, we are excited as the host institution to entertain outstanding programs such as Georgia State, Alabama and Bowling Green," said USA Director of Athletics Joe Gottfried. "We are especially grateful to Coors for sponsoring the doubleheader. It continues to be one of the top basketball events in the country."
The one-night basketball doubleheader is held in conjunction with GMAC Bowl Week. The fourth-year college football bowl game will be played Dec. 18 at Ladd-Peebles Stadium, matching teams from Conference USA and the Mid-American Conference. Last year's event produced the highest scoring bowl game of all-time as Marshall defeated East Carolina 64-61.
South Alabama is looking to improve on last year's 7-21 finish. Pelphrey, the nation's most sought-after assistant, was hired last March to guide the program and will bring a new up- tempo style to the Jaguar program.
USA returns four starters from last season's team including preseason all-Sun Belt Conference candidates Demetrice Williams, a 6-2 senior guard, and Henry Williams, a 6-6 senior forward.
Georgia State, 20-11 a year ago, is seeking a fourth consecutive league title under sixth-year leader and former Maryland Terp Lefty Driesell, college basketball's fourth all-time winningest coach with 782 career victories. The Panthers return three starters and five letterwinners including 6-foot-11 junior center Nate Williams, who averaged 12.2 points per game last season.
The Crimson Tide, 27-8 a year ago, returns four starters from last season's NCAA Tournament team including preseason All-American senior forward Erwin Dudley (15.2 ppg., 8.9 rpg.).
Bowling Green, an NIT participant a year ago, returns seven letterwinners and from last season's 24-9 squad. The Falcons lost three all-conference players from last season's team that lost to Butler in the NIT.
Ticket information will be announced at a later date.
