The UConn men's and women's basketball teams "will not return to Webster Bank Arena this winter to play any regular-season games," according to Brian Koonz of the CONNECTICUT POST. While school officials "insist they’re leaving the door open to play future games in Bridgeport, this year’s omission is glaring and disappointing." Last season's men's basketball game against Columbia and women's game against DePaul "each sold more than 9,000 tickets in a 10,000-seat building." UConn Senior Associate AD/Communications Mike Enright said, "Quite honestly, it became a logistics thing where we couldn’t find dates that worked. We still think it’s a viable option, but maybe skipping a year isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes, it’s important to keep things fresh." He added that Fairfield County "represented only" 5% of basketball season-ticket sales last year, though those figures "do not include students or corporate sponsors" (CONNECTICUT POST, 8/23).
FLYIN' HIGH: In Illinois, Mark Tupper notes the Univ. of Illinois on Monday honored former basketball coach Lou Henson with the "naming of 'Lou Henson Court' at the State Farm Center, complete with a unique logo featuring Henson’s hand-written signature, a pair of wings commemorating his 'Flyin’ Illini' team and a likeness of the orange coat." The renovated State Farm Center "reopens on Dec. 2 for a game against Notre Dame." A formal ceremony "will be held that night to unveil the court" (Decatur HERALD & REVIEW, 8/25).
WE'RE JAMMIN': In San Diego, Mark Zeigler noted San Diego State's $15M basketball practice facility, the Jeff Jacobs JAM Center, opened Sunday and "will be operational 24/7." The center’s namesake is Jeff Jacobs, the son of Qualcomm co-Founder Irwin Jacobs who gave the initial $1M and "subsequently another $500,000" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 8/24).
