Special Events | 11/29/2016 8:41:00 AM
Time for all you cool cats to get jazzed for a nifty return of #KezarHoops! USF basketball plays a doubleheader at its original stomping grounds next Tuesday, Dec. 6. The Dons meet up with crosstown foe San Francisco State at historic Kezar Pavilion at 8 p.m. - the place where USF's Legends of Kezar teams were thrice crowned the national champions.
The women didn't begin playing basketball at USF until nearly 30 years after the venue switch, but that's not going to stop the Dons from getting in the act and lacing up on the hardwood at Kezar! The USF women take on San Jose State at 6 p.m. to open the evening's festivities.
The outta sight night will feature:
- Throwback uniforms complete with short shorts for both the Dons and Gators
- 50's pricing for concessions - 50 cent hot dogs, popcorn and Coca-Cola
- The DJ spinning tunes from the 50's all night long
- Photo opportunities with some of the men who brought the hardware to the Hilltop, alongside the championship trophies
- Memorabilia on display to relive some of the scenes from the era
- A halftime sock hop dance contest during the men's basketball game
- $15 general admission seating for both games of the twin bill - purchase tickets online now, or be prepared to shell out cold, hard cash at the door. Seating at the historic venue is limited - BUY TODAY!
Fans are encouraged to get decked out in the coolest threads of the 50's era to make the flashback a night to remember. Don't be a square - get those duds dusted off, spread the word and plan to make the scene primo!
*For fans requiring ADA assistance, please contact Mae Cichelli.
Did you know?
Kezar Pavilion was the Dons primary home court from 1924-58 until Memorial Gymnasium was opened on Dec. 4, 1958. The Dons used the venerable facility to its advantage en route to winning the 1949 National Invitation Tournament championship along with back-to-back NCAA Championships in 1955 and '56, along with a third consecutive Final Four appearance in the 1956-57 season. The legendary Bill Russell made his collegiate debut for the Dons in Kezar Pavilion on Dec. 1, 1953, scoring 23 points and blocking 13 shots to lead an unranked USF team to a 57-33 victory over No. 10 California. Other USF legends such as K.C. Jones, Gene Brown, Mike Farmer, Ross Giudice, Cap Lavin, Don Lofgran and Willie "Woo Woo" Wong, along with coaching greats Pete Newell and Phil Woolpert, all left indelible marks inside Kezar Pavilion.
Sixteen of the Dons' 60 consecutive victories from 1954-56 came on the Kezar Pavilion hardwood, including win No. 59, a 57-52 triumph over Seattle on Dec. 8, 1956. USF last played a game in Kezar Pavilion on March 4, 1958 when the Dons posted a 69-59 win over Pacific.
