The University of San Diego announced Thursday that it will host a charity men’s basketball game next week, joining more than two dozen schools around the nation playing to raise funds for disaster relief.
The Toreros will take on Arizona State at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Jenny Craig Pavilion, with all ticket sales proceeds going to Hurricane Maria relief efforts in Puerto Rico.
“We are committed to helping the people of Puerto Rico at this very difficult time,” said USD basketball head coach Lamont Smith. “Having Puerto Rican native Jose Martinez on our team gives our university a heartfelt connection to our fellow citizens in Puerto Rico.”
General admission is $10, with $5 for children and USD students. Tickets can be purchased online or at the JCP ticket window on game day. The money that’s raised will be donated to Catholic Charities USA, according to USD.
Last Saturday, Kansas and Missouri raised $1.75 million for hurricane relief in an exhibition game. A host of other schools have or will play benefit contests, including Tennessee and Clemson, South Carolina and Virginia Tech, Memphis and Vanderbilt, and Fresno State and Saint Mary’s.
San Diego State declined to host a game amid scheduling issues and doubts over how much money a hastily organized game would actually raise, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.
The NCAA allows basketball teams to either play two preseason exhibition games, or one exhibition and one closed-door scrimmage. The organization granted a waiver for teams to play an extra exhibition contest to raise money for victims of recent hurricanes, fires in Northern California or the mass shooting in Las Vegas.
–City News Service
