SEATTLE (October 3, 2023) – In a rematch of last season's West Regional Final, Gonzaga will take on UConn in the Continental Tire Seattle Tip-Off at 7 p.m. PT on Dec. 15 at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. The game, which pits top-10 teams in ESPN's 2023 Way-Too-Early preseason top 25, will be televised nationally on ESPN2. Intersport, a Chicago-based sports marketing and events agency, will manage the event.
 
Tickets for the Continental Tire Seattle Tip-Off will go on sale Oct. 20, but fans interested in attending the game can register to receive event information and gain access to early tickets through a one-day presale on Oct. 19 by signing up at www.climatepledgearena.com/seattletipoff.
 
Overall, this will be the seventh all-time meeting between the storied programs, with the Huskies owning a 4-2 edge in the series, including an overtime victory in Seattle in 2009.
 
"The Pacific Northwest is a basketball crazed region that has played host to some of the top college basketball talent in recent years, and we're excited to help continue that tradition this season," said Mark Starsiak, vice president of basketball at Intersport. "In a matchup of perennial national championship contenders – with the Huskies fresh off an incredible title run last year – this will be one of the most highly anticipated games of the college basketball season. We are proud to partner with Climate Pledge Arena for what will be a fantastic contest this December."
 
Last March, the Huskies used an impressive second-half run to capture an 82-54 victory over the Bulldogs in the West Regional Final on their way to winning the 2023 national championship. In one of the most dominant postseason runs in NCAA history, UConn outscored its six opponents by a combined 120 points and became the fifth team since the bracket expanded in 1985 to win each NCAA Tournament game by double-digits. The championship gave UConn its fifth NCAA title in the last 25 years, the most of any program during that stretch. No other program has won more than three in the last quarter of a century.
 
The preseason No. 5 Huskies will return three of their top five scorers from last year's title team, including Tristen Newton (10.1 ppg), Alex Karaban (9.3 ppg) and Donovan Clingan (6.9 ppg). UConn also welcomes Rutgers transfer Cam Spencer, who led the Scarlet Knights in scoring at 13.2 points per game, as well as a top-five recruiting class led by top-20 recruit Stephon Castle. Head coach Dan Hurley is entering his sixth season in Storrs, having led UConn to the NCAA Tournament in each of the last three years.
 
For the preseason No. 7 Zags, three impact transfers – Ryan Nembhard (Creighton), Steele Venters (Eastern Washington) and Graham Ike (Wyoming) – step in to fill the void left by departing starters Drew Timme, Julian Strawther and Rasir Bolton. Anton Watson and Nolan Hickman return as likely starters for head coach Mark Few, who is set to begin his 25th season as the Bulldogs head coach. In the last 24 years, Gonzaga has made the NCAA Tournament every season, advanced to two national championship games and 10 Sweet 16 appearances, winning more than 83 percent (689-135) of its games since Few took over.
 
The Continental Tire Seattle Tip-Off is one of many events that is part of Intersport's early season college basketball calendar, which has seen considerable growth in the last five years. After initially launching a four-team event in Fort Myers in 2018, the Chicago-based agency has announced plans to host nine different events during the first eight weeks of the 2023-24 season. The current Intersport early season calendar includes:

• Nov. 10: Radford vs Marshall (The Greenbrier Resort, White Sulphur Springs, W. Va.)
• Nov. 17-19: Arizona Tip-Off (Desert Diamond Arena, Glendale, Ariz.)
• Nov. 20-22: Fort Myers Tip-Off (Suncoast Credit Union Arena, Fort Myers, Fla.)
• Nov. 23-25: Elevance Health Women's Fort Myers Tip-Off (Suncoast Credit Union Arena, Fort Myers, Fla.)
• Dec. 2: Legends of Basketball Las Vegas Invitational; Gonzaga vs. USC, Washington vs. Colorado State (MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nev.)
• Dec. 14: Florida Tip-Off; Florida vs. East Carolina (RP Funding Center, Lakeland, Fla.)
• Dec. 15: Continental Tire Seattle Tip-Off; Gonzaga vs. UConn (Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, Wash.)
• Dec. 16: CBS Sports Classic; Ohio State vs. UCLA, North Carolina vs. Kentucky (State Farm Arena, Atlanta, Ga.)
• Dec. 30: Legends of Basketball Showcase: Ohio State vs. West Virginia; Ohio vs. Davidson; Akron vs. St. Bonaventure (Cleveland, Ohio)

 
About Continental Tire the Americas
Based in Fort Mill, S.C., Continental Tire the Americas, LLC manufactures and distributes a complete premium line of passenger, light truck and commercial tires for original equipment and replacement markets. Our ultra-high, performance tires include award-winning technologies that focus on safety, help save money, and reduce CO2 emissions. Continental's premium products are available at leading independent tire dealers, car dealers, and mass retail companies across North America. Continental Tire is a proud supporter of AMG Driving Academy, BMW Performance Driving Centers, College Basketball, Gunther Werks, Lingenfelter Performance Engineering, Major League Soccer (MLS), ROUSH Performance, Stadium Super Trucks, Toyota's GR Cup, Universal Technical Institute, USF Pro Championships, and the WNBA.
 
About Intersport
Since 1985, Intersport has been an award-winning innovator and leader in the creation of sports, lifestyle, culinary and entertainment-based marketing platforms. With expertise in Sponsorship Consulting, Experiential Marketing, Hospitality, Customer Engagement, Content Marketing, Productions and Sports Properties, this Chicago-based Marketing & Media Solutions Company helps their clients to create ideas, content and experiences that attract and engage passionate audiences. To learn more about Intersport, visit www.intersport.global, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
 
About Climate Pledge Arena
Climate Pledge Arena, located at Seattle Center is the complete redevelopment of a historic landmark, originally built for the 1962 Seattle World's Fair. It is an industry first, including being the first net zero certified arena in the world.  Home to the NHL's Seattle Kraken, WNBA's Seattle Storm, and the world's biggest performers of live music and events, Climate Pledge Arena opened October 22, 2021. Climate Pledge Arena serves as a long-lasting and regular reminder of the urgent need for climate action. The Climate Pledge, which was founded by Amazon and Global Optimism in 2019, is a commitment from companies globally to be net zero carbon by 2040. Visit climatepledgearena.com