Northwest Notes July 2, 2025
Coeur d'Alene Press | UPDATED 1 year, 1 month AGO
Zags to face Alabama, Maryland in Players Era Championship
Alabama and Maryland, and a third team to be determined, will be Gonzaga's opponents at the 2025 Players Era Championship in Las Vegas.
In the second edition of the event, the Zags are one of 18 teams in the elite field this year.
The Bulldogs open the tournament against Alabama on Monday, Nov. 24 at 6:30 p.m. The two national powers have met twice in the last three years, with each team claiming a win. Their first meeting took place on Dec. 4, 2021, in front of a packed crowd at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. Alabama earned a 91–82 victory over then-No. 3 Gonzaga. The Zags responded the following season on Dec. 17, 2022, beating No. 4 Alabama 100-90 in Birmingham.
On Tuesday, Nov. 25 at 6:30 p.m., Gonzaga and Maryland faceoff for the first time in 17 years. After falling in the first meeting, the Zags have won the last three matchups. The first meeting came in the 1995 NCAA Tournament, when the Terrapins defeated GU 87–63 in Salt Lake City. The Bulldogs beat Maryland in 2003, 82-68, in Washington D.C. Gonzaga then added an 88–76 victory in the 2005 Maui Invitational and followed it up with an 81–59 triumph at the 2008 Old Spice Classic in Orlando.
Gonzaga's third opponent at the Players Era Championship will be determined by the outcomes of the first two games, along with decisions from other games across the 18-team tournament field.
The Bulldogs' game locations in Las Vegas, along with broadcast information, will be announced in the near future.
Tickets for 509 Classic on sale
Tickets for the 509 Classic, the annual men's basketball matchup between Eastern Washington University and Washington State, are on sale. Fans can purchase tickets online at ticketswestinw.evenue.net/promotions/509EAGLE
This year's event takes place on Tuesday, Dec. 17 at the Spokane Arena.
Tickets start at $15 for lower bowl seating, and all prices include fees.
Now entering its second year, the 509 Classic is part of a three-year agreement between EWU and WSU to host an annual neutral-site matchup at the Spokane Arena through the 2027-28 season.
More details, including game time and fan activities, will be announced in the coming weeks.