MACOMB/MOLINE, IL – – For the first time in Leatherneck men’s and women’s basketball history, the Western Illinois basketball programs are taking the home show on the road, playing a regular season men’s and women’s basketball doubleheader inside Vibrant Arena at THE MARK of the Quad Cities in Moline, Illinois on Friday, December 16.
Director of Athletics, Paul A. Bubb announced the move on Tuesday morning.
“We are pleased to be able to schedule these games at the Vibrant Arena,” Bubb said. “Playing basketball, and in the future other sports as well, in the Quad Cities makes sense so we can bring our programs to our students who live and attend our Quad Cities campus as well as our alumni and fans who live in the Quad Cities. We are excited to feature our men’s and women’s basketball program together on December 16 in the Quad Cities.”
The Leatherneck women open the evening by taking on St. Xavier at 5:30 p.m. while the men follow, playing Eureka College at 7:30 p.m.
While this is the first time the Western Illinois men and women have played a regular season doubleheader in Moline, the basketball programs are no strangers to playing in the Quad Cities, or inside THE MARK. The arena hosted the Mid-Continent Conference Tournament from 1996-1999 and the Leatherneck men also played Iowa in Moline in 1996 and 1998.
The games are part of the Western Illinois season ticket package for home games. There will be an exchange for a reserved seat at Vibrant Arena for those who purchase season tickets in advance. Western Illinois will not sell individual game tickets for the game through the Western Illinois ticket office. Information on single-game tickets, to be sold through Vibrant Arena, will be made available at a later date.
For more information on WIU Athletics, visit goleathernecks.com.
***Story and photo courtesy of WIU Athletics***
