The Marshall University men's and women's basketball teams will tip off the 2022-23 season with the inaugural Hoops in Huntington, an outdoor event set for Thursday, Oct. 13 at 7:30 p.m. on 3rd Avenue in front of Pullman Square.
Hoops in Huntington will feature student-athlete introductions for the Thundering Herd men's and women's teams; skills challenge; 3-point competition; 3-on-3 game; hot shot competition; and scrimmage on an outdoor court that will sit on 3rd Avenue between the Marshall University Visual Arts Center and Pullman Square.
Additional details, such as the event's emcee and celebrity judges, will be announced at a later date.
"Being part of a community means connecting with it and letting them in to who We Are … and what better way to do that then to bring our basketball teams downtown, put a court and some hoops on the street and let the community interact with and get to know our student-athletes?" said Christian Spears, Marshall's Director of Athletics. "We call it: Hoops in Huntington. We will have interactive games, prizes, poster signings — all in the heart of our city.
"Let's mark the date and get there and bring your family. It will be a bit of a spectacle!"
For the event, 3rd Avenue will be shut down from 9th Street to 10th Street. The event will include inflatables and face painting for kids, and Hoops in Huntington will be preceded by an autograph session with men's and women's student-athletes. There will also be a Kids Knockout competition prior to the student-athletes taking the court for warmups.
The first-year event will conclude with fireworks at approximately 9 p.m.
The Thundering Herd men open the season on Friday, Oct. 28 in an exhibition game against the University of Charleston. Marshall's first regular season game is Monday, Nov. 7 at Queens, and the Herd's home opener is set for Monday, Nov. 14 vs. Tennessee Tech.
"This is an exciting new way to showcase Marshall basketball and for our incredible fans to run with the Herd," said Dan D'Antoni, the men's basketball head coach. "It will be a truly unique atmosphere down by Pullman Square and I can't wait for our fans to experience this event."
The Marshall women open the 2022-23 campaign on Thursday, Nov. 10 at Purdue. The Herd's first home contest is Tuesday, Nov. 15 against West Virginia Wesleyan.
"It's an exciting opportunity to showcase our program while connecting to the city of Huntington in a new manner," sixth-year women's basketball coach Tony Kemper said. "Our team is fired up about the start of the year and this is a win-win for the community."
Information regarding premium seating for the Hoops in Huntington event is coming soon.
Original source can be found here.
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