BATON ROUGE — The LSU Athletic Department will take advantage of a new NCAA rule to bring together the home-opening volleyball game of the season and the first allowable time for basketball practice and turn it into a “Party at Pete’s Palace” at the Maravich Assembly Center on Friday, Oct. 14, the eve of the LSU-Florida football game in Tiger Stadium.
With basketball teams throughout Division I allowed on the floor now at 7 p.m. on Oct 14, rather than the previously allowed midnight starting time, both the LSU men’s and women’s basketball teams will take to the court following the much awaited home-opening volleyball match of the season against Mississippi State. That match will begin at 6 p.m. with live pregame music beginning outside the Assembly Center in Tiger One Village at 5 p.m.
There will be no admission charged for the evening’s activities, including the volleyball match.
Special guest for the evening will be nationally-known comedian Mark Curry, best known for his five seasons as the star of “Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper” on ABC-TV. The game also marks the athletic competition debut for the “new” Maravich Assembly Center, reconfigured with new seating to a capacity of 13,472 and additional restrooms on the concourse level.
Following the conclusion of the volleyball match, both the men’s and women’s teams will be on the concourse of the Assembly Center to sign autographs, prior to being introduced to the crowd and participating in several skill contests on the basketball court.
Season ticket renewals for the 2005-06 season are due Oct. 14 and new season tickets will go on sale for both men’s and women’s basketball on Monday (Oct. 10).