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BILL SNYDER WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CLASSIC
December 9, 2023 @ 5:00 pm - 7:30 pm
ST. JOSEPH SPORTS COMMISSION TO HOST INAUGURAL BILL SNYDER WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CLASSIC FEATURING KANSAS STATE VS. MIZZOU
PRESENTED BY SOUTHERN BANK
DECEMBER 9, 2023 – CIVIC ARENA
5 PM – TIP TIME
Tickets will go on sale Wednesday, August 30 at 2 PM Central Time
ABOUT OUR TITLE SPONSOR:
The St. Joseph Sports Commission is excited to announce a partnership with Southern Bank as the Title Sponsor of the inaugural Bill Snyder Classic! Under the partnership, Southern Bank will receive premium branding opportunities in conjunction with the game along with in venue branding and activation. Additionally, the commission along with Southern Bank look forward to partnering with two local entities on philanthropic opportunities in conjunction with the game that will be announced at a later date. “We are grateful for the support and commitment of Southern Bank along with our other sponsors of the game,” said sports commission director Brett Esely. “With the historic magnitude of this event along with the many moving parts to facilitate, local partners are vital in which we cannot do it without their support.”
Southern Bank IS rooted in what our people need, wherever that may take us – as communities evolve, so do we. Whether you’re investing more into your business or opening a new checking account, there’s no task too big or too small for us to handle together. You can get to know us a little better at BankWithSouthern.com or come see us at one of our branches across the region. Southern Bank is a proud sponsor of the 2023 Bill Snyder Women’s Basketball game and supporter of the St. Joseph community. Southern Bank – Equal housing lender – Member FDIC.
TICKET INFORMATION:
All seating in Civic Arena will be reserved for this event and are available at three price points:
Kansas State is the home team for bench purposes as indicated on the seating chart.
Premium Court Reserved $25.00 (seating in sections 105, 106, 107, 115, 116, 117 rows DD thru FF)
Court Reserved: $20.00 (seating in sections 100, 101, 102, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108 110, 111, 112, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118)
Backboard Reserved: $15.00 (seating sections 103, 109, 113, 119 and select rows in 100, 101, 102, 110, 111, 112)
Tickets may be purchased online by clicking on the link above or you may call the Civic Arena Box Office at 817-271-4717.
GAME INFORMATION
As the St. Joseph Sports Commission continues its mission of finding fit and niche of sporting events in our area, a landmark event is set for Saturday, December 9 as the commission will host the inaugural Bill Snyder Basketball Classic which will feature the Kansas State Wildcats against the Missouri Tigers in a marquee, non-conference women’s basketball game on N.S. Hillyard Court at Civic Arena. Tip time for the game is currently set for 5 PM.
“I’ve always said, St. Joseph is an excellent basketball town that loves tradition and rivalries. Our community has also established a tremendous footprint in hosting high profile women’s basketball contests whether it be the NCAA Elite Eight, the outstanding success of Missouri Western Women’s Basketball along with two of our high school teams reaching the state Final Four. The opportunity to put a game of this magnitude together between two Power Five schools with heavy local interest was something we had to make happen in which we can’t wait to create an outstanding environment in the arena this winter!” St. Joseph Sports Commission Director Brett Esely stated.
The title of the game further signifies and celebrates the legend of St. Joseph native and College Football Hall of Fame Coach Bill Snyder. Snyder’s college resume speaks for itself, but the connection to his hometown remains strong as well. The Bill Snyder Pavilion was named in his honor on the Missouri Western campus in 2017, he was inducted into the St. Joseph Area Sports Hall of Fame in 2021 and for the second straight year, will present the Snyder Woman of Impact Award at the enshrinement ceremonies this August.
“Coach Snyder is one of the more humble people I’ve had the opportunity to engage with, is always so accommodating, his success and legacy speaks for itself and when the concept of this game surfaced, he has been very supportive in not only the opportunity to have his beloved Wildcats play in his hometown, but to take on an opponent like Mizzou and bring attention to the city, is another example of the type of person that he his.” Esely said.
Kansas State, from the Big 12 Conference finished the 2022-23 campaign 19-17 which included a victory over national runner-up Iowa and concluded with advancing to the Sweet 16 round of the WNIT. They are led by Head Coach Jeff Mittie who has several ties to St. Joseph including being a Missouri Western alum and Hall of Fame coach for the Griffons in leading them to two NCAA Elite Eight appearances in the 1993-95 seasons. Mittie, who will enter his 10th season at K-State and 33rd season overall as a Head Coach, eclipsed the prestigious 600 win plateau this past season and is the 16th active Division I coach to achieve the milestone. The Wildcats roster features a name familiar to those in Northwest Missouri as to be junior guard Serena Sundell helps lead the Cats averaging 12 points per game which garnered her Honorable Mention All-Big 12 status. The Wildcats also anticipate the return of center Ayoka Lee who missed the past season with injury. Lee was named first-team, All-American by two different outlets in 2021-22 averaging 22 points a game including an NCAA record 61 points scored in a single game during that season.
Mizzou from the SEC finished 2022-23 18-14 overall and advanced to the round of 32 of the WNIT. Head Coach Robin Pingeton will begin her 14th season in Columbia and 27th overall as a Head Coach. Her 560 career wins make her just 1 of 16 active Power Five head coaches to achieve 500+ wins and ranks 3rd among SEC coaches. On the court, the Tigers were led by All-SEC selections senior forward Hayley Frank who was named to the second team averaging 15 points per game and freshman guard Ashton Judd who was a member of the leagues All-Freshman Team.
This will be the 84th all-time meeting between the two schools including the 8th time on a neutral floor with Kansas State holding a 45-38 advantage in the series. Mizzou holds a three game winning streak in the match-up the most recent of which, a 73-59 victory in Columbia during the 2018-19 season.
“This is a really big deal for St. Joseph and is the first time on record a Division I college basketball game has been played here not to mention the significance of the opponents and the event namesake. Fans will want to get their tickets early and be a part of this memorable opportunity!” Esely stated.
Sponsorship opportunities for the event are available by contacting the sports commission.
For more information, visit stjomosports.com.