CBS Sports Network announced the broadcast of the first Pacific West Conference game to be nationally televised.
CBS gave Dixie State University the news back in the summer of 2013 that the women’s basketball game Saturday will be televised. CBS chose this game because of the level of competition and skill between the two teams, Athletic Director Jason Boothe said.
The Storm will face California Baptist University for the second time. The game will start at 10 a.m. It will be free to all who attend the game.
“We are very excited to be able to showcase our facilities, our community and Dixie State,” Boothe said. “It is a tremendous opportunity, and I am not sure of any other PacWest team that has had the opportunity to do this.”
Guard Taylor Maynes, a junior business major from Salome, Ariz., said it’s not every day Dixie gets a game nationally televised.
“We feel honored and excited about it, but we will be approaching it like any other game,” Maynes said.
But with this opportunity, the athletic department is trying to make sure it has the arena full for this game. Boothe said the department is making an effort to put some activities together so it will be enticing for the students to come — but nothing is confirmed yet.
The department hopes to announce activities that Boothe is planning so it can start promoting the game.
“We just want to get as many people here as possible,” Boothe said.
The department also has letters going out to every person in the nearby school district as well as passing out fliers to help the community become aware of the game.
“We are [also] looking at trying to give away some breakfast because [the game] is in the morning,” Boothe said.
Boothe said all students who attend the game will be given a breakfast burrito.
He said it is tough getting people to come to the game because it is held in the morning. He said the department needs as much help as possible to spread the word.
“The women’s team deserves the attention,” Boothe said. “They deserve a big crowd.”
This game will also be senior guard Haley Holmstead’s last collegiate home game before the conference tournament.
“We are going to go out there and put it all out on the court for her,” Maynes said.
Boothe also mentioned winning this game could help the women finish the season strong. He said if the women beat Cal Baptist, they could finish as high as No. 2 in conference.
After the season finale March 1, the Storm will play in the PacWest tournament and will have a chance to make the NCAA tournament with a tournament championship.
