TRU Wolfpack Men's Basketball Set for Historic Matchup Against University of Oregon

Image Credit - TRU WolfPack/Noah Andrew

The TRU Wolfpack men's basketball team gets a taste of the NCAA tomorrow when they face the University of Oregon at Collingwood School in North Vancouver. Tipoff is set for 4:00 PM in what is a rare and significant opportunity for a U Sports program.

The matchup is made possible by a recent NCAA rule change that now allows Division 1 programs to travel internationally for preseason tours, opening the door for Canadian university programs to host some of the biggest names in American college basketball. The Oregon Ducks, a Big Ten program and regular NCAA tournament participant, are among the elite programs now making the trip north.

For Wolfpack head coach Chad Jacobson, the opportunity speaks for itself. "Good opportunity for our guys. Anytime you want to get better you have to play against people better than you. Going up against them and playing some elite athletes and elite basketball players is great for our guys. It's a whole other level of basketball that we can experience, we will find out quick where we stand, and learn from areas that don't go well for us. It's also nice to get games in this early as well ahead of the U Sports season."

As for what he will be telling his players heading into tip off, Jacobson is keeping the focus on process over result. "We're not concerned with the result, making sure we go out and compete and play the game the right way, build a foundation for the upcoming season, and just enjoy the moment playing against a Big Ten school. For our guys to get this experience playing against a team we watch on TV in the NCAA tournament is really great."

Tipoff tomorrow at 4:00 PM at Collingwood School in North Vancouver.