SDSU-USD Basketball Game Off for 1988-89

San Diego State and the University of San Diego, which have played each other in men’s basketball for nine consecutive seasons, will not meet in 1988-89.

The game will not be played because the schools could not agree on a date at the San Diego Sports Arena, officials from the schools said Tuesday.

SDSU Athletic Director Fred Miller said SDSU wanted to play the game during an open section in its schedule from Dec. 6-19.

A tentative date of Dec. 9 had been set, but USD Coach Hank Egan said he was informed two weeks ago by SDSU officials that they could not secure the Sports Arena for that night, and no agreeable alternative could be found.

The game will not be moved to the USD Sports Center because the contract between the two schools specifies that the game must be played at the Sports Arena, Miller said. The Sports Arena has a capacity of 13,741, compared with 2,800 at the Sports Center.

“Playing at a 2,000 arena is out of the question,” Miller said. A crowd of 2,725 attended last season when the Toreros won, 76-53, for their most one-sided victory in the series.

Egan said he has been assured by SDSU officials that the series will resume in 1989-90.

“We’re really concerned,” Egan said. “The game is very good for both schools, but I was told this is only a one-time thing.

“The rivalry was starting to pick up some interest, and it’s not good to take a break. But they said there was a conflict with the arena and there was nothing anybody could do.”

The Toreros have replaced SDSU with a game at Utah Jan 2. The Aztecs are still looking for a replacement opponent to complete a 28-game regular season and probably will have to play that game on the road, Miller said.

“Our frustration is that we don’t have a facility that can give us any continuity with our basketball program,” Miller said. “We can’t control the facility.”

The basketball game could not be played Dec. 9 because the Sports Arena has a long-standing commitment with the Moscow Circus for the arena from Dec. 7-11, said Phil Quinn, arena general manager. Quinn said he provided SDSU with several alternative dates but that the schools could not agree on one that was suitable.

“We figured it would not be a problem finding another date because both schools are in town, and there should not be a problem with travel,” Quinn said. “It’s not like they’re trying to fly Hawaii in to play a game.”

The series started in 1962-63, and the schools played for 14 consecutive seasons, with SDSU winning nine times, before the series was halted for two years after USD won, 67-63, in 1976-77. The series was resumed in 1979-80 when USD upgraded its program to Division I. The Aztecs won the next six games but have lost the past three.

The Aztecs hold a 15-8 lead in the series. The winner each year has been given custody of the Mayor’s Trophy.

SDSU Coach Jim Brandenburg is conducting coaching clinics in Italy and could not be reached for comment. But before last season’s game, Brandenburg said of the rivalry: “Anytime you have another Division I program in your town, players and coaches want to do well. It’s a friendly, healthy rivalry.”

Although SDSU and USD will not play next season, the teams will continue their series with U.S. International, the only other Division I basketball program in the city.

Miller said he still intended to try to schedule both USD and USIU but added that he did not feel bound to play the schools.

“We prefer to play USD and USIU,” Miller said. “But that is a preference, not a mandate.”