Wildcats to Open Welsh-Ryan Arena with Exhibition against McKendree

11/1/2018 11:58:00 AM | Men's Basketball

NORTHWESTERN BASKETBALL: GAME DAY INFORMATION
DATE	OPPONENT	TIME	LOCATION	BROADCAST	LIVE STATS
Friday, Nov. 2	McKendree	7 p.m.	Welsh-Ryan Arena	BTN Plus on BTN2GO	SIDEARM
Radio: WGN 720 (Dave Eanet and Joey Meyer) Social: Twitter (@NUMensBball and @NU_SportsLIVE) \| Instagram (@numensbball) \| Facebook Game Notes: Northwestern \| McKendree

EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern faces off against McKendree in its a sold-out exhibition game on Friday in the new Welsh-Ryan Arena with a 7 p.m. tipoff.

The new Wildcats' home facility received $110 million in upgrades and now rivals the most elite facilities in all collegiate athletics. Additions to the Arena include new seating with chair-backs, improved lights, new and expanded restrooms, more accessibility to mobility-impaired, concession areas with twice as many point-of-sale stations, and new locker rooms for men's basketball, women's basketball, and women's volleyball.

NU is beginning its sixth season under head coach Chris Collins, who is on pace to become the fastest Wildcat coach to 100 wins in program history. This will be the first time the Wildcats face the Bearcats, a NCAA Division II team, since 2014.

The Wildcats welcome a strong first-year class, ranked the best recruiting class in NU's history, according to 247Sports. Among these talented student-athletes are two four-star recruits, including Pete Nance, the highest ranked recruit in Northwestern history, per 247Sports.

Returning to the Northwestern line-up is senior center Derek Pardon, who holds the Northwestern record for career field goal percentage (.621), ranking seventh in the nation and second in the Big Ten among active players. Stand-out player Vic Law, a senior forward, is only eight points away from reaching 1,000 career points, which would make him the 36th player to achieve this milestone in NU history.

Northwestern is scheduled to play 19 of its 33 scheduled games at home this season, taking full advantage of the new Arena.

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