Thanks to the East Coast bias in college basketball, not enough fans know about the Pacific Tigers, one of the most underrated mid-majors on the West Coast. It’s rarely been easy to find cheap Pacific basketball tickets because the Tigers have had a noteworthy basketball program for over half a century. Granted, they may not be a powerhouse, but the Tigers have enjoyed plenty of moments on the big stage. Now a member of the West Coast Conference alongside some outstanding mid-majors, there is still a high demand for last-minute Pacific basketball tickets.

Glory Days

Pacific basketball first emerged onto the national scene in the 1960s under head coach Dick Edwards. He guided the Tigers to the Sweet 16 in 1966 and 1971 and the Elite Eight in 1967. Edwards also led Pacific during its move from being an independent program to joining the Pacific Coast Athletic Association, which ultimately became the Big West Conference.

The Tiger King

Without question, Bob Thomason is the most successful coach in Pacific history. In 1988, the former Tigers shooting guard inherited a struggling program that was just 7-21 during his first season. Less than a decade later, Thomason led the Tigers back to the NCAA Tournament behind center Michael Olowokandi, who later became the top overall pick in the 1998 NBA Draft. Even after Olowokandi left, Thomason continued to build Pacific into a strong mid-major, leading the Tigers to the NCAA Tournament in three straight seasons from 2004 to 2006. The 2004 and 2005 tournaments included wins in the first round of the tournament. In his final season before retiring in 2013, Thomason took his alma mater back to the NCAA Tournament.

Mighty Mouse to the Rescue

Pacific fell on some hard times after Thomason retired, including self-imposed sanctions. However, they hired former NBA Rookie of the Year Damon Stoudamire in 2016 to turn things around. It took a few years, but Stoudamire has done just that, making the Tigers a winning team by his fourth season and putting them on the right track.