When the Huskies and Longhorns tipped off, it was just like any other college basketball game. The stands were filled with cheering alumni decked out in their school colors. UW Cheer & Dance and Harry the Husky rallied fans. There were even contests during timeouts, a “kiss cam” and a halftime show.
But a closer look at the bilingual signage, and hearing announcements in Mandarin and English, made it clear this was like no other college basketball game.
The Pac-12 China Game in Shanghai marked the first time an American basketball league – college or professional – had held a regular-season contest in China. And it capped the end of months of preparation by the UW men’s basketball team for its week-long experience in the world’s most populous nation.
A wall of purple backed up the Husky bench, with alumni from all over the region and even the United States streaming to the Mercedes-Benz Arena to cheer on the team. It was close all the way, and tied at halftime, but in a fitting crescendo to the week, the UW beat Texas 77-71.
Listen to Steve Sandmeyer’s interviews with President Ana Mari Cauce during the pre-game and post-game shows.
Pre-game interview:
Post-game interview:
Related coverage:
The Daily: Andrews leads UW to historic win in Shanghai
GoHuskies.com: Washington Defeats Texas, 77-71, In Historic Game
Geekwire: Amazing scene at historic Pac-12 basketball game in Shanghai