If you’re bummed about Oregon football taking a week off, take solace. Matt Knight Arena offers plenty of excitement in Ducks sports this weekend.
Immediately following Friday’s volleyball match between No. 5 Oregon (14-1, 5-1 Pac-12) and unranked Washington State (10-8, 0-6), the net goes down and the hoops go up for this year’s Matt Knight Madness.
The free event is billed by the University of Oregon as “the first glimpse of the 2012-13 men’s and women’s programs in a fun, entertaining environment.” Friday marks the first day the NCAA permits organized practices, and in the past, the Ducks have hosted Midnight Madness at Mac Court under former head coach Ernie Kent.
Since the early ’70s, schools have used the traditional first day to unveil new rosters, host skills competitions and get the crowd geared up for another season. Last year’s event featured a dunk contest.
MKM promises to be a gift-a-palooza. T-shirts, autographed merchandise and mini pizzas are all to be given away or raffled. This year’s crown jewels are custom Pit Crew Air Jordans.
Student admission to the volleyball match is free with UO ID, while general admission starts at $3 for adults and $1 for kids. The low cost may be a sign of things to come from the athletic department, who have heard groans from fans outpriced by the new arena.
In Matt Knight Arena’s inaugural year, Oregon played just 12 men’s basketball games, with the average attendance hovering around 9,500. That number dropped to 7,682 through 18 home games, despite the Ducks battling for an NCAA Tournament berth.
MKA’s stated capacity is 12,369.
The Oregon women’s basketball team upped their average attendance by 846 between the 2010 and 2011 seasons. The jump was the ninth-highest in the NCAA.  Their average attendance as of April 2012 was good for sixth-best in the conference.
 
Matt Knight Madness is slated to begin at 8 p.m.. The Ducks’ preceding volleyball match kicks off at 6 p.m.