PORTLAND & CORVALLIS, Ore. – The spirit of a legendary 40-year holiday basketball tradition will return in 2015-16 when Oregon State University and University of Portland team up to host the Far West Classic Invitational at Moda Center on Friday, December 18 and Saturday, December 19.

The two-day doubleheader will be played at the home of the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers and feature the West Coast Conference's Portland Pilots against Weber State from the Big Sky Conference – and alma  mater of Trail Blazers All-Star Damian Lillard – on Friday night, followed by Cal State Fullerton from the Big West Conference battling the Beavers from the Pac-12. Saturday will feature Cal State Fullerton facing Portland and the Beavers taking on Tulsa from the American Athletic Conference. The American, Pac-12 and WCC were all in the Top 10 in conference RPI last year. Preliminary tip-offs are set for 6 and 8 p.m.

The 2015-16 Far West Classic Invite will return the Beavers to playing annually in the state's largest metropolitan city with more than 2.2 million people.

In addition to the Saturday match-ups at the Moda Center, the Oregon State women's basketball team will begin the hoop-crazed day with a marquee match-up against traditional powerhouse Tennessee at Gill Coliseum in Corvallis.

For exclusive Far West Classic Invite presale ticket opportunities and other information, go to www.rosequarter.com/FWC2015.  The Far West Classic Invite tickets will also be included in all University of Portland men's basketball season tickets.

"Moda Center and the Rose Quarter proudly look forward to the return of one of the traditional powerhouse holiday tournaments in major college basketball," said Chris McGowan, President & CEO of the Trail Blazers and Rose Quarter.  "We thank everyone associated with making this partnership happen, especially the athletic department leadership from Oregon State and the University of Portland."

"Next year is the perfect time to begin this new version of a classic name to an important area for our university," Oregon State Deputy Athletics Director Mark Massari said. "On behalf of OSU Athletics, I want to thank the Trail Blazers, Rip City Management, community partners and the University of Portland. We are excited about the partnership."

"The Far West Classic brought an excellent brand of college basketball to the City of Portland and we are excited to be a part of its rebirth," University of Portland Athletic Director Scott Leykam said. "The partnership of so many key community constituents will allow us to showcase the great sport of college basketball to an eager audience here in Portland. We are thrilled to be a part of the collaborative vision of Oregon State University, Rip City Management, and many others to bring the Far West Classic back on an annual basis."

Along with the Trail Blazers, other community partners for the 2015-16 Far West Classic Invite will include iHeart Media (1190 KEX and Rip City Radio AM 620), CSN Northwest and Oregon Media Group. The two Beaver games will be televised by one of the Pac-12 partners.

"We're thrilled to be bringing back the spirit of this historic event," Oregon State head basketball coach Wayne Tinkle said. "The FWC was such a competitive tournament for so many years, and we wanted to make it a priority to play in Portland for Beaver Nation fans that live in that area. It's great to be teaming up with the incredible folks at Rip City management, University of Portland, the Portland Trail Blazers and the Portland community as well."

The Far West Classic began in 1956 when the Beavers hosted three teams at Gill Coliseum in Corvallis. After three years as a four-team tournament, the event expanded to eight teams in 1959 with Oregon as a co-host. When Memorial Coliseum opened in Portland in 1960, the Far West Classic moved there and quickly became one of the best holiday basketball tournaments in the country.

The last eight-team tournament was held in 1989 and returned as a two-night, four-team tourney in 1991. The final Far West Classic was held in 1996. Oregon State won the first 10 Far West Classics and a tournament record 20 overall. Gary Payton, a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, was named the Most Valuable Player a record three times.

Other well-known players and coaches who participated in the Far West Classic include: Danny Ainge (BYU), Mel Counts (Oregon State), Walter Davis (North Carolina), Dale Ellis (Tennessee), A.C. Green (Oregon State), Jud Heathcote (Michigan State), Lionel Hollins (Arizona State), Kevin Johnson (California), Magic Johnson (Michigan State), Steve Johnson (Oregon State), Bobby Knight (Indiana), George McGinnis (Indiana), Mark Radford, (Oregon State), Cazzie Russell (Michigan), Charlie Scott (North Carolina), Charlie Sitton (Oregon State), Dean Smith (North Carolina) and John Stockton (Gonzaga).