| Each year, colleges and universities from
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| | in 1979, but under a new name.
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| all over the nation send their men's
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| | Broadcaster Billy Packer is credited with
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| basketball teams to the "Last Frontier
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| | changing the name from the Sea Wolf
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| State" to the Great Alaska Shootout
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| | Classic to the Great Alaska Shootout
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| Basketball Tourney. The competition
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| | Basketball Tourney back in 1979. In this
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| heats up the cold winter days and
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| | stunning tournament, the title game came
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| nights, as teams meet head on to battle
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| | down to the University of Kentucky
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| for buckets. Colleges and universities
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| | Wildcats and the Iona College Gaels. The
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| get the opportunity to play against
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| | Wildcats proved too powerful for the tiny
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| their top rivals and powerhouses of the
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| | New York school, and emerged victorious
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| game. These games draw in record crowds
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| | as the second champion of this fantastic
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| each year, as any basketball fan should
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| | new basketball challenge.
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| not miss the chance to attend this fast
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| | A list of past champions reads like a
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| paced pre season classic.
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| | who's who of College basketball,
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| The main question on any sports fan's
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| | including NC State, Louisville, Kansas,
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| mind is, why Alaska? The reason is
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| | Kentucky, Duke, North Carolina, and UCLA
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| simple, former University of Alaska
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| | to name a few.
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| Anchorage head coach, Bob Rachal found a
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| | The attendance may have been meager in
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| loophole in the NCAA rules determining
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| | the early days, but soon the action
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| pre season play. In an effort to draw
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| | caught on, and now college basketball
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| more attention to the state, the
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| | fans of all ages flock to the state for
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| University of Alaska Anchorage, and the
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| | the Thanksgiving weekend Great Alaska
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| Seawolves athletic program, Rachal
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| | Shootout Basketball Tourney. What
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| became the mastermind of what began as
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| | better way to celebrate our national day
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| the Sea Wolf Classic. The NCAA rules
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| | of thanks than by cheering on teams from
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| stated any games played outside the
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| | all across the country? Many hotels,
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| contagious 48 states did not count
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| | cruises, and lodges have special packages
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| towards a program's pre determined
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| | designed with the college basketball fan
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| allotment. For this reason, participants
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| | in mind.
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| of the Great Alaska Shootout Basketball
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| | If you find you cannot wait until
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| Tourney can get an early gauge of their
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| | December to enjoy hot hoops action, head
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| teams prowess against national talent.
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| | to Anchorage and watch the action melt
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| The first Sea Wolf Classic was held in
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| | away the snow! Plan a trip for the
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| 1978 for the '78-'79 basketball season
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| | family and bring budding sports fans to
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| and saw the Wolfpack of North Carolina
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| | experience the thrilling display of skill
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| State University crush the University of
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| | and sportsmanship, or make it a raucous
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| Louisville's Cardinals. The tournament
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| | occasion for celebration with your best
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| ended in 1978, leaving many wondering if
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| | hoops loving buds. Whoever you bring,
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| it would become an annual event. Much
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| | just make sure you bring yourself to
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| to everyone's relief, the Sea Wolf
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| | this annual college basketball showdown!
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| Classic became a Thanksgiving tradition
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