Event & Arena News

COLUMBUS, OH – Former Ohio State women’s basketball All-American and seven-year WNBA veteran Katie Smith leads the defending WNBA Champion Detroit Shock in a neutral-site preseason game against the Washington Mystics at Nationwide Arena on Sunday, May 6 at 1:30 p.m. Tickets go on sale Saturday, March 10 at 10 a.m. at the Nationwide Arena Ticket Office and through Ticketmaster.

Smith, who finished her four-year collegiate career as the leading scorer in Big Ten women's basketball history, was the hero in Game 5 of the 2006 WNBA Finals against the Sacramento Monarchs when, with 14 seconds remaining, she hit the jumper that effectively gave the Detroit Shock its second WNBA title in four seasons. The Shock is coached by former Detroit Piston and 2003 WNBA Coach of the Year Bill Laimbeer while his former Pistons teammate Rick Mahorn serves as assistant coach.

The Mystics are paced by four-year veteran Alana Beard who played collegiately at Duke where she was named the school’s first National Player of the Year (2004) and three-time ACC Player of the Year (2002-2004). Last season with the Mystics, Beard led the team in points per game (19.2) and steals per game (1.84) and was second on the squad in assists per game (3.1).

Tickets are $17, $27, $37, along with a limited number of $77 courtside seats. Tickets may be purchased at the Nationwide Arena Ticket Office, at all Ticketmaster Ticket Centers, online at ticketmaster.com or by phone at (614) 431-3600. Tickets are also available at The Bluelines located at Chiller Dublin, Chiller Easton and Chiller North. All tickets are subject to service charges and facility fees.

For more information about upcoming events at Nationwide Arena, visit www.NationwideArena.com or call (614) 246-2000. Nationwide Arena, home of the Columbus Blue Jackets (NHL) and the Columbus Destroyers (AFL) and the Ohio Junior Blue Jackets (USHL), is an SMG-managed facility. Headquartered in Philadelphia, SMG provides facility services to more than 195 venues controlling over 1.5 million entertainment seats worldwide.