The Troy University Lady Trojans will join about 800 university women’s basketball teams tonight when they don pink for their showdown with Middle Tennessee State University at 7 p.m. at Trojan Arena.

“Think Pink” is the theme adopted by the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s women’s basketball teams as a way to promote breast cancer awareness.

This year’s fundraising awareness promotion is being dedicated to the memory of North Carolina State’s Kay Yow, the Hall of Fame women’s basketball coach who won more than 700 games while earning fans with her decades-long fight against breast cancer.

Yow died in January at age 66.

Eric Williamson, Troy University director of marketing/information, said the university is supporting the “Think Pink” breast cancer awareness and fundraising campaign as a part of the NCAA initiative ,and because of the life-saving potential of the campaign.

“At the women’s basketball game tonight, Kay Franklin, American Cancer Society community representative, will have a donation box out front and, if we can pack the arena for this very important women’s basketball game and if each person would donate just a dollar, we could donate $4,000 to the fight against breast cancer,” Williamson said.

“At the game, one fraternity will donate $300 to promote breast cancer awareness and all the Greeks have pledged their support. We are expecting a big crowd for tonight’s game and a very successful ‘Think Pink’ campaign.”

The Lady Trojans will wear pink socks, shoelaces and headbands for the designated “Think Pink” game.

Williamson said “Think Pink” will be an annual event and plans are for the Lady Trojans to have pink uniforms for next year’s game.

The NCAA has challenged universities to increase attendance at women’s basketball games.

The winner of this year’s challenge will be awarded $2,000.

“If we can pack the arena tonight, Troy University would have a good chance at winning the challenge,” Williamson said.

“If we win, we will donate a part of the $2,000 to breast cancer awareness.”

That’s all the more reason, to forget the burger and fries or that favorite television show tonight and help pack Trojan Arena.

The “Think Pink” campaign is designed to raise awareness of breast cancer and encourage donations of dollars to fight against this disease that takes the lives of so many mothers, daughters, sisters and friends.