For the first time since the winter of 1935-36, the Varsity basketball team will travel west this year during the Christmas vacation, playing games against Detroit, Michigan State, Illinois, Bradley Tech, and Notre Dame, it was announced yesterday.

Coach Earl Brown, who succeeds Wes Fesler as hoop mentor, plans to use the trip to keep his players in condition during the long holiday layoff and to give them a taste of the better brand of basketball which generally prevails in the West.

Plans have finally been completed with the five western colleges to guarantee a certain percentage of the gate receipts so that the journey can be paid for without any aid from the H.A.A. Present plans will allow about 14 men to make the trip including the coach, manager, and 12 players.

At the same time, hockey coach Clark Hodder announced that plans for a similar western trip for the Varsity pucksters have been cancelled. The team may go to Lake Placid or Princeton during the Christmas holidays.

The basketball schedule: December 22, University of Detroit; December 24, Michigan State; December 27, Bradley Tech; December 30, University of Illinois; and January 3, Notre Dame.