|
|
|
Tuesday, December 12, 2000
MWC tourney will be held at neutral site
By Andy Katz
ESPN.com
|
The Mountain West won't allow UNLV to participate in the conference tournament on its home court at the Thomas & Mack Center in March.
The NCAA banned the Runnin' Rebels from the postseason, but that didn't necessarily include the conference tournament. The conference tournament counts as one regular-season game. But the MWC doesn't want to take a chance by letting UNLV win the automatic berth if it can't represent the league in the NCAA Tournament. UNLV has won conference tournaments two of the past three years on its homecourt, once with the WAC and once with the MWC.
"We'll have a wide-open tournament now that it will be on a neutral court," New Mexico coach Fran Fraschilla said. "We'll have a tournament now on a neutral court."
The Mountain West said the tournament would have seven teams with the regular-season's top team receiving a bye. MWC commissioner Craig Thompson said he would review the format for the tournament with the league's executive council. In the past, UNLV was always guaranteed the last slot of the night to ensure better crowds and television exposure for ESPN.
But the most pressing problem for the league will be what to do with conference games against UNLV. Wyoming coach Steve McClain said they shouldn't count toward the league standings.
"When you play them it will affect seeding and the games should be thrown out in the end," McClain said.
But Thompson said the two games would count to determine the seeds for the tournament.
"That's Steve's opinion," Thompson said. "How can you not count the games?"
But Thompson said he expects a financial loss at the tournament. The MWC is guaranteed between $800,000 to $1 million, and that's with a guarantee of 7,500 tickets sold in the 18,500-seat Thomas & Mack.
"There will be a big chunk to pick up if that doesn't happen," Thompson said.
"Not having Vegas is definitely going to affect the tournament financially," McClain said. "Vegas people have no reason to be there. We're definitely not going to have 12 or 13,000 there."
Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com.
|
|
ALSO SEE
Trouble in Vegas: Rebels get probation; Bayno fired
Wojnarowski: Rebels indeed
Katz: Good brings discipline to UNLV's bad situation
|
|
