Tourney Time arrives for CIAA, SIAC
LUT WILLIAMS
BCSP Editor
The TV promos are running on ESPN and the pairings are all but set for the 60th men's CIAA Basketball Tournament which tips off Wednesday in Raleigh, N.C.
In addition to the great anticipation that usually accompanies this
classic event, the buzz around this years' tourney is the inclusion of ESPN as
the national television carrier.
All four men's quarterfinals games on Thursday and both semifinals on Friday will be seen live next week on ESPN Classic which reaches 54 million homes.
The men's final will be beamed live into the 80 million homes of ESPN2 next Saturday, March 5, at 6 p.m. Veteran ESPN and ABC sports anchor John Saunders will handle the play-by-play duties for the final game and be joined by popular ESPN NBA commentator Stephen A. Smith, a Winston-Salem State graduate, as the color analyst.
The unprecedented national television coverage has added additional hype to an event that really needs none.
"I'm at peace, and excited," said CIAA Commissioner Leon Kerry Tuesday of the prospects for this year's historic tourney. "We're just trying to make sure we've got all the bases covered."
"What this really means is more sponsors for the conference. One aspect of our event that was weak was the television component. Now, with ESPN on board, we get the chance with simulcasting, to get into 156 million homes. It's a dream come true."
In its last year at Raleigh's 18,000-seat RBC Center after a six-year run, the tournament is down to its last 1,000 tickets which will go on sale Saturday (March 27) at the arena, Kerry said.
Next year, the Tournament takes up residence for a three-year run at the new Charlotte Arena, the new home of Bob Johnson's Charlotte Bobcats NBA franchise. The Tournament will be the first major event in that arena as it was also the first major event to come to the RBC Center.
"This is exactly what the CIAA is about," said Kerry. "We want to keep making history and keep growing."
The week-long event will begin with four opening round women's games on Monday and four women's quarterfinal games on Tuesday. Men's action begins Wednesday with four games. Women's semis and final game will precede the men's games on Friday and Saturday.
East Division front-runners Bowie State (22-3) and Virginia Union (20-4) are the last two tournament champions and are favorites to meet in the men's finals this year. Both teams have spent the entire season ranked in the NABC Top 25 poll with VUU spending six weeks as the No. 1 team and currently ranked eighth. BSU, who has defeated VUU twice this season, is fourth.
But don't expect the West Division teams to lay down. Winston-Salem State (19-6), who has clinched the division title, has beaten both BSU and VUU this year. The other five teams in the division will go into this last week of regular season play jockeying for seeding. The first two seeds in each division receive first round tournament byes.
Shaw (25-1), who is undefeated in women's play in the CIAA this year, is the overwhelming favorite to repeat as women's champion. The Lady Bears are currently ranked second in the nation. The women, who are celebrating their 30th Anniversary Tournament, will have their final seen on ESPNU Sunday at 11 a.m.
Among the highlights of this year's tournament is the unveiling of a 60th Anniversary CIAA team of ten players and three coaches . CIAA administrators, the media and the public have been participating in season-long voting to select the honorees who will be presented at halftime of Saturday's final game.
Additionally, as part of the festivities, the Tom Joyner Morning Show will be live Friday at the Raleigh Convention Center for the fourth straight year. The CIAA Step Show is also Friday night at the Convention Center. Super Saturday activities include a Streetball Showcase, a Cheerleading Exhibition, Miss CIAA Contest and Battle of the Bands. The CIAA Fashion show presented by Ebony Magazine is also Saturday.
Saturday's Tournament after-party features comedian J. Anthony Brown and the Stylistics.
Things get started with Tip-Off Banquets for the women on Sunday night and the men on Tuesday night.
SIAC
The SIAC Tournament tips off Wednesday in Albany, Ga.'s Civic
Center.
Men and women will alternate games through Saturday's finals. The women's final is set for 2 p.m. with the men's final to follow at 5 p.m.
LeMoyne-Owen head men's coach Jerry Johnson is retiring after 46 years leading the Magicians. Johnson, a Fayetteville State grad, retires as the winningest active coach in Div. II basketball with 824 wins. A reception in his honor will be held at the tournament.
© 2005 Azeez Communications, Inc.