Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, February 26, 1994 TAG: 9402260051
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Jack Bogaczyk
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
It could have given Roanoke College a bye into today's championship game at the Salem Civic Center.
Instead, the Maroons had to earn their 21st consecutive victory. It was an impressive 96-79 victory over panting Bridgewater - playing its second game in 13 hours - that sent top-seeded Roanoke (25-1) into today's 2 p.m. title game against sixth-seeded Emory & Henry.
"Whoever made this bracketing must have been from Mars," said Bill Leatherman, Bridgewater's coach.
He wasn't making an excuse. He was just being honest. Roanoke, as the ODAC regular-season champion, deservedly got to play the tournament opener Wednesday afternoon. The Maroons had Thursday off - or 30 more hours between games than Leatherman's Eagles had.
Bridgewater wearily went to 1-3-1 and 2-3 zones in the second half. It seemed like a good idea, until Roanoke finished a season-best 60.7 percent shooting game with a 72 percent second half.
It was no different for Virginia Wesleyan against the Roanoke women. The Marlins finished their first-round game Thursday at about 9 p.m., then had to play a rested and top-seeded Maroons team at 10 a.m. Friday.
Wesleyan needed oxygen, while Roanoke (22-4) needed overtime to reach its sixth consecutive ODAC women's title game, scheduled at 11 a.m. today against Randolph-Macon.
ODAC commissioner Dan Wooldridge admitted Friday that the game times in this new format need adjustment, and tinkering is certain in the future.
"I should have done it this year," he said.
Added Leatherman: "Don't get me wrong. I like everybody coming here. It adds class to the tournament. It's the way it should be - just change the times to make it more fair."
It was a great move for the ODAC to bring its 14 games of the men's and women's tournaments to the civic center. Having 16 teams playing in 74 hours at one site enhances the conference concept.
That said, however, the ODAC must find a way to put more people in the seats. Playing weekday afternoons - as the ODAC did the past three days - certainly isn't the answer.
As long as the ODAC stays at the Salem Civic Center, it will be competing with the Roanoke Valley and Blue Ridge district tournaments. The high schools rule the floor for four nights, and that isn't about to change.
Unless the ODAC leaves the Roanoke Valley - not likely - the event will stay where it is. Coaches, forever worrying about the home-court advantage, certainly don't want to play on a campus floor.
However, entering today's finals, the four sessions of the ODAC tournament have attracted 375, 250, 350 and 750 - a 431 average - to an arena that can seat up to 6,000 for basketball. The players deserve more attention for the most important games of their season.
If the ODAC has to play during the day, then at least it should play on Saturday and Sunday. However, a Sunday game could impact on the ODAC getting a second regional bid to the NCAA's 40-team field, which will be announced Sunday evening.
It's a quandary not easily solved. Roanoke plays in both title games today, but how many students will pay $5 for a civic center seat when the Maroons open their men's lacrosse season today on campus - with free seats - against Virginia Tech?
Why does Roanoke schedule a lacrosse game the same day at the same time in the same town as the ODAC basketball finals? Who's doing the scheduling there, the same people who approved the ODAC tournament bracket?
The Maroons' women are 76-4 against ODAC competition the past four years. If they lose today, however, they aren't likely to make the NCAA field.
E & H (13-13) is the only team to beat the Maroons' men this season, in Emory on Dec. 1. Roanoke struggled to win the rematch 69-64 at the Bast Center a month ago. The Wasps are the only ODAC team with an advantage over Roanoke (3-7) in coach Page Moir's five seasons.
The male Maroons will play in the NCAA Tournament - their first bid since 1987 - and still may be host to a first-round game on March 5, win or lose today. E & H, despite averaging 21 victories for the past six seasons, has never won an ODAC tournament. The Wasps have lost four of the past six finals and fell in an overtime semifinal last March.
So, there's plenty of potential intrigue in today's title doubleheader. Unfortunately, there also are likely to be plenty of empty seats.
by CNB