Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, October 14, 1994                   TAG: 9410140077
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

TECH MAY COME OFF BENCH FOR METRO TOURNEY

Virginia Tech hasoffered to serve as host of the 1995 Metro Conference men's basketball tournament if Louisville backs out of its agreement to do so, which is considered a possible but unlikely scenario.

Bill Olsen, Louisville's athletic director, wants the league to accept less than the $650,000 the school guaranteed for the tournament. Olsen apparently is worried the school's impending departure (with Tulane and Southern Mississippi) from the Metro might hold down the pre-tournament ticket sales essential to meeting that guarantee.

Late last week, Olsen was quoted as hinting Louisville might not serve as host of the tournament if a financial agreement wasn't reached. Louisville officials softened their stance Monday, announcing it was ``likely'' the tournament would be played at Freedom Hall for the ninth time since 1976. During a Monday conference call among league members, school officials said, ``alternate sites were not favored.''

There is precedent for the Metro waiving some of its guarantee. It did so in '91, when Tech came up short (poor attendance for the tournament at the Roanoke Civic Center was blamed in part on the impending departure of four of the league's eight members), and in '89 in Columbia, S.C., when only five of the seven schools played in the tournament because of NCAA probation.

Ralph McFillen, the Metro's commissioner, said Thursday he expects a decision on Louisville's request by next week.

McFillen agreed with Dave Braine, Tech's athletic director, that the only two possible alternate sites because of location and arena availability would be Blacksburg and Richmond. Tulane's gym is too small, Southern Miss lost money on last year's tournament in Biloxi, and McFillen said North Carolina-Charlotte couldn't secure a suitable arena and South Florida was too distant from the other schools.

McFillen, who described himself as ``optimistic and hopeful'' Louisville will keep the tournament, said ``there's a chance'' the league could play the tournament at the Richmond Coliseum if necessary.

Braine said Wednesday that Tech would stage the 1995 tournament in Blacksburg as a cost-saving measure to help the league if it didn't have to worry about meeting the guarantee. The Metro wouldn't be charged to use Cassell Coliseum.

``We want it to be held in Louisville,'' said Braine. ``If there was not a place to handle it, we would host it here and let the conference handle the tournament.''