Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 10, 1995 TAG: 9503100048
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
The Big South Conference found what it was seeking when it held its well- traveled men's basketball tournament at Liberty University last week.
Boosted by two games featuring the host Flames in prime-time scheduling slots, the tournament will go down as the best attended in league history.
The tournament drew 18,340 spectators for four rousing sessions at the Vines Center. If Liberty would have made it to Sunday's title game instead of UNC Greensboro and eventual winner Charleston Southern, there likely would have been a substantially larger composite gallery for the three-day event.
In comparison to past tournaments held in Savannah, Ga., and in North Charleston, Anderson and Rock Hill, S.C., there is no comparison.
``We were very pleased with the tournament this year,'' Big South commissioner Buddy Sasser said.
The tournament is committed to return to Lynchburg in 1996 after which it will be subject to review among the league's athletic directors and presidents. It would be difficult to envision the event moving to another location any time soon.
``We were very comfortable with the way this year's tournament went,'' Sasser said. ``As with anything you have for the first time at a certain place, you'll be looking for ways to make it even better the next year.''
Liberty bought 2,083 tickets to distribute to its students, faculty and staff for Friday night's opening round game with Maryland-Baltimore County. More than 7,300 were in attendance then, and nearly 8,000 attended Saturday night's game between Liberty and Charleston Southern. There were no giveaways for Saturday's record-setting gate, Liberty athletic director Chuck Burch said.
``We got good local support from the Lynchburg community,'' Burch said. ``It wasn't just Liberty's students and faculty.''
One potential objection to the tournament location might be from those opposed to having it on Liberty's floor. However, there is certainly precedent for staging a tournament on the home court of one of the participants - the Metro Conference has been played at Louisville, Ky., for example - and no public opposition to Liberty has been apparent.
``I'd rather play in front of 8,000 fans of another team than no fans of any team,'' Radford coach Ron Bradley said.
Sasser agreed with that view.
``I coached for 28 years and played for 10 and I never worried where I was playing. The only thing I was concerned about was whether there was a big crowd watching.''
by CNB