Maine loses bids to host league basketball tourneys Northeastern, Hartford gain men’s, women’s berths

The change in America East membership has opened the door for other schools to host the league’s basketball championships.

America East announced Wednesday that the first two rounds of the conference men’s basketball championship will be held in Boston for the next two seasons, while the 2002 women’s tournament is moving to Hartford, Conn.

The league’s athletic directors voted on the sites during a Tuesday conference call.

Northeastern will host the quarterfinals and semifinals of the 2002 men’s tournament at Matthews Arena in Boston. In 2003, the eight qualifiers will gather at Boston University’s Walter Brown Arena for the first two rounds.

The men’s championship game will still be played at the home site of the highest remaining seed.

UMaine, Stony Brook and Vermont also submitted bids to host the tournament.

UMaine coach John Gianinni said location apparently had a lot to do with the decision.

“Our geography worked against us in this vote and in our opponents’ minds, it’s just a much tougher trip [to Orono],” said Giannini, who praised UMaine athletic director Sue Tyler and her staff for putting together an excellent bid to hold the event in Orono.

“[Boston’s] a more central location, yet I think our ticket sales, sponsorships and local expenses were going to be favorable compared to anybody else,” said Giannini, who offered transportation costs would likely be higher. “I think we have the best fan base and a better facility.”

Delaware, one of four teams to leave America East to join the Colonial Athletic Association, had hosted the quarterfinals and semifinals of the men’s tourney at the Carpenter Center since 1996.

Hartford’s Chase Family Arena is the new home of the women’s tourney, which for the last three seasons was held at Vermont’s Patrick Gymnasium. UMaine coach Sharon Versyp, resigned to the fact the Bears can’t host unless America East moves up its tournament dates, is hoping for a good experience.

“If we can’t have it, I just hope we can have it at a great place where the people run it very well,” said Versyp, who wasn’t happy about the practice times and facilities UMaine had in Vermont.

“Hartford’s OK. I didn’t want BU or Northeastern because of the city congestion,” she added.

UMaine, which hosted the event in 1998, has been unable to bid on the tournament in recent years because of a conflict with the Hockey East playoffs, which also likely would be played at Alfond Arena in Orono.

America East is reluctant to play a week earlier, at the same time as most other conferences, because of the potential affect on the pool of good officials.

Albany, Binghamton, BU, Hartford, Maine, New Hampshire, Northeastern, Stony Brook and Vermont make up the nine-school conference.

UMaine men to get NIT invitation

Coach Giannini and the UMaine men’s basketball team will receive some excellent exposure in November when they compete in the preseason National Invitation Tournament.

No details have been released, but the Black Bears have been invited to participate in the 16-team tournament. Giannini said he would not comment on the NIT until an official announcement is made.

The preseason NIT is structured so the first two rounds are played at home sites, with teams noted for good attendance likely to earn the bids. The early pairings generally are based on geographic regions.

The NIT semifinals and championship are played at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Former league member Delaware participated in the tournament last season, but lost a first-round game to Temple. Boston University and former America East schools Hofstra and Drexel also have played in the tournament in recent years.

Teams may play in the preseason NIT only once every four years and each conference may have only one participant per season.

Last season, eventual national champion Duke beat Temple in the title game.