SAN JOSE, Calif. – The Pacific-10 Conference Tournament continued with its sixth year in San Jose within spacious HP Pavilion.
The Pac-10 Tournament, under contract to be hosted at HP Pavilion again in 2008, could have a change of location. There has been talk of moving the women’s tournament to the Galen Center, USC’s new state-of-the-art arena.
There are also coaches who want to stay at the current location, just 20 minutes from Stanford’s campus and an hour from California’s. There has also been talk of moving the tournament back a week from the beginning of March to right before NCAA Tournament selections are made.
If this happened, the women’s tournament would take place at the same time as the men’s tournament and in the same city.
“There is a debate about (whether it) is good to have it in the same city. Will the men’s tournament overshadow it or will they augment each other?” Pac-10 Commissioner Tom Hansen said.
Hansen, in an ideal situation, wants the tournament near two successful women’s programs. With Stanford a national power, and large fan draw, and Cal growing, he says more fans can be drawn to San Jose.
And if you move, connections need to be made. Helpers need to be found, he says.
“When you do move it, you have to reestablish a lot of infrastructure,” Hansen said. “We have a lot of people who volunteer here in the area.”
Oregon coach Bev Smith would like to see the tournament eventually placed in a more college-friendly environment.
“The Pac-10 works hard, but it’s not a cozy atmosphere when you play in the HP Pavilion. It’s an ice arena. It’s open. It’s expansive,” Smith said. “I know a lot of teams have trouble shooting in there because it’s (so wide open). But those are things that you have to overcome and we talked about that and I think we feel most of the coaches want it to move into a more basketball-friendly environment.”
The Pac-10 Council meets Friday and will decide on moving the tournament back a week, starting in 2009. The Pac-10 Council is made up of a faculty representative, athletic director and senior female administrator from each institution. There is one vote per institution.
The women’s tournament is set for 2008 due to hotel openings and arena availability with the NHL’s San Jose Sharks and other events taking place in the arena, but dates can be changed for 2009 and 2010.
“We need to make a decision,” said Hansen, both on the dates and where the tournament will be. “If we’re going to come back here, we can’t keep asking them to hold the dates.”
If they come back to San Jose, it would likely be a two-year commitment, Hansen said, with the NHL making its schedule in two-year increments.
Smith said Oregon and Oregon State have considered submitting a shared bid to host the tournament in Portland at the Rose Garden. Portland is close to the Washington schools and Northern California schools and would allow Oregon’s faithful fans to attend within a reasonable distance, Smith says.
Oregon hosted in McArthur Court in 2002, when the Ducks beat Washington State, upset Washington and succumbed to Arizona State in the final.
“They did a really nice job,” Hansen said of Oregon. “It’s hard though for a campus athletic department to get ready for something like this because they have all their regular season things they have to do so Oregon did a great job but it was a real burden on their staff without their things they had to do for not only for their men’s and women’s basketball (teams), but all their other sports at the same time.”
Oregon players said they enjoy the neutrality of HP Pavilion, but also see the benefits of playing in a college environment.
“It’s kind of a fun atmosphere to go in there and have like that really big place and be like “Whoa, this is pretty neat,’” forward Eleanor Haring said. “But I think if you’re in a college venue, maybe it will be a little bit cozier.”
Postseason dreams alive
At this same time last year, Oregon’s season was over. Oregon’s improved and with a 16-13 overall record has the chance to continue its season with a likely berth in the Women’s National Invitational Tournament.
“It’s been fun to coach this team,” Smith said. “We don’t want this season to end. I wish in my heart it could end in a different way for them, particularly the seniors who’ve done so much in four or five years in (Ganes’) case here. We know it’s not over. We know we have a chance to play in the WNIT. We know we have a chance to get back to Mac Court to play with our seniors.”
Oregon now plays the waiting game with selection for the NCAA Women’s Tournament not until Monday, March 12. Oregon will find out soon after if they’ll be selected for the WNIT.
If USC, a bubble team, makes the NCAA Tournament, then Oregon would earn an automatic WNIT bid under a new rule implemented this season. Oregon is sixth in the Pac-10, behind fifth place USC, so would be invited as the top team to not make the NCAA Tournament.
“I think this has been a very good season for us and I have our team to thank for that,” Smith said.
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