Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, March 5, 1991 TAG: 9103050136
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Now, they're about to be part of the league - and that apparently sits well with coaches from Virginia Tech, Louisville, Tulane and Southern Mississippi, the conference's four core teams.
"I think they're outstanding choices, good markets, very competitive teams, and I like [their] location," Louisville's Denny Crum said on a Monday conference call featuring the league's coaches. "I don't see any downside to it."
Crum, Tech's Frankie Allen and Tulane's Perry Clark all responded positively to the Metro's addition of the two Sun Belt Conference schools, which is expected to be formally announced during the Metro tournament this week in Roanoke. Southern Miss coach M.K. Turk, an outspoken proponent of Metro survival, wouldn't comment on the impending expansion, saying that nothing was official yet.
The two new schools bring the 13th (Tampa-St. Petersburg, Fla.) and 31st (Charlotte) largest TV markets in the country. UNC Charlotte hasn't had a losing season since 1985-86, although its win total has slipped each year since 1987-88. A school spokesman said UNCC is planning in the next three or four years to build an on-campus, 10,500 seat arena so the 49ers don't have to play at the 23,338-capacity Charlotte Coliseum or the 3,400-seat Mine Shaft on campus.
South Florida, after three straight seasons of single-digit wins, has gone 39-21 in the last two years, including making an NCAA Tournament appearance last year. The Bulls were ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 at one time this season. Coach Bobby Paschal stressed that the move wasn't official yet, but said if it did occur it would be good for both South Florida and the Metro.
"I certainly think the two programs being talked about are clearly programs that can play at the same level as the Metro and programs that are respected around the country," he said.
UNCC coach Jeff Mullins could not be reached for comment.
Despite the loss of Memphis State, Cincinnati, Florida State and South Carolina, none of the coaches responding to the Metro's expansion felt the league's national perception would drop. The Metro generally is rated among the second five in a list of the country's top 10 leagues.
"We as a conference have to do a very good job of marketing ourselves," Tulane's Clark said. "They've got the Big Sky on ESPN, and some other conferences being shown that I think we are at least as good as if not better. I don't see any reason why we can't package what we have. We have a lot to sell."
Metro commissioner Ralph McFillen maintained expansion isn't yet official, but said the league already has looked into some new marketing ideas.
Crum said the six-team Metro with UNCC and South Florida could maintain the Metro's national reputation.
"It's going to be fine," Crum said. "It'll be a good league that'll be very competitive."
Allen agreed, saying that the four remaining Metro teams all should be better next year.
"The addition of those other two schools should make it a strong conference once again," Allen said.
\ The eight Metro teams will hold one-hour practices, open to the public at the Roanoke Civic Center, on Wednesday starting at 1:30 p.m. The civic center lots will have free parking that day.
Single-session Metro tournament tickets go on sale today at the Roanoke CivicCenter box office. Tickets for each of the two Thursday first-round sessions and the Friday night semifinal session are $24. Championship game tickets are $15. Tournament ticket books, for all seven games, are still on sale, at $87.
For the first time, the Metro final will be broadcast on radio nationally. The Mutual Broadcasting System will carry the game at 7 p.m. Saturday. Tony Roberts, best known for his call on Notre Dame football broadcasts, will do the play-by-play. No local station is scheduled to pick up the broadcast.
\ On Sunday, Cincinnati coach Bob Huggins said he didn't think guard Tarrance Gibson (sprained knee) would play in the Bearcats' first-round Metro game against Virginia Tech, and said he didn't think freshman center Curtis Bostic (hamstring pull) would be at full strength for the game.
On Monday's conference call, however, Huggins said that at Sunday's practice, Bostic was "as good as he's been in a long time," and said he hoped Gibson could be at least 80 percent healthy by Thursday.
"It's looking a whole lot better that we're going to be able to get those guys back and have a little bit of depth again," Huggins said.
by CNB