ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, February 26, 1996 TAG: 9602260128
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DANIEL UTHMAN STAFF WRITER
ROANOKE HOSTS Shenandoah in a first-round game on Thursday.
The Old Dominion Athletic Conference, currently celebrating its 20th anniversary, got a surprise present Sunday when the NCAA Division III men's basketball tournament pairings were announced.
For the first time in the league's history, the ODAC has placed three teams - Roanoke College, Bridgewater and Randolph-Macon - in the 64-team bracket.
The Division III Final Four will be held at the Salem Civic Center on March 15 and 16.
``More than anything else, it proves the quality of play we have in this league,'' ODAC assistant commissioner Brad Bankston said. ``What a coincidence that the first year we co-host the event with City of Salem, we get the most bids we've ever had.''
Following are the ODAC teams' first-round matchups: Roanoke, the South's No.1 seed, hosts No.8 Shenandoah in the Bast Center on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.; No.6 Bridgewater travels to No.3 Millsaps (Miss.); and No.7 Randolph-Macon visits No.2 Christopher Newport. Christopher Newport defeated Shenandoah on Saturday in the final of the Dixie Conference tournament.
All three ODAC teams were ranked in the South Region poll for the past three weeks.
``Some team is going to get hot and win six in a row,'' said Roanoke coach Page Moir. ``We're glad to have the opportunity. I think we proved we belong, and going in it as a No.1, it's exciting for our fans.''
The ODAC has placed two of its teams in the tournament every year since 1990. Roanoke went to the tournament from 1981-87 and in 1994 and 1995. Its all-time tournament record is 9-11, and Moir is 0-2.
Bridgewater is making its second-ever appearance (its first came in 1988), while R-MC is going for the third time after making it in consecutive years in 1990 and 1991.
The Maroons could play the entire tournament without leaving town. If Roanoke wins its first and second round games, it will host the South-Midwest sectional on March 8 and 9. Home court ``is ours to lose, I would think,'' Moir said.
Also Sunday, it was announced that the Roanoke women's basketball team earned its seventh NCAA Tournament bid. The Maroons will travel to Maryville (Tenn.) on Wednesday. Maryville defeated Roanoke 103-74 earlier this season.
ODAC women's tournament champion Randolph-Macon hosts Shenandoah in the first round.
The Salem Civic Center has the men's Final Four for two years with an option for a third.
Ticket sales have gone well so far. There have been 530 tickets sold locally, and each school in the Final Four will receive 400. Capacity for the event will be 3,700, with blue tarps over corner seats to keep the crowd together. However, tournament director Carey Harveycutter said that if a team like Roanoke reaches the semifinals, raising the local interest, capacity could be boosted to 5,800.
Ticket books for the Final Four are $15 (both sessions). Single game tickets will be made available the week of the event for $8.50. Tickets can be obtained at the civic center box office or by calling 540-375-3004 or 800-288-2122.
At least one team already plans on reaching the Final Four. The University of Wisconsin-Platteville, last year's champion, has already reserved five buses and 130 rooms at the Holiday Inn Airport for the Final Four weekend.
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