Postseason hoops in Jordan Center far off

By NAINA NARAYANA
Collegian Sports Writer

March Madness begins this week, but the opportunity for the Bryce Jordan Center to host any of these games will not come until the end of the century.

Choosing the locations for the Division I men's basketball preliminary rounds of competition starts three to four years in advance, said Cinda Friedly, secretary to the NCAA director of men's basketball operations.

Presently, sites for all rounds of the NCAA men's basketball tournament have been selected through 1998. Final Four sites have been chosen through 2002.

"This summer, the NCAA will be accepting applications for 1999 first- and second-round (games) and regional sessions," Friedly said, adding that the process takes about six months.

When the center is completed --which is expected to be ready for Big Ten play for men and women in January of 1996 -- the University will be able to host men's first and second round games as well as regional and national games, said Bob Howard, general manager of the center.

Decisions are made based on the size of the facility, the existence of an on-campus facility, attendance history of previous championship games, attendence potential, the number of hotel rooms available at the host site and the frequency of airline service.

Cities that can provide housing for each participating team in separate areas are given preference, as well as facilities which seat a minimum of 12,000. The center seats 15,000.

Howard said the major factors concerning the selection of the center are the number of hotel rooms in the area and the size of the University Park Airport.

"Things have to change a little bit between now and then," he added.

Friedly said the Div. I Men's Basketball Committee confirms that the arenas and the hotels in the prospective schools' area are available. The final decision is usually made at the end of November or early December, she added.

But the process for selecting sites for women's championship games is different, Howard said. Next year, the center will be eligible to apply for first- and second-round women's games, regional sessions and future Final Fours, he added.

"Our agreement with the athletic department is that (the center) is holding the same dates like this year (for the first two rounds)," he added.

According to NCAA policy, sports committees can award a site to the top-seeded teams for the first and second rounds of women's games. Usually, schools do not find out if they are chosen to host an event until a week before, he added.