MBB: Midwest Conference

[The Roop]

Ni

[Sam Johnson]

At a 2-team site, NCAA rules dictate that the host school gets 2/3 of the gym and 1/3 be given to the opponent.  For logistical purposes, Lawrence simply had to send an identical copy of 350 tickets to both potential Saturday opponents....they can only be distributed by the winning school.

The 350 number means that LU's official seating capacity is 1050.  A Sectional at Lawrence would get pretty dicey.  The home team gets half of the gym (525) and the other half gets split in 1/3 between the other 3 schools - that is just 175 per visitor.  Any returned tickets have to be split evenly among the teams requesting them, including the host.  

Let's say the field is: Lawrence, UW-Whitewater, Puget Sound, and Augustana.  UW-W sells its 175 as does Augustana.  Puget Sound returns 100.  If Augustana is good with the 175 but Whitewater requests "as many more as possible", Lawrence and Whitewater would split the 100 returned.  So, the most Lawrence fans that could be there is 575 (525 + 50 more).

Augustana's Carver Center seats 3200...that would get interesting.

The seating capacity at LU is over 1500, with enhanced bleachers added last week.

2000, if that 350 figure being thrown around above is correct, than the official tournament capacity is 1050.

I'll see if I can find out more on this, but yes, LU's official capacity has been capped at 1400 all season (could fit more but fire marshal won't allow it).  I can't see why they'd try to put fewer people in the gym, especially with sectionals on the line.  Unless the NCAA has some old capacity figure that hasn't been updated and they're requiring LU to abide by that figure...lol, can't you just see something archaic like that going on? =)

[Sam Johnson]

http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060301/APC02/60301050


Justin, you are now a celebrity !!   

Should have read the article sooner, it holds all the answers:

Beeman said the actual number of tickets available for Saturday's game was reduced to 1,100 by the city fire marshal. He also had to make space for the possibility of an opponent's band and cheerleaders.

Who is the fire marshal and why did he wait until the NCAA Tourney to go and make this decision?  I smell a bribe by Whitewater or Augustana!  

[The Roop]

I find it hard to believe that Lawrence would host a Sectional, unless they came up with a much bigger bribe than may have previously been offered  . The NCAA would barely take in enough to fly Puget Sound there. I like Alex, it's a nice venue and is in great shape for it's age but it's just too small. It simply wasn't designed with seating capacity in mind. Hence the name Alexander Gymnasivm.

[Sam Johnson]

I find it hard to believe that Lawrence would host a Sectional, unless they came up with a much bigger bribe than may have previously been offered  . The NCAA would barely take in enough to fly Puget Sound there. I like Alex, it's a nice venue and is in great shape for it's age but it's just too small. It simply wasn't designed with seating capacity in mind. Hence the name Alexander Gymnasivm.

Well, I think you could have at least made an arguement for it at 1400 fans, but at 1100? 

Hopefully the University will be spurred into action...I'm betting there are plenty of alumni who would pony up to upgrade the athletic facilities.

[The Roop]

If Carroll comes out of their bracket and Augie gets upset, you never know. I think the NCAA learned a lesson about flying 3 out to Puget Sound a few years ago.

[Greek Tragedy]

The most I've seen listed at the Alex is 1380.

Titan Q, do you possibly mean 350 for each potential school and then 700 for Lawrence, making it the 1400 everyone is talking about?

[Mr. Ypsi]

The most I've seen listed at the Alex is 1380.

Titan Q, do you possibly mean 350 for each potential school and then 700 for Lawrence, making it the 1400 everyone is talking about?

OS,

See my earlier post.  If the rule is only THE opponent, there are not 350 for each POTENTIAL opponent.  So if 350 really is the allotment for St. Thomas OR NCC, they must be figuring the capacity at 1050.  Otherwise, someone is pulling an ENRON!

[The Roop]

I've seen so many different numbers brought up I think it's time we have a high school grad cypher everything for awhile.

Thus sayeth "The Roop". If you have a ticket, you will get in. If you don't have a ticket, you won't get in. et-cetera, et-cetera, et-cetera................

PS. I was hoping to attract a Sagerism.

[Sam Johnson]

The most I've seen listed at the Alex is 1380.

Titan Q, do you possibly mean 350 for each potential school and then 700 for Lawrence, making it the 1400 everyone is talking about?

Thanks to the fire marshal the new max capacity is 1100.  They had capped it at 1400 (or 1380...whatever  ) but I guess they marshal is a Whitewater grad or something. 

[Titan Q]

OS, it sounds like LU's Saturday opponent is getting 350 tickets.  This would make the official tournament capacity of Alexander Gymasium 1050.  This is close enough to that 1100 posted above to sound right to me.

North Central brought its 15-20 person pep band as well as cheerleading team to the CCIW tourney @ Augustana last weekend.  Per the Championship Manual (page 21), up to 12 cheerleaders and 25 band members are allowed in for free.  Cheerleaders don't take up a seat, but they do take space in the gym, which all factors into the fire marshall's capacity total for a big event like a tournament game (and the "bigger" the game, the more the fire marshall tends to get involved...I've seen it many times at D3 tourney time).  The pep band obviously takes up seating without it counting against the opponent's ticket allotment.

(The ticket situation is covered staring on page 35, by the way.)

http://www.ncaa.org/library/handbooks/basketball/2006/2006_d3_m_basketball_handbook.pdf

[sac]

I find it hard to believe that Lawrence would host a Sectional, unless they came up with a much bigger bribe than may have previously been offered  . The NCAA would barely take in enough to fly Puget Sound there. I like Alex, it's a nice venue and is in great shape for it's age but it's just too small. It simply wasn't designed with seating capacity in mind. Hence the name Alexander Gymnasivm.

If Albion's 75+ year old Kresge Gymnasium is good enough to host a sectional I'm sure Alexander can as well.

Kresge capacity...1450 or so.


........or for that matter Hope's Dow Center which also hosted a sectional.  Capacity 1250  all temporary bleachers.

[Greek Tragedy]

Thanks to the fire marshal the new max capacity is 1100.  They had capped it at 1400 (or 1380...whatever  ) but I guess they marshal is a Whitewater grad or something. 

No wonder they sold out so fast. 

[Gregory Sager]

I like Alex, it's a nice venue and is in great shape for it's age but it's just too small. It simply wasn't designed with seating capacity in mind. Hence the name Alexander Gymnasivm.

Roop, you've been on a roll all day but this is your best one yet.

Vale, Marcus Roopimus! We who are about to laugh salute you!

[the game]

Anyone know when the all region and all american list come out? Braier should be first team and Hinz 3rd or 4th. The 50-36 game vs grinnell gave Hinz enough press and recognition(ESPN bottom line) to get him a spot. He AND THE TEAM had a better year this year compared to last year(11 wins this year and 8 last year, 19 & 9  for Hinz last year, 21 & 12 this year) and last year Hinz was an all american. It would be a travesty if he wasn't.  Numerous school records as well, including all time leading scorer in school's historic basketball history.