UH-Hilo fighting for survival of tournament
By Jim O'Connell
Associated Press
HILO, Hawai'i — Kathleen McNally is playing a game of Big Island survival.
It's not another television show about people in a tropical setting.
It's a first-year athletic director's attempt to keep a basketball tournament going in Hawai'i.
McNally took over the athletic program 10 months ago at Hawai'i-Hilo, a Division II school that has served as the host for the Big Island Invitational the past 10 years.
The latest edition of the eight-team tournament ended Sunday, with Weber State beating Colorado State, 72-69, for the title.
But more than the final score, economics have become the biggest number in the future of the Big Island tournament.
NCAA rule changes mean a host school must cover all of a visiting team's expenses, compared with 25 percent just five years ago.
McNally insists that no decision has been made on whether there will be an 11th Big Island Invitational.
"We need to make some kind of decision for next year because we have no one committed for next year," McNally said. "Something has to be decided so we can solicit teams."
While the tournament has no national sponsor, no TV deal and no news about the 2002 edition, the Maui Invitational — which has a national sponsor in EA Sports and a contract with ESPN for at least seven games — recently announced its fields through 2004.
McNally said she has tried to sign major sponsors and has talked with KemperLesnik Communications, the company that promotes the Maui Invitational.
"I think this has always been the 'other tournament' because it's survived on an island that hasn't had that same interest," she said. "But now that there's fear that it might not be here, there's all kinds of renewed interest."
Interest alone won't help save the tournament. Money is needed.
McNally said it costs the tournament between $20,000 to $25,000 to bring each of the teams to Hawai'i, including air and ground transportation and per diem.
Chaminade is the host school for the Maui Invitational and other Division II schools — Hawai'i Pacific and Brigham Young-Hawai'i — do the same with their own tournaments.
None appears in as dire straits as Hawai'i-Hilo.
Jeff Law, the coach of the Vulcans, doesn't want to see the tournament end for a number of reasons, including recruiting.
"We can tell a kid he can come here and play three games against Division I opponents and that our program is Division I in a lot of respects," Law said.
Hawai'i-Hilo, which almost upset LSU in the consolation semifinals, beat South Carolina State, 87-69, in the seventh-place game to snap a 23-game losing streak in the tournament and improve its record in the event to 3-27.
COLLEGE MEN TOP 25
• NO. 16 GEORGETOWN 103, GRAMBLING STATE 69: Wesley Wilson set career highs with 23 points and 13 rebounds to lead Georgetown (4-1) over Grambling State (1-3) at Washington.
The Hoyas opened the second half with a 20-5 run to put the game out of reach.
• NO. 21 ALABAMA 76, UTAH 61: Terrance Meade scored 18 points, and Rod Grizzard had 16 points and 11 rebounds as Alabama (4-1) beat Utah (2-2) at Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Erwin Dudley added 12 points for Alabama and Kenny Walker had 10, including the game's first seven points.
COLLEGE WOMEN TOP 25
• NO. 1 CONNECTICUT 88, WAKE FOREST 38: Swin Cash and Diana Taurasi each scored 14 points and Connecticut (6-0) routed Wake Forest (2-2) at Winston-Salem, N.C.
The Huskies hit 15 of their first 16 shots to open a 35-6 lead with 11:27 left in the half.
• NO. 8 N.C. STATE 74, NO. 17 OLD DOMINION 58: Ivy Gardner scored 18 points, leading North Carolina State (5-0) to a victory over Old Dominion (2-2) at Raleigh, N.C.
Talisha Scates scored 10 of her 12 points in the first half to help the Wolfpack take a 34-30 halftime lead.
• NO. 9 TEXAS TECH 72, OREGON 65: Plenette Pierson had 22 points and 12 rebounds as Texas Tech (2-1) beat Oregon (2-3) at Eugene, Ore.
Jia Perkins added 10 points and a career-high 11 rebounds, and Natalie Ritchie had 11 points for the Red Raiders.
• NO. 23 NOTRE DAME 89, ARMY 57: Jacqueline Batteast had 18 points and 12 rebounds, and Le'Tania Severe added 13 points to lead Notre Dame (2-2) over Army (1-4) at South Bend, Ind.
The Irish snapped a two-game losing streak and extended their home winning streak to 40 games.
