BASKETBALL Horizon switches format

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Horizon League executive council passed a proposal to change the women's basketball championship format.
The new format will move the championship from a single, predetermined site to multiple sites.
The first-round game and the quarterfinal games will be played on campus sites.
In the first-round game, the No. 8 seed will play host to the No. 9 seed. The winner of that game will travel to the No. 1 seed for the quarterfinals. The No. 4 seed will play host to the No. 5 seed, the No. 3 seed will play host to the No. 6 seed and the No. 2 seed will play host to the No. 7 seed in the other quarterfinal games.
Under the pure format, the remaining four teams will travel to the site of the highest remaining seed for the semifinal and championship games.
However, the format change will not go into full effect until the 2007 championship, allowing UW-Milwaukee (2004), Wright State (2005) and Youngstown State (2006) the opportunity to fulfill their right to host the championship.
Predetermined site
During the 2004, 2005 and 2006 championships, the semifinal and championship games will be played at the predetermined site if the host team advances past the quarterfinals.
If the host team loses in the first round or quarterfinal games, the semifinal and championship games would be played at the site of the highest remaining seed.
The 2004 Horizon League women's basketball championship will begin March 2 with the first-round game followed by the quarterfinal games on March 4. The semifinal games are slated for March 7 and the championship game will be played on March 8.