NCAA happy despite attendance drop

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Even with attendance down, the NCAA has reason to be happy with the expansion back to 16 sites in the women’s tournament. It’s still a work in progress though, and there are a few kinks that need to be ironed out. Just ask the top seeded coaches who lost on their opponents’ home court.

“I think for the most part our first-round sites have created that championship atmosphere that we wanted and we have to consider the economic times we’re in,” said Sue Donohoe, who is the NCAA’s vice president for Division I women’s basketball. “We’re pleased right now.”

The NCAA women’s committee decided to switch back to 16 predetermined sites for this season’s tournament after going with only eight sites the previous few years. The first two rounds drew an average of 4,100 people, down from last season’s 5,800. The average was the second-lowest mark since the field expanded to 64 teams in 1994.

Still, it’s important to realize that last season seven of the eight sites had host teams playing. The eighth was Bridgeport, Conn — a short trip from Storrs for Huskies fans.

This season six of the 16 sites didn’t have host teams, including Los Angeles which drew only 686 fans for the second-round game between California and Virginia.

“Looking at the sites that played in the first round we got really good crowds,” Donohoe said. “We had some sites that didn’t have some hosts that didn’t have as good attendance but you’ll always have that.”

Maryland was the top draw with over 10,000 fans coming out each night to see their Terrapins play.

“You have to be realistic,” Maryland coach Brenda Frese said. “They’ve tried to do neutral courts and it hasn’t worked out yet for the women. Obviously, in an ideal, perfect situation, that would be the most fair, be the most equitable, but we wouldn’t be playing in front of what you saw tonight.”

Frese even went out and bought pizza for the first 100 or so students who showed up for the games. At LSU, a few coaches bought hot dogs and sodas for students to take in the Tigers’ second-round game against Louisville.

Not every coach was thrilled having to play an opponent on its home court. While top seeds Maryland and UConn got to host games, the other two No. 1s had to go on the road to hostile environments. Sooners coach Sherri Coale was prepared for the road games having sat through the NCAAs mock bracket seminar in early February where that specific example came up with her top-ranked Sooners having to play the first two rounds on an opponent’s home court.

Oklahoma didn’t have to face host Iowa, which lost in the first round to Georgia Tech.

Duke wasn’t so lucky, losing to Michigan State in the second round.