WAC hoops tournament heading to Vegas

After years of listening to coaches complain about the unfair nature of holding the Western Athletic Conference basketball tournament on the home floor of a participating school, the conference presidents did something about it.

After completing the current contract with the Lawlor Events Center on the University of Nevada campus, the WAC will move the men's and women's tournaments to the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.

WAC commissioner Karl Benson on Wednesday formally announced the conference finale would be moved for the 2010 and 2011 tournaments, confirming what has been a little-known secret.

"Having the conference tournament at a neutral site has been very, very critical and important to our men's and women's coaches," Benson said during a conference call Wednesday.

"It fits perfectly into our footprint and ... we anticipate this will be a very successful venture."

The Orleans Arena seats only 7,471 in its basketball configuration but has been the home to several basketball tournaments over the past few years.

In addition to being home to holiday and preseason college tournaments, the West Coast Conference called the Orleans home this past spring for its tournament and enjoyed near-capacity crowds.

Benson and other WAC officials were at the WCC tournament and came away impressed.

Utah State coach Stew Morrill, one of the more vocal critics of holding the tournament at places like Reno and Las Cruces, N.M., in recent years, applauded the change.

"From an equity standpoint, it just makes sense," Morrill said. "It looks like a perfect venue and should be a perfect site."

USU typically travels well to conference tournaments, Morrill added, especially if the Aggies are among the favorites. With an abundance of non-basketball entertainment available, he said there should be a hefty group of Aggie fans making the drive down I-15.

Another factor that will play into the Utah-based crowd is the Mountain West tournament being played across town at the Thomas and Mack Center during the same week.

"I think Vegas can handle both," Morrill said.

Utah State women's coach Raegen Pebley joined Morrill is endorsing the move to Las Vegas.