Spokane Arena, EWU bidding for Big Sky basketball tournament

The Big Sky Conference has many reasons for seeking a permanent site for its postseason basketball tournament. The latest reason is literally stirring up a Hornets’ nest. Sacramento State currently is in first place in the standings and could host the tournament for the first time, but it plays in a gym – the 1,012-seat Hornet’s Nest – that’s unsuitable for March Madness. While Sac State is scrambling for alternate sites, the conference has solicited bids for a permanent site, beginning next year. Seven cities have responded, including a combined bid from Spokane and Cheney. The others are Reno; Missoula; Ogden, Utah; Flagstaff, Arizona; Greeley/Loveland, Colorado; and Billings. Naturally, Eastern Washington athletic director Bill Chaves is partial to holding the tournaments in Spokane County. “Spokane does great job with events, and certainly this community comes out and supports events,” said Chaves, who added that Spokane is less than an eight-hour drive for five of the league’s 12 basketball-playing schools: EWU, Montana, Montana State, Idaho and Portland State “We feel that our combined bid is the strongest,” said Chaves, who is working with the Spokane Sports Commission to host the men’s and women’s tournaments. That bid entails a four-day, 12-team men’s event at the Spokane Arena. The first three rounds of the women’s tournament would be held simultaneously at Reese Court in Cheney, leading to a Saturday night championship doubleheader at the Arena. Currently, the league has an eight-team format for both tournaments. Expansion to 12 is under consideration. “I hope they’ll consider the value of being able to bring men’s and women’s fans from each school both to the same area,” Eastern men’s coach Jim Hayford said. Only three bids include both the men’s and women’s tournaments. The others are Reno and Greeley/Loveland. Reno also is the only competing city that’s larger than Spokane. The league has the issue on the fast track. The league office has reviewed the requests for proposal (RFPs), and has sent them to a committee comprised of athletic and academic officials who have no conflict of interest. The goal is to select finalists by Feb. 11, make on-site visits and obtain approval from the league’s presidents in time for a formal announcement by mid-March – during this year’s men’s tournament. Where this year’s tournament will be is anyone’s guess. The conference season is halfway over, with Sac State, Eastern and Montana the current front-runners, In a worst-case scenario, Sac State could win the Big Sky regular season and watch the eight-team event hosted by the runner-up.