NCAA President Myles Brand announced yesterday that tournament games will not be postponed due to an increasingly likely war in Iraq, ending several days of speculation over whether the NCAA and National Invitation Tournaments would be rescheduled.
Following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, all NCAA competition was suspended temporarily.
The majority of NCAA men's tournament games are slated to begin Thursday, while NIT games commenced Monday night and are scheduled continuously through the week. The Tuesday night NCAA men's play-in game between Texas Southern and UNC-Asheville was played as scheduled.
The cause for concern over game schedules rose from the necessity of long travel for the tournaments, NIT Executive Director Jack Powers said.
"We want to support the men and women in uniform -- however, the number one priority will be the security of student athletes, fans and everyone we have to take into consideration," Powers said. "Remember, with all these tournaments, lots of people are flying all over the country."
Earlier yesterday, before Brand make his announcement, Powers said the NIT would follow the lead of whatever decision the NCAA made regarding postponement.
Brand consulted with U.S. Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge before making his decision, ESPN.com reported last night.
Before the statement, officials already had decided not to postpone team travel schedules, as changing reservations and students' altering academic schedules would generate more complications, Powers said.
"People don't want to be away from home when war starts," he added.
As originally scheduled, Women's NCAA tournament action begins Saturday, including a first-round match-up between the Cavaliers and Illinois.
The University will take on Brown University in NIT action tonight at U-Hall.
The men's team currently is preparing its facilities for the Wednesday night game.
"We have been operating under significant security measures since Sept. 11, 2001," Associate Athletic Director Jason Bauman said. "We work very closely with surrounding law enforcement."
The Brown basketball team arrived in Charlottesville Tuesday.
"We'll certainly address security [with Brown] and let them know that there are security plans in place so they and U.Va. can both concentrate on playing the game," Bauman said.
The NIT was organized in 1935 and annually showcases college basketball teams in a postseason tournament.
The University won the NIT championship in 1980 and 1992. Last year, the University men's basketball team lost to the South Carolina Gamecocks in the first round.
The women's basketball team fell to Iowa in the first round of the NCAA tournament last season.
The men's game against Brown is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m tonight and costs $4 for students and $8 for adults.
--Staff reports contributed to this article
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