Games On

Look for Appalachian State and Western Carolina universities to participate in the SoCon tournament, March 2-5, in Asheville. Photographs courtesy of Southern Conference Games On WNC comes down with a case of March Madness when the Southern Conference Basketball Tournament holds court in Asheville written By Gary Carter March Madness starts early in Asheville this year with the welcome return of the Southern Conference men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, marking the beginning of at least a three-year run. Fans supporting 12 schools from five states will swarm the city’s streets March 2-5 to indulge in hoops and celebrations. The city out-hustled other formidable contenders, including Charlotte and Charleston, South Carolina, for the honor of hosting the festivities to crown SoCon champions. The winners move on to the NCAA craziness, where past conference representatives have pulled off some surprises. Remember Davidson’s Cinderella-run to the Elite 8 in 2008? The newly minted and renovated U.S. Cellular Center, formerly the Asheville Civic Center, will host the men’s tournament, as well as the women’s semis and finals. (The early stages of the ladies’ event will be played in the new Kimmel Arena at UNC Asheville.) The anticipated influx of fans is projected to generate an $11 million economic boon for the city. This season is the SoCon's 91st, qualifying it as the fifth oldest conference in the NCAA. It also bears the unique distinction of having created the country’s first conference basketball tournament during the 1921-22 season, making it arguably the granddaddy of March Madness. Tickets are available through the SoCon schools as well as Ticketmaster. In addition, a number of local establishments, including Biltmore Estate, are offering discounts to SoCon fans. Details on lodging, tickets, discounts, and more can be found at www.socontravel.com. The Players Appalachian State University (Boone, NC) College of Charleston (Charleston, SC) Davidson College (Davidson, NC) Elon University (Elon, NC) Furman University (Greenville, SC) Georgia Southern University (Statesboro, GA) Samford University (Birmingham, AL) The Citadel (Charleston, SC) UNC Greensboro (Greensboro, NC) University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (Chattanooga, TN) Western Carolina University (Cullowhee, NC) Wofford College (Spartanburg, SC) Want to Go? The men’s and women’s Southern Conference basketball tournaments will be played in Asheville March 2-5. Locations: U.S. Cellular Center in downtown Asheville for all men’s games; early rounds of the women’s tournament in Kimmel Arena at UNC Asheville, with semifinals and finals at USCC Tickets: Available through SoCon member schools and Ticketmaster, with reserved seating for all sessions Information: Brackets, travel info, and other details at www.socontravel.com. Other local information at www.exploreasheville.com.