National Collegiate Athletic Association

NCAA News Archive - 2010

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Mar 4, 2010 2:09:40 PM

The NCAA granted the Pacific West Conference an extension this week to finish its men's and women's basketball seasons after the threat of a tsunami in Hawaii last Saturday disrupted the league's playing schedule.

With the extension, conference play will conclude March 8.

The Division II Men's and Women's Basketball Committees will announce seven of the eight regions in their respective championship tournament fields on March 7. However, both committees will postpone the selection and announcement of the West region until the following day to accommodate the Pacific West's extended season. The men's and women's West Regional tournaments will be played as scheduled on March 12, 13 and 15 at campus sites. 

The Pacific West asked for the extension after a tsunami warning in Hawaii last weekend triggered evacuations and forced the league to postpone two men's and women's basketball doubleheaders. Two softball doubleheaders, a women's tennis match and some nonconference games in other sports involving Hawaii teams also were affected by the warning.

The missed basketball contests must be played because the conference does not conduct a postseason tournament and the regular-season winners earn the Pacific West's automatic berths to the 64-team men's and women's national championship tournaments.

As part of the adjusted schedule, Hawaii Pacific will host the men's and women's teams from BYU-Hawaii in Honolulu on March 8, while Hawaii-Hilo will face the men's and women's teams from Chaminade in Hilo that same day.