BP Top of the World Classic Tournament Again Filled

Submitted by Kasey Gillam
Phone: (907) 474-7581
08/21/02

The University of Alaska Fairbanks 2002 BP Top of the World Classic once again has a full field of eight teams. This year’s tournament field includes host UAF, along with California-Santa Barbara, Ball State, Nebraska, Centenary, Weber State, Wisconsin-Green Bay and Jacksonville State.

In late July, a U.S. District Court judge in Ohio blocked an attempt to overturn the NCAA "2-in-4" rule regarding college basketball’s exempt tournaments. Currently, a school may only play in two exempt tournaments over a four-year period. An exempt tournament allows a team to count all the games in the tournament as just one contest against the NCAA schedule limits.

Plaintiffs argued that a lack of teams available to participate in exempt tournaments would have a negative financial impact on the tournament. The judge did leave the door open to a future rule change by agreeing to review the decision’s full impact again in 2004, after years three and four of the current 2-in-4 cycle ends. As a result of the court ruling to date, a number of tournaments have had to fold, three have restructured their tournaments by lowering the number of teams in their field and at least two others are reporting they may have to cancel.

The ruling caught numerous teams in violation of NCAA rules. Illinois, New Mexico State and Yale, projected participants in the 2002 BP Top of the World Classic, notified UAF earlier this month that they were pulling out. The ruling also sent tournament organizers nationwide in a scramble to fill newly open slots just months before the season begins.

"Mid-major powers such as Ball State were treated with a royalty normally reserved for basketball’s blue bloodsƒlike Duke, Kentucky and North Carolina," said Al Sokaitis, UAF head basketball coach. "UAF is fortunate to have pulled together a solid field given the fact that other tournaments are in the same position."

The field for the 2002 BP Top of the World Classic now contains Ball State who finished 23-12 last year, including wins over Kansas and UCLA in last year’s Maui Classic; UC Santa Barbara, picked to win the Big West; Jacksonville State, who returns all five starters from last year’s 13-16 squad; Centenary, where NBA great Robert Parish played; Wisconsin-Green Bay, Weber State and Nebraska.

The 2002 BP Top of the World Classic begins Nov. 21 at the Carlson Center when UAF hosts Wisconsin-Green Bay.

Contact: Kip Harmon, Tournament Director at (907) 474-6830 or e-mail: fnkch@uaf.edu, or Kevin Raap, UAF Sports Information Officer at (907) 474-6807 or e-mail: fnkmr@uaf.edu or visit the UAF Athletic Department website.