Bracket set for 2005 BP Top of the World Classic

Submitted by Dave Geringer
Phone: (907) 474-6807
07/26/05

The bracket is set for the 2005 BP Top of the World Classic, scheduled for the Carlson Center in Fairbanks in November.

The host team, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, will begin the tournament by playing San Diego State at 6:00 p.m. in the first game of the opening session at 6 p.m. Thursday evening, November 17th. Thursday’s second game matches Illinois-Chicago and Montana State at 8:30 p.m.

Denver plays Kennesaw State Friday evening, November 18th in the opening game of the second session at 6 p.m. The second game matches Lamar and Southern Mississippi at 8:30 p.m.

Four games are scheduled for Saturday, November 19th. Loser’s bracket games are slated for 12 noon and 2:30 p.m. and winner’s bracket contests are scheduled for 5:30 and 8 p.m. However, the host Nanooks will play at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, regardless of whether or not they win their first game. If UAF loses to San Diego State, SDSU’s winner’s bracket game will be played at 12 noon Saturday instead of at 5:30 p.m.

The tournament will conclude Sunday, November 20th. Four games are scheduled that day, with loser’s bracket games set for 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The third place game is set for 5 p.m. and the championship game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Once again, UAF will play in the evening session, and their game will be at 5 p.m. Sunday unless they advance to the championship game. The third place game will be rescheduled for 1:30 p.m. Sunday and the fourth place game for 11 a.m. if the Nanooks are not playing in either of those contests.

"I think it’s probably going to be the toughest first two games our team has had in some time,"? said UAF Head Coach Frank Ostanik. "Opening up against San Diego State and then having to play Illinois-Chicago or Montana State is something our players will be excited about. It will be similar to last year’s tournament, with good, close very competitive basketball and most of the games decided by a few points."?

Ostanik will be matched up against several high-profile coaches, including San Diego State’s Steve Fisher, who was head coach when Michigan won the NCAA Division I championship in 1989; Billy Tubbs, who led Oklahoma to the NCAA Division I championship game in 1988; Larry Eustachy, who led Iowa State to the Elite Eight; Mick Durham, the 2004-05 Big Sky Coach of the Year at Montana State; UIC Head Coach Jimmy Collins, a former assistant coach at Illinois; Denver Head Coach Terry Carroll, who assisted Eustachy at ISU; and Tony Ingle, who led Kennesaw State to the NCAA Division II title in 2003-04.

"I can’t imagine standing on the sideline coaching against someone who’s won an NCAA championship at the Division I level, and it will be interesting to coach against someonewho’s won the NCAA championship at the Division II level,"? said Ostanik. "We’ll have three coaches who have coached in the NCAA championship game, and two of them have won."?

The chair of the 2005 BP Top of the World Tournament Committee, George Roderick, was equally enthusiastic. "I really think that this year’s field is as good as it was last year,"? said Roderick. "We have some really high profile, name coaches. Billy Tubbs was here with Texas Christian, Larry Eustachy has coached at the Great Alaska Shootout, Denver had an outstanding season, and Kennesaw State won the Division II national championship in 2004. It’s really going to be an exciting tournament."?

For more information visit http://www.gonanooks.com.