Conference undergoes major changes
Longview News Journal
By RICK KRETZSCHMAR
Thursday, October 16, 2008

MEN'S BASKETBALL

The conference membership has increased from 12 to 14 with the addition of Bossier Parish Community College and Lamar State College at Port Arthur.

There will be North and South Divisions. Kilgore College and Panola College are in the North with Bossier Parish, Navarro, Paris, Trinity Valley and Tyler. The South Division includes Angelina, Blinn, Jacksonville, Lamar State, Lee, Lon Morris and San Jacinto.

The number of conference games has been reduced from 22 to 19. Teams within their own divisions will play each other twice (home and away) and teams from the other division once.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

The conference membership remains 10 because Bossier Parish and Lamar State do not have women's basketball programs. The current membership includes Kilgore, Panola, Angelina, Blinn, Jacksonville, Lon Morris, Paris, San Jacinto, Trinity Valley and Tyler.

The number of conference games remains 18 with each team hosting and visiting other conference teams.

MEN'S TOURNAMENT

The men's conference tournament will be held March 6-9 at the University of Texas at Tyler's Herrington Patriot Center.

The number of teams qualifying for the tournament has increased from eight to 12. The division winners will be seeded 1-2, followed by the next 10 conference records. A team that finishes last in their division can qualify for the conference tourney.

The tournament winner qualifies for the NJCAA national tournament, which begins on March 17 in Hutchinson, Kan.

There is an option for the 2009-10 tournament to be played at UT-Tyler as well, according to Region XIV men's basketball director Roark Montgomery.

WOMEN'S TOURNAMENT

The women's conference tournament will be held March 6-9 at the UT-Tyler Herrington Patriot Center.

The number of teams qualifying for the tournament has increased from six to eight. The tournament winner qualifies for the NJCAA national tournament, which begins on March 17 in Salina, Kan.

NEW FOR 2009-10

Coastal Bend College men's basketball team is expected to join Region XIV, increasing the conference membership to 15.

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