Upcoming tournament will likely draw more than 20,000 in four days

Show Me Center organizers are expecting more than 20,000 people to fill the facility beginning Saturday, when 16 teams tip off for the 65th annual Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament.

The annual hoops tradition, which was originally called the University High Christmas Tournament, has been held at the Show Me Center since 1987. Teams played at Houck Field House before that, dating back to 1945 when Flat River defeated College High.

At the Show Me Center the four-day crowd has averaged a crowd of 19,165 fans, including a record high in 2005 of more than 27,000. That year, Notre Dame beat Jackson in the title game, but attendance records were set on all four days of the tournament, said David Ross, director of the Show Me Center.

A year ago, the tournament drew 22,585.

Ross said he expects attendance to be down slightly this year, partly due to economic conditions.

This decade, attendance has averaged around 21,000.

"A lot of it comes down to matchups," Ross said. "The draw itself is ingrained. It's like your father came to the games or played in it and brought you as a kid, and you bring your children, so there's grandchildren there and it's something that's always done. That's the intrigue of it. Every so often the small schools can match up and it's David vs. Goliath and there is a lot of appeal when that occurs. It's four days of intense basketball."

Ross said the event is one of the top 10 events annually at the Show Me Center in terms of attendance because it stretches over four days. He said ticket prices have been held down intentionally, which also helps attract large crowds. He said that outlying schools get an opportunity to represent their communities on a large scale, which is another reason for large crowds. He said Charleston, seeded fourth this year, typically brings a strong following.

"It is an event that we look forward to every year because it's an opportunity to expose the university and the Show Me Center to the community that doesn't come to other events," he said.

Last year, Scott County Central won the championship over Notre Dame. The Braves, one of the smaller schools in the tournament, won the Class 1A state tournament last year. Scott County Central is the top seed again this year. Notre Dame is the No. 2 seed. Jackson, seeded third, has won three tournaments since 2003 and has been in the title game five of the last six years.

bmiller@semissourian.com

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