OVC UPSET OVER BUMP BY NASHVILLE SPORTS COUNCIL

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Ohio Valley Conference will not be able to hold its basketball tourney in the Nashville Arena in 2002 on its traditional weekend.

That's because arena officials and the Nashville Sports Council decided to host the Southeastern Conference women's tourney in 2002.

The OVC tourney has been held at the arena for the past five years since the facility opened.

Dan Beebe, OVC commissioner, will meet with league athletic directors Aug. 7 to decide what to do. They could still pick the arena for the tourney but on dates not used in the past.

"I have to say that I am somewhat hurt by this," Beebe said. "It bumps us out of the weekend that we play annually and it's going to be very, very difficult for us to deal with."

The two-day OVC men's and women's tourneys have averaged about 13,000 fans each year.