MWC tourney site again up for debate

Not everyone associated with Brigham Young shares his opinion, but senior guard Lee Cummard said he looks forward to his trips to Las Vegas.

He even likes the Thomas & Mack Center as the setting for the Mountain West Conference basketball tournament.

"I've loved it the two years we've been down here, other than we were unsuccessful in winning the championship game," said Cummard, whose Cougars lost to UNLV in the past two title games. "You can't ask for a better college atmosphere."

Cummard's wife, Sarah, might disagree.

After the Rebels' 76-61 victory over BYU in March, hundreds of UNLV fans rushed the Thomas & Mack court. Arena security personnel resisted the surge, rival fans traded punches and mayhem ensued.

According to a Salt Lake Tribune story, Sarah Cummard was seen throwing punches. Seven months later, Lee Cummard can see humor in the incident.

"I've heard several different accounts of what occurred," he said. "Her story is different from the next person and the next person, and some were she was and some were she wasn't throwing punches. She tells me she didn't, so I believe her.

"I told her, 'Let's make a big joke of the thing and (you) wear a heavyweight championship belt to the arena next time you come down.'

"I know a lot of BYU fans were upset last year at how it came down. I kind of just laugh at the whole situation now. Don't laugh that we were unsuccessful, but all the shenanigans that went on afterward."

Cummard said beating UNLV on its home floor this March "would just make it that much sweeter" for the Cougars, so he welcomes the challenge.

BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe has said he wants the tournament moved from the Thomas & Mack, and Cougars coach Dave Rose said the same at Tuesday's media day in Las Vegas.

"My personal view is I would like to see it in a neutral city on a neutral court," Rose said. "We'll see what happens next."

The tournament will be at the Thomas & Mack in 2009 and 2010, completing the current four-year contract.

MWC commissioner Craig Thompson said a subcommittee formed over the summer could make a recommendation in June pertaining to the tournament's future location.

"We went to any city in the West that had (an arena) seating capacity of 11,000 or 12,000, and we just sent a cover letter (asking), 'Are you interested?' Not all 28 have an interest," Thompson said.

Possible sites include Anaheim, Calif., Phoenix and other Mountain West cities. But the tournament was an attendance failure when staged in Denver from 2004 to 2006. The move to the Pepsi Center came in response to previous complaints about UNLV having the tournament on its floor.

"UNLV has a definite home-court advantage, but I don't think they should take the whole tournament out of Vegas," Wyoming senior Brandon Ewing said. "It has to stay in Vegas. The money is made here. It's the Madison Square Garden of the Mountain West."

New Mexico coach Steve Alford remains the most outspoken opponent of holding the tournament at the Thomas & Mack.

"All you've got to do is look at other leagues. If we want to be thought of as a big-time league, nobody is playing in their home building," Alford said. "I have zero say in the deal, and I've learned that. I've been very adamant. I'm a proponent of a neutral site.

"I think it's very unfortunate when what's at stake is an NCAA Tournament bid."

Alford said he "would have no problem" with the tournament staying in Las Vegas but at a different venue.

"I don't necessarily think there's a better option," Cummard said.