Day two women’s basketball games pushed back because of weather
The view outside Nashville Municipal Auditorium, after an estimated 2-4 inches of snow fell on Nashville, Tenn. according to the National Weather Service before the start of the second day of OVC basketball tournament action on Thursday. The Eastern men’s basketball was forced to practice in the ballroom of their hotel.
March 5, 2015
NASHVILLE, Tenn – The women’s games of the Ohio Valley Conference tournament taking place on Thursday were pushed back by an hour to accommodate for the impending winter weather that moved through the area Wednesday night into Thursday morning.
In an update published to their website and posted on Twitter, the women’s games scheduled for 12 p.m. (Belmont and Jacksonville State) and 2 p.m. (Tennessee State and Morehead State) were delayed by an hour.
The men’s games are still on schedule for 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Kyle Schwartz, the assistant commissioner for media relations, noted attendance for games on Wednesday was a little lower than normal than in previous years.
Schwartz estimated that 400 people attended the women’s games with 700 in attendance for the men.
“Usually it’s more like 700 for the women and 1000 for the men,” Schwartz said. “You could tell last night was definitely affected by people who didn’t come because of that (the weather), or waited or left early if they were here.”
Schwartz also said different scenarios have been discussed in case the weather forces postponement of games.
The schedule has some flexibility, but with the men’s games on Friday being televised on ESPNU, “we kind of almost have to play them when they want to play them, with TV,” Schwartz said.
Morehead State women’s head coach Greg Todd noted the roads were icy on the way back to Nashville Municipal Auditorium, but the team took it slow making it back.
According to the Tennessee Department of Transportation, most of the state roads and interstate have patches of snow and ice, with a portion of northern Tennessee labeled “extremely hazardous.”
Travel is not being recommended on any of these roadways.
Nashville is under numerous weather advisories according to the National Weather Service.
A winter storm warning has expired, however a wind chill advisory is in effect for the area until 6 a.m. Friday, with portions also under a flood advisory.
The NWS advises that a hat and gloves be worn should people venture outdoors, as the cold air and strong winds will generate low wind chills which could lead to frostbite and hypothermia.
Jason Howell can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].
