Good Questions: NCAA Tournament
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Each Friday, Heather Brown answers some of our viewers' burning questions that we didn't have a chance to get to during the week. With March Madness starting this week, she looks at a few questions about the NCAA Tournament.
Jan From Willmar asks: How do crews get logos onto the NCAA Tournament courts?
The floors are brought specifically in for the tournament. The courts need to be assembled in each area and that installation generally takes about four hours.
According to Sandra Moran, the public relations representative for the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, the same floor is used each year for the first rounds. A brand new floor is made for the regionals and finals. After the games are finished, the NCAA generally sells the floors.
Given there are West, South, East and Midwest regions, Randy from Stacy wants to know: Why is there no North region?
The names of the regions generally correspond to the area where the regional finals are played. But considering the "Midwest" is what Americans generally consider "North," the NCAA does as well.
According to John Adams, a geography professor with the University of Minnesota, "The answer probably lies in the historical fact that the U.S. was settled from the East Coast westward."
During colonial times, the orientation of Easterners was west, not north. In fact, there was no "North" in the U.S. after the 1803 Louisiana Purchase.
Sylvia from Cottage Grove asks: What's the difference between umpires and referees?
It depends on the sport. For example, you really only see umpires in baseball. But, if you focus in on college basketball, there isn't much of a difference.
"They all have equal authority on the court," said Mary Toberman, a referee for college Division I, II and III basketball games.
In college basketball, there is generally one referee, who is considered the crew chief and is in charge of the major logistics. There are also two umpires who assist with the officiating. Toberman said if there is any controversy with a call, a referee can have a final say.
