Moments after winning his second consecutive Atlantic-10 championship March 14, Temple coach Fran Dunphy was asked about the league’s decision to host its annual tournament in Atlantic City.
“I think it’s a tremendous place. I think Atlantic City has done a great job of hosting,” Dunphy said. “I’ve said it before, what I think our tournament needs, is to be in one place for a stretch of time and establish ourselves, kind of like a Big East idea. We need to get as many people as possible to get down here on a long weekend and enjoy Atlantic City.”
No one has quite enjoyed that seaside, casino town more than Dunphy, who is now 8-1 at Boardwalk Hall with two titles as Owls coach. But everyone in this 14-school league will get their opportunities to share in Dunphy’s luck for the foreseeable future, as the A-10 officially re-upped yesterday with Atlantic City through 2012.
“The decision to return to Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City provides a great opportunity to grow our marquee event and truly brand the Atlantic-10 Championship,” commissioner Bernadette McGlade said. “The facility is well-suited for this championship, Atlantic City is a historic, seashore resort, and the city has welcomed the Atlantic-10.”
The league, just two weeks ago, wrapped up its third tournament at Boardwalk Hall – a venue made famous by hosting the “Miss America” pageant from 1940-2004 – with Temple’s 69-64 title-game win over Duquesne. Attendance for the final was 6,823.
All told, the league then sent six teams to the postseason. Xavier and Dayton joined the Owls in the NCAA. Duquesne and Rhode Island qualified for the NIT, and Richmond entered the CBI. The NCAA teams were a combined 3-2 in the first two rounds, and the Musketeers will meet Pitt in the Sweet 16 tomorrow in Boston.
Like Dunphy recommended, this decision clearly represents a stance that the league wants to form an identity with its tournament in that town. The Big East will forever be linked to The Garden, and now – in its own way – the Atlantic-10 will be meshed with Atlantic City. This, of course, after years of its tournament drifting between Dayton, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, even The Meadowlands hosted one.
“I’m prejudiced, of course, because we’re not too far away, and our fans can get here,” said Dunphy, whose Owls reside just 62 miles away from Boardwalk Hall. “I don’t know how much better you can make it than Atlantic City has made it.”
There will be a tweak to the tourney, moving forward, though. Like this season, the top 12 teams will qualify – Fordham did not make the cut this season – but only eight will make the trip. The four opening-round games, where Seed Nos. 5-12 play each other, will be held at campus sites. Those four winners will then join the top four teams in Atlantic City for a three-day, eight-team tournament ending on a Sunday. Next year’s will be held March 12-14, after the opening round on March 9.
Boardwalk Hall was dedicated on May 31, 1929, and was placed on the United States Register of Historic Places as a National Historic Landmark on Feb. 27, 1987.
tsullivan@nypost.com