SAC Announces Venue Change for 2013 Basketball Championship

ROCK HILL, S.C. - The South Atlantic Conference and Furman University have reached an agreement to move the 2013 Food Lion SAC Basketball Championship to Timmons Arena in Greenville, S.C. Dates for the championship remain March 9-10.

The event had been previously arranged to take place at Catawba Valley Community College's Tarlton Complex, but a scheduling conflict at the facility prompted the venue change.

2013 will mark the first Food Lion SAC Basketball Championship ever played at Timmons Arena, which is home to Furman's Division I men's and women's basketball programs.

The $10.9 million on-campus facility, which was built in 1998, has a seating capacity of 3,500 and is located just minutes from Greenville's downtown district.

"The scheduling conflict at CVCC is unfortunate, and we appreciate the institution's efforts in hosting our basketball championship for the past 12 years," said SAC commissioner Patrick Britz.

"The SAC is thrilled for the opportunity to play our basketball championship at Timmons Arena," added Britz. "We believe the state-of-the-art facility and the unique city of Greenville will provide a lasting experience for our student-athletes and fans.

The 2013 Food Lion SAC Basketball Championship will feature men's and women's semifinals on Saturday, March 9, followed by the title games on March 10. Winners of both the men's and women's championships will receive automatic bids to the NCAA Basketball Championship.

"We are honored and excited to host the SAC Basketball Championship, and we know it will be a great event," Timmons Arena General Manager Mike Arnold said.

"It will be a weekend of exciting basketball, and we will take great pride in making it special for all the schools and their loyal fans."