WAC basketball tournament returning to Las Vegas

According to a release by the league, the WAC postseason tournament is headed back to Las Vegas. Both the men’s and women’s leagues will participate in the event, which will be held at Orleans Arena from March 11-14.

The WAC itself, however, will not bring the same programs they did when they had their first postseason tournament in Las Vegas in 2011. The WAC will only have eight teams in the league next year, with Idaho moving from the WAC to the Big Sky, but a return to Sin City is still a pretty neat deal.

Remaining members of the WAC, despite not being household programs, are at least fun to say — or something. So, um, Bakersfield, Chicago State, Grand Canyon, Kansas City, New Mexico State, UTPA and Utah Valley, all still call the WAC home. My personal favorite, for what it is worth, is Chicago State because I have no idea.

The WAC Tournament has been held in the Orleans Arena the last four seasons. It also hosts the WCC Tournament the week before the WAC and New Mexico State runs wild over you.

In an interesting, albeit not important, side note: The first WAC Tournament title game ever held in Vegas was between Utah State and Boise State, who are no longer in the league.

Hooray, conference realignment.