March Madness in KC starts with MIAA basketball tourney

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - For Washburn University trumpet player Nick Scott, the atmosphere at the MIAA postseason basketball tournament doesn't just equal the Big 12.  It surpasses it.

Scott said it's because he and his fellow band members have more freedom than their Big 12 counterparts to harass the opposition. 

"We get to say a lot more," he said. "A lot of D-1 schools are a little more restricted on what they can yell."

While Scott and his band mates played, the Washburn Lady Blues dispatched Northwest Missouri State 52-39 in the first round of the MIAA women's postseason tournament at Municipal Auditorium. While the MIAA may not measure up in popularity to the Big 12 Tournament at the Sprint Center next week, the boisterous crowd at Friday's opener showed it won't take a backseat in the category of fun.

Northwest Missouri State student Nick Lampa trotted out his Super Mario Brothers costume from Halloween while he and three friends held up larger-than-life pictures of their favorite Lady Bearcat players. 

"Personally I love road trips, and it's just something fun to do--to get out and support your school," he said.

The MIAA isn't exactly small-time when it comes to the dollars it generates for Kansas City's local economy.  According to Kansas CIty's Convention and Visitor's Association the MIAA tournament is expected to attract an estimated 15 thousand fans over the weekend generating $1.8 million.

The tournament runs through Sunday.