September 14, 2009

Mackey Madness on hold for next two years

The Purdue men's and women's basketball teams will not conduct Mackey Madness this season or next.

"The Mackey Complex construction schedule requires all available time between basketball seasons be reserved for the renovation for 2009 and 2010," athletics director Morgan Burke said. "We hope we are far enough along to do one in 2011 and allow it to serve as a preview for this amazing project.

"Our current plans are to host the first men's game on Nov. 11, 2011, and the first women's game on Nov. 13, 2011. We play Ohio State in football on Nov. 12, 2011, so this will be a historic weekend for Boilermaker Athletics and one all fans will want to put on their calendars."

Both this year and next, Mackey Arena will be available for the men's and women's teams to practice in October, but will not be accessible to the general public until November.

The facility is undergoing a $99.5 million renovation that will create an expanded concourse and other fan amenities while maintaining the tradition of the arena. The project also includes a three-level Student-Athlete Development Center for academics, sports medicine, strength and weight training, and a new basketball practice facility and locker rooms.

Mackey Madness is a fan-friendly event that is the Boilermakers' version of Midnight Madness, the first official basketball practice of the season. It was renewed last season after a five-year hiatus and drew approximately 10,000 fans to catch the first glimpse of Matt Painter's and Sharon Versyp's teams.