By Ray Martel
D3hoops.com

Some great Cabrini teams took the floor in Sacred Heart Hall. But it was so small that the NCAA moved second-round tournament games to other sites. So now the Cavaliers have a brand-new facility. D3hoops.com was there for the opening on Dec. 2, 1999.

RADNOR, Pa. -- Cabrini opened the sparkling new Dixon Center tonight with Sciences-Philadelphia winning a great women's contest and the men's team handling Misericordia. But this night was one about the surroundings.

The Cavaliers' former home, Sacred Heart Hall, was dark tonight. The gym was a small, old-fashioned one, which had a listed capacity of 500, but really held no more than 250 in a comfortable manner. Having been to a game there, the new arena was a huge contrast. Gone are the small metal bleachers that lined the sidelines, along with the stage that was used for overflow crowds, and the dim lighting. They were replaced by a large hall, with complete seating on all four sides, spacious out of bounds areas, and some of the best lighting I've seen in the Division III level. The seating capacity is 1,500, but with an upper track, and the extra space between the temporary bleachers, there is room for many more standing room only. For practices, there are three courts available, making it a very versatile building.

"This is great for the entire athletic program." said associate athletic director Leslie Danehy. "This is a huge recruiting advantage. Cabrini has had the tradition, and the spirit, but it never had the quality. With the Dixon Center we have the entire package." The center also includes a health and fitness center, one which is larger than Division I neighbor Villanova. "It's a plus for all of us. not only is it a great place to play, the fitness center will help our athletes perform better."

Antoinette Iadarola, president of Cabrini, began her term five years ago with this as her top priority, and now they have a first class facility that can rival the best that Division III has to offer.

The players love the place. Junior point guard Jackie Pierangeli had nothing but praise, "I love playing here. It is so much nicer than the old gym. Even in the scrimmage games I was just having so much fun playing here." As for the difference in playing in a large gym, where the walls are farther back, it didn't affect her at all. "I didn't notice any difference in the depth of the court, I never even thought of it."

Head men's coach John Dzik thinks this is a plus for the school. "Already I have been able to show recruits a first-class building, and it will allow us to get even better players into our program. We did play in a very small gym for a long time, and the fans were so close, so this will be an adjustment period, and I think it will take a year to really feel like home. The old gym was always packed, and we will miss that intensity, but in the end this is a much better place. In time this will be just as exciting too."

A few of the firsts:

* First women's basket:
Kim Koschineg, U.S.P.

* First Cabrini women's basket:
Melissa Posse

* First men's basket:
Jamie Marko, Misericordia

* First Cabrini men's basket:
Tramaine White

* Attendance: 275

Men: Cabrini 62, Misericordia 50

Misericordia came out and scored the first-ever basket at the Dixon Center, but the Cavaliers would have the final say tonight, as they won handily over the Cougars 62-50. Cabrini as sluggish for the first few minutes, but once they got into their groove, they got things moving, taking a 10-point advantage into the locker room. After the intermission, Cabrini lagged a bit, allowing Misericordia to close the gap to two, but would get no closer than six with a minute to go as Cabrini sealed the win.

Randall Simms led the Cavaliers with 14 points, followed by Tyquine Wilson, and Tramaine White, with 13 and 11 respectively. Wilson also led the team with 5 assists. Trevor Woodruff had 14 for Misericordia, while Mark Sakson and Bob Tugend had 12 and 11 respectively. Sakson led everybody in the long distance race. he was 4-for-6 from behind the arc.

Dzik was pleased with his team, but he expects this to be a tough year. "It's going to be an adjustment with the new building. The depth of the building is much farther, and I think it may take a year to truly adjust to the building."

Dzik also felt it may turn out to be an advantage to some of the visiting teams. "Misericordia has a gym like this one, and I felt that they were more comfortable with it than we were. but it will come in time." He even put a twist on things saying "I like to say that this year we have 18 away games and eight neutral site games."

Women: Sciences-Philadelphia 76, Cabrini 75

In the first basketball game ever played at Cabrini's Dixon Center, USP won on two late free throws by sophomore guard Amy Eaton. Eaton was fouled with 11 seconds left to go with the Lady Devils trailing by one. She hit both shots, the second, a wild one that bounced twice before going in, to give them the lead. Cabrini couldn't get a good shot off because of the tremendous half court pressure applied by the Lady Devils.

It looked as though Cabrini might pull away with 7:58 to go. They tied it for the last time on an Erin Crawford three-pointer, and started to take control, but each time USP came charging back, the final charge leading up to the winning free throws.

The first half of action, as well as much of the game, feature both teams taking the lead back and forth from each other with neither team ever getting more than a five-point lead on the other.

Leading the way for the Lady Devils was senior Kim Kosching. The guard scored 30 points, and was 4-for-7 from three point land. In addition, freshman Chauntelle Clayton scored 20, on 8-for-10 from the field along with 14 boards. For Cabrini, Melissa Posse poured in 20, with nine rebounds, while freshman guard Erin Crawford added 17 on five three-pointers. Junior point guard Jackie Pierangeli had 12 points, along with seven assists.