Logistics in place as UMO prepares to host nationally-televised basketball games

By Justin Hayes
Published in Sports on January 29, 2016 1:48 PM

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BY JUSTIN HAYES

jhayes@newsargus.com

MOUNT OLIVE -- Wednesday, 2 p.m.

Three days and counting.

The air in the concourse stairwell of Kornegay Arena -- home to the University of Mount Olive basketball program -- is sticky, even for January.

Sample loops from the house PA system randomly punctuate the hour. Hip-hop. Country. Intermittent open mic test rhetoric. Kenny G.

Pricy tenor sax notes -- like a wild buzzer-beater from half court -- pierces the air. Odds are, something is about to happen in the friendly confines of the 1,000-seat facility.

The Trojans -- all of them from classrooms to dorm rooms to church pews -- will play host to Conference Carolinas rival Limestone (S.C.) College as the NCAA continues to showcase Division II basketball.

And, by the way, it's on national television.

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Cutting edge departmental projects.

That bit of corporate speak is not foreign territory for David Shulimson, director of athletics communications at UMO. Over the last decade, he's written, produced and facilitated the distribution of original content for the University's evolving media platform.

Garden variety in-game statistics?

Child's play.

Development of a university athletics database?

Check.

Golf, tennis and volleyball webcasts?

No problem.

So when Jeff Eisen, vice president of athletics at UMO, called Shulimson last year with a unique opportunity, he didn't flinch.

"In early December, Jeff gave us a heads up that we (UMO basketball) could possibly be on national TV," Shulimson said, "and it was barely a week later that we got the official word from the NCAA."

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But, this isn't your grandpa's old RCA TV that had a hand-turn dial to select channels and rabbit ears sitting on top of the TV to help generate a clear picture.

Saturday's broadcast -- one of eight televised by American Sports Network -- is UMO's contribution to the ever-shrinking digital age. The game will be produced and transmitted in quick-hitting order by geniuses inside a mobile satellite truck located near the Arena's East end.

Boy, this is high cotton.

Shulimson certainly isn't flustered.

"A lot has been done by email," he said, "but they did want us to shoot some video on campus ... as they come back from commercial, for instance. And fortunately, everything's digital now."

Indeed.

ASN will employ two stationary cameras on the west concourse, each facing the bench and scoring table area, in addition to handheld and shoulder-mounted units under each basket. It's a break from the norm for Shulimson, who expects to find his his regular pace as the day inches closer to tip-off.

"Once we get to about 30 minutes before game time, then I'll be going through my normal routine," he said.

That means a heavy dose of live statistics, up-to-date memos sent to and consumed by news-gathering types, search engines and social media outposts.

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The UMO Student-Athlete Committee is a standing partner with the eastern North Carolina Make-A-Wish Foundation, which specializes in fulfilling dreams for critically-ill children.

"D-II was the first of the (NCAA) divisions to attach itself to a national initiative," Eisen said, "so as an institution, we (in turn) adopted Make-A-Wish."

The community has participated in raffles, pizza dough campaigns, devoured gallons of freshly-squeezed orangeade and witnessed countless talent shows.

In the south, it's how athletics grow -- especially at UMO.

On campus, the UMO student body has organized these elements to properly articulate the civic-based fundamentals of the university's covenant.

As a result, they have been granted the honor of presenting a wish "reveal" to a child of the eastern North Carolina Make-A-Wish family. The presentation will take place at center court during halftime of the men's game. Eisen said the fund raising has been a multi-year project and they'll see the fruits of their labor not only in person, but their fellow D2 schools will see it live on national TV.

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As you might expect, UMO officials are excited about the prospect of, in Eisen's words, a "four-hour commercial" regarding UMO -- just don't expect it to alter that manner in which they welcome folks through the door.

Prior to the women's tilt at 2 p.m., a campus "paint party" will be conducted at Pope Wellness Center beside Kornegay Arena. Once fans enter the arena, pom poms will be given to fans and the Kornegay Krazies -- the fans' student section -- will be encouraged to make plenty of noise opposite the Trojans' bench.

Department staffers say it's "just another game" amongst each other.

But it's more.

"We don't really know what it (the broadcast) means in terms viewership, or expected ratings, but... we think it's a great PR moment for our school."