Remaining Conference Tournaments -- What's At Stake

By Mel Greenberg

To cut to the day-to-day chase so we don't have to keep updating as last week, here's what's at stake in each of the remaining conference tournaments.

The Guru will discuss some NCAA matters on Thursday but it can be said his own tracking is pretty close to what the projectionists elsewhere are saying as to who goes the NCAA route. For all the upsets, this year, the bubble is not huge and so far one-bid leagues are behaving themselves in situations where wrong-winners can create problems.

The Atlantic Ten was not perceived as a one-bid league, but obviously, the Charlotte win is going to cause someone somewhere else to be heading to the WNIT.

Patriot League

Lafayette is at favored Lehigh Wednesday night for the title. Winner goes, but Lehigh as top seed, gets a WNIT bid if the Mountain Hawks are upset.

Horizon League

Wisconsin-Green Bay trying to repeat regular season title and avoid what would be a precarious spot on the bubble.

MEAC

North Carolina A&T was the regular season champ and needs to repeat in this one-bid league extravaganza.

America East

Only the winner is going and the tournament is expected to come to a battle between Boston U., coached by former Penn coach Kelly Greenberg who won the regular season title, and host Hartford.

Big South

Liberty trying to do the same as Boston U. and Wisconsin-Green Bay.

Big Sky

Ditto for Montana, which is hosting the tournament.

Big 12

This one has a lot of meat to it. Six teams are projected to the NCAA field. Texas Tech would have to be Cinderella.

Regular-season champ Oklahoma is trying to maintain its grip on an NCAA nnumber one seed, while Baylor and Texas A&M are trying to wrest it away and get in the mix, but in the least, make the best showing possible for the selection committee.

Big West

UC-Santa Barbara is another school trying to repeat its regular season title and avoid disaster.

Colonial Athletic Association

Lots of interest here, especially in Philadelphia, where Drexel captured the regular season title but needs a win to go to the NCAA. The Dragons are assured a WNIT berth at worst. Virginia Commonwealth has an outside shot at an at-large by getting to the title game. As for the monopolist of this event: Old Dominion -- worst year in the league but the Monarchs still can't be counted out until the final score along the route says as much.

Mid-American Conference

Bowling Green is another trying to do the repeat thing. Outside shot at rescue if they're the only ones who are upset, but still, a long shot for an at-large bid, so a title is the best way to go.

Missouri Valley Conference

This used to be a multi-bid league. Illinois State needs to do what most of the others mentioned need to do. Rescue is not an option here.

Moutain West

Might have been impacted by the Charlotte upset in the Atlantic ten. Most say three can get NCAA bids, but which three. That's what this event is about. San Diego State seems the safest and New Mexico needs to do the most work. Utah and TCU are the others in the mix.

Northeast Conference

St. Francis, Pa., coached by former Penn State and assistant Susan Robinson-Fruchtl, will try to upset No. 1 Sacred Heart in championship Sunday. Only winners gets the NCAA glory.

PAC-10

Stanford trying to win to have a shot at a No. 1 NCAA seed. California trying to redeem itself for recent stumbles, but the Bears are NCAA-bound as is Arizona State. Does UCLA have any Cinderella juice in Tinseltown.

Southland

Texas-Arlington is the top seed trying for a repeat of the regular season. Another one-bid league.

SWAC

Prairie View trying to return to the NCAA and has the top seed in the conference tournament. A one-bid league.

Western Athletic Conference

Fresno State and Louisiana Tech tied for the regular season but the former has the top seed. However, hearts around the country are with the Techsters after former WNBA and Tech star Teresa Weatherspoon took over the helm at mid-season.

-- Mel