e-Zine March 2004 Inside Scoop™ by Mel Greenberg March Madness Begins A year ago in the Big East, for And so as March comes in like a example, Miami, despite a bad computer lion, it also comes in with --- madness. rating, fought its way into the NCAA field It's that time. Since we are at the by advancing to the semifinals. front of the month, let's see what lies Let's look at the mega ahead into Selection Sunday, March groups first 14, when the NCAA tournament draw will air. The Atlantic Coast Conference used to be knee deep in strong contenders. We start with the conference This time, it's a different dynamic. tourneys, which is the road to reach Favored Duke, one of six teams in the the 64-team path to New Orleans. hunt for a No. 1 NCAA seed, needs to All but one of the 31 conferences win the ACC to stay on target. North will have playoffs to determine which Carolina is also a lock to land an NCAA team gets to the NCAA the easy way berth. The bubbles are N.C. State, with an automatic bid gained through Maryland, and Clemson. Although the the conference championship. As conference has a ranking of three, only always, in the Ivy League, regular two of these schools seem likely to go at season play determines the best as at-large guests. champion. Penn has a one-game lead The Big East made news right before over Dartmouth down the stretch, but their Tournament, when Villanova upset no other teams appear to have a shot the Huskies again for the second time, to catch the Ivy frontrunners. with the last meeting being during the The power conferences will 2003 Conference Championship. That produce multiples galore so teams are victory ended Connecticut’s 70-game win basically playing to enhance their streak. With these types of match-ups, potential NCAA seeding. But even in along with Connecticut and Notre Dame this world, there are bubble squads taking NCAA titles, the conference has that need to force their way ahead of really grown in stature during the last bubble squads elsewhere. several seasons. Even with the loss, the two-time defending NCAA champion Huskies seem destined for a Page 2 of 6 March 2004 Inside Scoop™ by Mel Greenberg No. 1 seed no matter what happens at the doesn't storm past this group and win the conference level. Notre Dame, Miami, conference title. Villanova, and Boston College seem solid. The Pac-10 seems to have four in West Virginia, which has made major play among Stanford, Arizona, Arizona strides, should also go based on its State, and Southern Cal. UCLA or season performance. It's computer Washington could create problems for ranking, though, has a bit of a drag so the Arizona State or Southern Cal with a Mountaineers may need to continue to strong conference tournament impress. Rutgers and Virginia Tech, performance. It doesn't seem that the despite decent computer numbers, have Pac-10 is worth five teams and will be been so-so and may need strong fortunate to get four. conference runs to be sized up for dancing shoes. The SEC is looking at just six, a small drop from other seasons. Tennessee is In the Big Ten, Purdue and Penn State playing for a No. 1 seed. Vanderbilt are fighting for a potential No. 1 NCAA became a factor in recent weeks. LSU, seed besides the conference title. There's Auburn, Georgia, and Florida seem set. a clear separation in the standings so look If an outsider makes noise in the for Ohio State, Minnesota, Michigan State, conference tournament, it will be and Iowa to all be taken unless an interesting to see if all of the above are outsider disrupts this group in the still standing when the NCAA field is conference tournament. announced. In the Big Twelve, Texas is fighting for The Atlantic Ten is intriguing. Preseason a No. 1, which it may not get unless it favorite George Washington seems to wins the conference tournament. Kansas have a bid wrapped up but Temple has State, Colorado, Texas Tech, Baylor, and been strong in recent weeks and the Oklahoma all seem to be in unless an Owls are one of 16 subregional host outsider does some damage. schools. With a rating of eight, one would Conference USA has locks among think the conference is worth two teams. DePaul, TCU, and Houston so fans of But watch out for an outsider because bubble teams need to hope an outsider Richmond and Duquesne are vastly Page 3 of 6 March 2004 Inside Scoop™ by Mel Greenberg improved and St. Joseph's, which uphold their reputations. UC Santa suffered some tough losses, is the host Barbara is a favorite in the Big West, school. which is probably worth just one team. The remaining conferences seem to Other one-team conferences, where be destined to send their winner alone. projected winners are undetermined for Only small chances of rescue by the NCAA automatic bids, are the Atlantic NCAA committee for an at-large exist for Sun, Horizon, Metro Atlantic, teams who have dominated the regular MEAC, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southland, season standings. One or two might get SWAC, and Sun Belt. saved if that's all that is needed, so fans Creighton, New Mexico, and UNLV of teams considered bubbles need to will probably last a long time on the table make sure upsets don't occur to play it for discussion by the NCAA committee safe. The exception is in the WAC, depending what the playoffs show. where Louisiana Tech is a lock no matter what happens. But if the Techsters win, The players are the thing Rice needs to be the runnerup to keep its The NCAA tournament will consist of hopes alive. star power soon to appear in the WNBA Chattanooga in the Southern along with future pro stars among a Conference and Old Dominion in the motherlode of talent. Connecticut offers Colonial Athletic Association, along with Diana Taurasi one last time as the Southwest Missouri in the Missouri Huskies aim for three straight titles. The Valley have the best chances to be Californian and Duke senior Alana Beard saved among the one-team only loom as the top two picks in April's pro leagues. Thus, clear conference draft. Other names in the Connecticut tournament favorites such as Liberty in attack are underclasswomen Ann the Big South, Maine in the America Strother, Ashley Battle, and Barbara East, Utah in the Mountain West, Miami Turner to name a few. of Ohio in the Mid-American, Montana in The Duke roster also features Iciss the Big Sky, Loyola Marymount in the Tillis and Monique Currie among others. West Coast, and St. Francis of At Penn State, look for Kelly Mazzante Pennsylvania in the Northeast, need to and Tanisha Wright as leaders for the Page 4 of 6 March 2004 Inside Scoop™ by Mel Greenberg Nittany Lions. Texas has a pair of stars Phoenix, which has the No. 1 pick, is in Stacy Stephens and Heather still seeking its coach as of this deadline. Schreiber. Minnesota's Lindsay Whalen has a broken hand but may return in time DeLisha Milton of the Los Angeles for the NCAA tournament. Stanford Sparks recently suffered an ACL features Nicole Powell, Kansas State has practicing with the USA National team Kendra Wecker and Nicole Ohlde, while and her loss could cause problems for LSU's big name is Seimone Augustus. both the USA in the Olympics and the Houston's rise is attributed to Chandi Sparks in pursuit of a WNBA title. Jones, and Florida's return to The pro league is going through its prominence has been aided by the play first experience with free agency and of Vanessa Hayden. Rutgers' Cappie there have been some interesting Pondexter and Georgetown's Rebekkah movement. Former New York Liberty star Brunson have drawn WNBA scouts to point guard Teresa Weatherspoon their games, which is worth mentioning signed with Los Angeles. The defending even if neither team makes the NCAA champion Detroit Shock traded Kedra field. Purdue's Shereka Wright has kept Holland-Corn to Houston for draft picks the Boilermakers in the season-long fight and signed former Cleveland star with Penn State for Big Ten supremacy. Merlakia Jones. WNBA news and notes Through the dispersal draft of the The Washington Mystics, who have the former Cleveland Rockers roster, New No. 2 pick, seemed to take a baseball York signed former No. 1 overall pick approach with its new coach Michael Ann Wauters from Belgium. The Liberty Adams, a former NBA assistant, being also re-signed Becky Hammon named out of leftfield. It was thought that and Crystal Robinson. Indiana got Kelly either former Cleveland coach Dan Miller from the Charlotte Sting for draft Hughes, or former NBA star Rick Mahorn picks. [RS] would get the nod. Free* Standard 3-Room DIRECTV System Visit www.RealSportsMag.com * Free –Just sign up for one year of TOTAL CHOICE programming by 6/30/04 and pay handling and delivery charges. See website for full details. Page 5 of 6 March 2004 Authority in Women’s Sports™ by Brian Straus WUSA Revival Begins with Small Steps (Updated on 3/2/04) While the U.S. women’s national Los Angeles, Calif. and Blaine, Minn. soccer team sweeps through its foes had been selected. The league has at the CONCACAF Olympic qualifying stated that it may choose a third tournament in Costa Rica, the WUSA location.