The calendar is about to flip over to February, which implies the ladies’s NCAA Event image is beginning to crystalize. Only a bit.
At this level, we’re snug solely placing one faculty from a mid-major convention within the subject (Gonzaga), however a pair others are knocking on door to the “lock” territory as properly
However as has been the case all month, essentially the most intrigue lies within the Atlantic 10, the place a handful of groups have an affordable shot on the league auto-bid or an at-large choice. They’re all favored to carry serve this week however the schedule picks up subsequent week, highlighted by a matchup between George Mason and Saint Joseph’s.
Within the meantime, right here’s the place we stand.
Digital Locks
Gonzaga Bulldogs
File: 20-2 | NET: 13 | SOS: 25
Charlie Creme Projection: 4 seed (AQ)
Final Week: W at Santa Clara 82-45 W at San Francisco 73-54 | This Week: Feb. 1 at San Diego, Feb. 3 vs. Pacific
Finest Wins: vs. Alabama (NET 37) vs. Stanford (NET 4), at California (NET 58) | Dangerous Losses: NONE
At this level, the Bulldogs are enjoying for seeding, although lots of that’s not of their management. With no extra high quality groups left on the common season slate, it’s time to hope that their wins over Alabama, Stanford, and Cal proceed to age properly.
In Good Form
UNLV Woman Rebels
File: 17-2 | NET: 28 | SOS: 158
Charlie Creme Projection: 8 seed
Final Week: W at Boise State 84-63, W vs. Nevada 92-47 | This Week: Jan. 31 vs. Wyoming, Feb. 3 at New Mexico
Good Wins: vs. Arizona (NET 44), at Oklahoma (NET 53), at Colorado State (NET 82) | Dangerous Loss: vs. New Mexico (NET 189)
There aren’t many groups dancing across the match bubble who may say they’re 9-1 on the highway. That’s what the Rebels are, and that features a victory at Oklahoma. If UNLV retains successful, there’s no motive to assume it should sweat on Choice Sunday.
Princeton Tigers
File: 15-3 | NET: 30 | SOS: 48
Charlie Creme Projection: 10 seed (AQ)
Final Week: W vs. Cornell 85-47 | This Week: Feb. 2 vs. Yale, Feb. 3 vs. Brown
Finest Wins: at Center Tennessee (NET 52), vs. Oklahoma (NET 53), at Villanova (NET 49) | Dangerous Losses: NONE
Princeton is 3-2 in Quad 1, 3-1 in Quad 2, and has no losses outdoors of the primary two quadrants. Throw in eight highway wins and utter dominance towards its overmatched Ivy competitors and the Tigers are in fine condition. If they’ll win out within the common season and do us all a favor and lose within the Ivy League finals, we might be taking a look at a #2bidIvy.
Work Left To Do
Inexperienced Bay Phoenix
File: 16-4 | NET: 34 | SOS: 145
Charlie Creme Projection: 10 seed (AQ)
Final Week: W at IUPUI 87-59, W vs. Wright State 77-59 | This Week: Feb. 3 at Cleveland State
Finest Wins: at Creighton (NET 25), vs. Washington State (NET 21) | Dangerous Loss: at Oakland (NET 240)
The Phoenix have misplaced simply as soon as within the final six weeks, however that L is a doozy (see Oakland, above). Sadly for them, the Horizon isn’t fairly nearly as good because it’s been prior to now, so one other Q3 or This fall loss may imply large hassle for Inexperienced Bay.
Center Tennessee Woman Raiders
File: 16-4 | NET: 48 | SOS: 187
Charlie Creme Projection: 11 seed (AQ)
Final Week: W at Jacksonville State 67-45, W at FIU 92-62 | This Week: Feb. 3 vs. Western Kentucky
Finest Win: vs. Tennessee (NET 57) | Dangerous Losses: NONE
Center Tennessee did its finest to schedule aggressively, and to an extent, was rewarded. However not as a lot as Rick Insell might need hoped. Memphis, Houston, DePaul and Tennessee are all model names, however the Woman Vols are the one group out of the 4 within the prime 60 of the NET and even that’s deceptive – Tennessee has loads of work to do earlier than making its means comfortably into the sphere.
Saint Joseph’s Hawks
File: 19-2 | NET: 53| SOS: 162
Charlie Creme Projection: First 4 Out
Final Week: W at St. Bonaventure 65-40, W vs. Davidson 68-42 | This Week: Jan. 31 at Loyola College Chicago, Feb. 3 vs. UMass
Good Wins: vs. Villanova (NET 49), at Rhode Island (NET 80), vs. Davidson (NET 74) | Dangerous Losses: NONE
Hey, somebody’s gotta win the autobid out of the A-10. But when it’s not the Hawks, they’re nonetheless arrange properly. With three common season video games left towards prime 100 NET groups, they’ll play their means into the bracket projections fairly simply…they simply can’t slip up towards the underside of the league.
George Mason Patriots
File: 15-3 | NET: 49 | SOS: 157
Charlie Creme Projection: Subsequent 4 Out
Final Week: W at George Washington 57-41, W vs. VCU 60-47 | This Week: Jan. 31 vs. Fordham, Feb. 3 at Loyola College Chicago
Good Wins: vs. Davidson (NET 73), vs. VCU (NET 76) | Worst Loss: at East Carolina (NET 103)
Circle Feb. 8 in your calendar. That’s when the Patriots host Saint Joe’s in a recreation that may transfer the Patriots into the projected subject. It’s additionally essential as a result of three of their subsequent 4 video games after which are on the highway, together with one at Davidson.
Richmond Spiders
File: 18-4 | NET: 58 | SOS: 78
Charlie Creme Projection: 12 seed (AQ)
Final Week: L at Duquesne 72-59, W at Saint Louis 72-61 | This Week: Feb. 3 vs. Fordham
Finest Wins: at Drake (NET 64), at Saint Joseph’s (NET 60), at Davidson (NET 73) | Dangerous Losses: NONE
In the event you’re on the bubble, it’s good to have three Quad 1 wins in your resume earlier than Feb. 1. Their roadie at Rhody subsequent week is an opportunity so as to add one other one to the pile with a Valentine’s Day tilt at VCU looming. Isn’t the A-10 enjoyable?
Win Your Auto-bid
Drake Bulldogs
The Bulldogs are a kind of groups that will be enjoyable as hell to observe within the NCAA Event; they’re able to scoring in bunches, even towards elite competitors. Their three Quad 2 wins present they’re no joke both – plus they pushed Minnesota to double OT on the highway and gave Creighton a push in Omaha.
South Dakota State Jackrabbits
The Jackrabbits haven’t misplaced since Dec. 21…however they haven’t performed anybody in that point both. Nor will they the remainder of the common season. SDSU can be in a significantly better place if it has overwhelmed one of many 4 energy convention groups it performed within the non-con or Gonzaga.
Columbia Lions
Just about the one means we’re going to get the coveted #2BidIvy, but in addition removed from out of the query. It most likely would have taken two Lions wins over Princeton to get them into the at-large dialog and with their loss to the Tigers final week, the one means that occurs is that if Columbia wins the Ivy title anyway.
Belmont Bruins
A house win over Center Tennessee is a pleasant line on the resume, however it may well’t be your just one. The Bruins desperately have to beat Drake on Feb. 17 earlier than they may even start to think about an at-large case.