Final Four Predictions

Final Four:

Fresno Regional Winner - University of Connecticut Huskies

Greensboro Regional Winner - Duke University Blue Devils

Dallas Regional Winner - University of North Carolina Tar Heels

Dayton Regional Winner - University of Oklahoma Sooners

Championship Game:

Connecticut vs. Oklahoma

Champions:

Connecticut Huskies

Final Thoughts

For the third time around and not really paying much attention until the final week of the season, I got 59 out 64 correct. Very disappointed that the committee did not select South Florida. I thought South Florida had a better resume than DePaul.

Final Bracket

This is the final bracket. Selection Monday is at 8pm on Monday night on ESPN.

Greensboro Regional

No. 1 Duke vs. No. 16 Holy Cross
No. 8 Chattanooga vs. No. 9 South Florida
-Games played at Raleigh, North Carolina

No. 2 Vanderbilt vs. No. 15 Idaho State
No. 7 Pittsburgh vs. No. 10 New Mexico
-Games played at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

No. 3 Rutgers vs. No. 14 UNC Asheville
No. 6 Texas A&M vs. No. 11 Florida State
-Games played at Minneapolis, Minnesota

No. 4 Arizona State vs. No. 13 Texas Arlington
No. 5 Baylor vs. No. 12 Montana
-Games played at Los Angeles, California

Dayton Regional

No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 16 Prairie View A&M
No. 8 Temple vs. No. 9 Western Kentucky
-Games played at Hartford, Connecticut

No. 2 Oklahoma vs. No. 15 Delaware State
No. 7 James Madison vs. No. 10 Washington
-Games played at Austin, Texas

No. 3 Ohio State vs. No. 14 UC Riverside
No. 6 NC State vs. No. 11 West Virginia
-Games played at Raleigh, North Carolina

No. 4 LSU vs. No. 13 Robert Morris
No. 5 Bowling Green vs. No. 12 Hartford
-Games played at Los Angeles, California

Dallas Regional

No. 1 Tennessee vs. No. 16 Drake
No. 8 Notre Dame vs. No. 9 Nebraska
-Games played at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

No. 2 Maryland vs. No. 15 Oral Roberts
No. 7 Xavier vs. No. 10 BYU
-Games played at Minneapolis, Minnesota

No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 14 East Carolina
No. 6 Old Dominion vs. No. 11 Gonzaga
-Games played at Austin, Texas

No. 4 George Washington vs. No. 13 Boise State
No. 5 Marquette vs. No. 12 Wisconsin-Green Bay
-Games played at Palo Alto, California

Fresno Regional

No. 1 Connecticut vs. No. 16 Maryland-Baltimore County
No. 8 Iowa State vs. No. 9 Delaware
-Games played at Hartford, Connecticut

No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 15 Harvard
No. 7 California vs. No. 10 Mississippi
-Games played at East Lansing, Michigan

No. 3 Stanford vs. No. 14 Belmont
No. 6 Louisville vs. No. 11 Ball State
-Games played at Palo Alto, California

No. 4 Middle Tennessee State vs. No. 13 Southeast Missouri State
No. 5 Michigan State vs. No. 12 Marist
-Games played at East Lansing, Michigan

Bracket:
Greensboro vs. Fresno
Dayton vs. Dallas

Last Four In:
Hartford
Washington
Montana
Florida State

Last Four Out:
Hofstra
Davidson
Texas
Georgia Tech

2007 NCAA Women's Tournament Automatic Berths

The following are the 31 schools that have earned automatic bids to the 2007 NCAA women's college basketball tournament:

TEAM - CONFERENCE
Harvard (15-12)* - Ivy League
Chattanooga (25-7) - Southern
Southeast Missouri St (24-7) - Ohio Valley
North Carolina (30-3) - Atlantic Coast
Marist (27-5) - Metro Atlantic
East Carolina (19-13) - Conference USA
Vanderbilt (27-5) - Southeastern
Gonzaga (24-9) - West Coast
Xavier (26-7) - Atlantic 10
Purdue (29-2) - Big 10
Stanford (27-4) - Pac 10
Oral Roberts (22-10) - Mid-Continent
Middle Tennessee (29-3) - Sun Belt
Rutgers (22-8) - Big East
Holy Cross (15-17) - Patriot
Bowling Green (28-3) - Mid-American
Belmont (25-6) - Atlantic Sun
UNC Asheville (21-11) - Big South
Robert Morris (24-7) - Northeast
Delaware St (20-12) - MEAC
Texas-Arlington (24-8) - Southland
Boise St (24-8) - Western Athletic
New Mexico (24-8) - Mountain West
UC Riverside (21-10) - Big West
Prairie View A&M (19-13) - Southwestern Athletic
Oklahoma (25-4) - Big 12
Idaho St (17-13) - Big Sky
Wisconsin-Green Bay (28-3) - Horizon League
Old Dominion (24-8) - Colonial Athletic
Drake (14-18) - Missouri Valley
Maryland-Baltimore County (16-16) - America East

* - The Ivy League does not conduct a post-season tournament.

NCAA or bust

The WNIT has been a stepping stone for many programs on their way up. The postseason tournament provides young teams a chance to continue their season and gain valuable experience. It doesn't seem to have much appeal to those who have already achieved success, though. Louisiana Tech coach Chris Long and Texas coach Jody Conradt have said their teams would not participate in the WNIT.

The Lady Techsters' hopes of a 26th straight trip to the NCAA Tournament ended on Wednesday with a loss to New Mexico State in the quarterfinals of the WAC Tournament. Texas, which lost to Oklahoma in the Big 12 quarterfinals, is holding out hope for a NCAA bid. The Longhorns host the first and second rounds of the tournament. Texas is at No. 31 on collegerpi.com and has played one of the toughest schedules in the country.

You know, you set your goals on going to the NCAA and that's still in the back of our minds," Conradt said after her team's loss to OU. "Hopefully something will happen and we'll get there."

Postseason WNIT Expands Field

The WNIT is expanding its field to 48 teams this spring for the first time in event history.

The eight-team expansion will allow for an automatic bid from every conference. The WNIT is guaranteeing that each of the nation’s 31 conferences will automatically have at least one spot guaranteed for one of their teams in the Postseason WNIT.

The selection of the 48 teams for the Postseason WNIT will be according to the following:
1. Thirty-one (31) spots will be filled with one team per conference. That team will be the highest-finishing team in the conference’s regular-season standings, that does not advance to the NCAA Tournament. As in the past, the teams’ record must be at or above .500.
For example, if the second-place team during the regular season does not win its conference tournament, and the top-seeded team does (and earns the NCAA berth), then the second-place team automatically will be invited to the WNIT.
If the top-seeded team after the regular season does not win its conference tournament and is not invited to the NCAA Tournament, then it will have a guaranteed spot in the WNIT.
No matter which team from a conference wins its conference tournament, the WNIT will select the next best team available. That team is determined by conference tournament seeding based on regular-season standings.
2. The remaining seventeen (17) berths will be filled by the top teams available based on the selection criteria used in the past.

The 2007 Postseason WNIT will feature 16 first-round games, followed by 16 second-round games, eight third-round games, four quarterfinal games, two semifinal games and the championship. All games in the single-elimination format are played at the home facilities of participating schools.

The WNIT field will be announced on this website late Monday, March 12, following the NCAA Tournament selections.

Tech's Long says thanks, but no thanks to WNIT

RUSTON, La. -- Louisiana Tech coach Chris Long turned down an automatic bid to the Women's National Invitation Tournament on Saturday, saying it's the NCAA Tournament or nothing for the Lady Techsters.

"Louisiana Tech women's basketball has been about playing in the NCAA Tournament," Long, whose team had been one of two that had been in every women's tournament since the NCAA first took them over in the 1981-82 season.

"We did not do enough this season to reach that goal. With all due respect to the WNIT, we are not interested in an invitation."

Long's announcement came three days after Tech lost 63-57 to New Mexico State in the quarterfinals of the 2007 Western Athletic Conference tournament, ending its hope for a 26th straight NCAA Tournament appearance.

Although no official bids will be made until after the NCAA Tournament selection show Monday, the WNIT had asked Tech athletic director Jim Oakes if the school was interested. And, because Boise State beat New Mexico in the WAC championship game Saturday, Tech (17-12, 12-4) had an "automatic bid" by WNIT rules, because it tied the Broncos for the regular-season title.

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

Saturday Morning's Bracket

This bracket will be last one until I make my final bracket on Sunday evening....one day before the NCAA Selection Committee makes the projections on Monday night.

Greensboro Regional

No. 1 Duke vs. No. 16 Holy Cross
No. 8 Western Kentucky vs. No. 9 Notre Dame
-Games played at Raleigh, North Carolina

No. 2 Vanderbilt vs. No. 15 Belmont
No. 7 Louisville vs. No. 10 BYU
-Games played at Austin, Texas

No. 3 Rutgers vs. No. 14 East Carolina
No. 6 Texas A&M vs. No. 11 Mississippi
-Games played at Los Angeles, California

No. 4 LSU vs. No. 13 Marist
No. 5 George Washington vs. No. 12 Wisconsin-Green Bay
-Games played at Palo Alto, California

Dayton Regional

No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 16 Jackson State
No. 8 South Florida vs. No. 9 Delaware
-Games played at Hartford, CT

No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 15 UC Riverside
No. 7 Old Dominion vs. No. 10 Hartford
-Games played at Minneapolis, Minnesota

No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 14 Southeast Missouri State
No. 6 Iowa State vs. No. 11 West Virginia
-Games played at Los Angeles, California

No. 4 Michigan State vs. No. 13 Texas-Arlington
No. 5 Middle Tennessee State vs. No. 12 Washington
-Games played at East Lansing, Michigan

Dallas Regional

No. 1 Tennessee vs. No. 16 Harvard
No. 8 Temple vs. No. 9 Chattanooga
-Games played at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

No. 2 Maryland vs. No. 15 Radford
No. 7 California vs. No. 10 Nebraska
-Games played at Minneapolis, Minnesota

No. 3 Oklahoma vs. No. 14 Boise State
No. 6 Pittsburgh vs. No. 11 Hofstra
-Games played at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

No. 4 Marquette vs. No. 13 Coppin State
No. 5 Arizona State vs. No. 12 Georgia Tech
-Games played at Los Angeles, California

Fresno Regional

No. 1 Connecticut vs. No. 16 Oral Roberts
No. 8 James Madison vs. No. 9 Ball State
-Games played at Hartford, Connecticut

No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 15 Idaho State
No. 7 Xavier vs. No. 10 Texas
-Games played at Austin, Texas

No. 3 Stanford vs. No. 14 Robert Morris
No. 6 Bowling Green vs. No. 11 Gonzaga
-Games played at Palo Alto, California

No. 4 North Carolina State vs. No. 13 Illinois State
No. 5 Baylor vs. No. 12 Montana
-Games played at Raleigh, North Carolina

Bracket:
Greensboro vs. Fresno
Dayton vs. Dallas

Last Four In:
Georgia Tech
Washington
Montana
Mississippi

Last Four Out:
DePaul
Virginia
TCU
Davidson

Tuesday's Bracket

Fresno Regional

No. 1 Connecticut vs. No. 16 Harvard
No. 8 Delaware vs. No. 9 BYU


No. 2 Maryland vs. No. 15 High Point
No. 7 Iowa State vs. No. 10 Hartford


No. 3 LSU vs. No. 14 Southern Illinois
No. 6 Pittsburgh vs. No. 11 Oklahoma State


No. 4 Baylor vs. No. 13 DePaul
No. 5 NC State vs. No. 12 Hofstra


Greensboro Regional

No. 1 Duke vs. No. 16 Holy Cross
No. 8 Western Kentucky vs. No. 9 Texas


No. 2 Vanderbilt vs. No. 15 East Carolina
No. 7 Old Dominion vs. No. 10 Ball State


No. 3 Stanford vs. No. 14 Boise State
No. 6 Texas A&M vs. No. 11 Montana


No. 4 Marquette vs. No. 13 Coppin State
No. 5 George Washington vs. No. 12 Georgia Tech


Dallas Regional

No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 16 Oral Roberts
No. 8 South Florida vs. No. 9 James Madison


No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 15 UC Riverside
No. 7 California vs. No. 10 West Virginia


No. 3 Oklahoma vs. No. 14 Robert Morris
No. 6 Louisville vs. No. 11 Gonzaga


No. 4 Arizona State vs. No. 13 Texas-Arlington
No. 5 Middle Tennessee State vs. No. 12 Wisconsin-Green Bay


Dayton Regional

No. 1 Tennessee vs. No. 16 Jackson State
No. 8 Temple vs. No. 9 Norte Dame


No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 15 Belmont
No. 7 Xavier vs. No. 10 Mississippi


No. 3 Rutgers vs. No. 14 Southeast Missouri State
No. 6 Bowling Green vs. No. 11 Auburn


No. 4 Georgia vs. No. 13 Marist
No. 5 Michigan State vs. No. 12 TCU


Bracket:
Greensboro vs. Fresno
Dayton vs. Dallas

Second Bracket of March Madness

Fresno Regional

No. 1 Tennessee vs. No. 16 Holy Cross
No. 8 Temple vs. No. 9 Notre Dame
-Games played at Austin, Texas

No. 2 Maryland vs. No. 15 East Carolina
No. 7 Iowa State vs. No. 10 DePaul
-Games played at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

No. 3 LSU vs. No. 14 Boise State
No. 6 Old Dominion vs. No. 11 Washington
-Games played at Minneapolis, Minnesota

No. 4 Baylor vs. No. 13 Hofstra
No. 5 Middle Tennessee State vs. No. 12 Marist
-Games played at Los Angeles, California

Greensboro Regional

No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 16 Oakland
No. 8 James Madison vs. No. 9 Chattanooga
-Games played at Raleigh, North Carolina

No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 15 High Point
No. 7 California vs. No. 10 Delaware
-Games played at East Lansing, Michigan

No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 14 Southern Illinois
No. 6 Texas A&M vs. No. 11 Montana
-Games played at East Lansing, Michigan

No. 4 Rutgers vs. No. 13 Wisconsin-Green Bay
No. 5 Arizona State vs. No. 12 Auburn
-Games played at Los Angeles, California

Dallas Regional

No. 1 Duke vs. No. 16 Jackson State
No. 8 South Florida vs. No. 9 Texas
-Games played at Austin, Texas

No. 2 Vanderbilt vs. No. 15 Belmont
No. 7 Xavier vs. No. 10 BYU
-Games played at Hartford, Connecticut

No. 3 Oklahoma vs. No. 14 Southeast Missouri State
No. 6 Louisville vs. No. 11 Mississippi
-Games played at Minneapolis, Minnesota

No. 4 Marquette vs. No. 13 Coppin State
No. 5 Michigan State vs. No. 12 Gonzaga
-Games played at East Lansing, Michigan

Dayton Regional

No. 1 Connecticut vs. No. 16 Harvard
No. 8 Western Kentucky vs. No. 9 Nebraska
-Games played at Hartford, Connecticut

No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 15 UC Riverside
No. 7 Pittsburgh vs. No. 10 Hartford
-Games played at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

No. 3 Stanford vs. No. 14 Robert Morris
No. 6 Bowling Green vs. No. 11 Ball State
-Games played at Stanford, California

No. 4 North Carolina State vs. No. 13 Texas-Arlington
No. 5 George Washington vs. No. 12 West Virginia
-Games played at Raleigh, North Carolina

Bracket:
Greensboro vs. Fresno
Dayton vs. Dallas

First Bracket of March Madness

This is the first of many updates to the bracket. Expect a new bracket each day this week until the final bracket is posted before Selection Monday.

Fresno Regional

No. 1 Tennessee vs. No. 16 Holy Cross
No. 8 South Florida vs. No. 9 Texas
-Games played at Austin, Texas

No. 2 Maryland vs. No. 15 Belmont
No. 7 Iowa State vs. No. 10 Mississippi
-Games played at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

No. 3 Stanford vs. No. 14 Boise State
No. 6 Old Dominion vs. No. 11 Auburn
-Games played at Palo Alto, California

No. 4 Marquette vs. No. 13 Marist
No. 5 Arizona State vs. No. 12 Hofstra
-Games played at Minneapolis, Minnesota

Greensboro Regional

No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 16 Oakland
No. 8 Xavier vs. No. 9 Western Kentucky
-Games played at Raleigh, North Carolina

No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 15 High Point
No. 7 Delaware vs. No. 10 West Virginia
-Games played at Minneapolis, Minnesota

No. 3 LSU vs. No. 14 Southern Illinois
No. 6 Texas A&M vs. No. 11 Temple
-Games played at Austin, Texas

No. 4 Rutgers vs. No. 13 Wisconsin-Green Bay
No. 5 Michigan State vs. No. 12 Florida State
-Games played at East Lansing, Michigan

Dallas Regional

No. 1 Duke vs. No. 16 Jackson State
No. 8 Notre Dame vs. No. 9 Nebraska
-Games played at Hartford, Connecticut

No. 2 Vanderbilt vs. No. 15 East Carolina
No. 7 Bowling Green vs. No. 10 BYU
-Games played at Palo Alto, California

No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 14 Southeast Missouri State
No. 6 Louisville vs. No. 11 Washington
-Games played at Los Angeles, California

No. 4 Middle Tennessee State vs. No. 13 DePaul
No. 5 George Washington vs. No. 12 Oklahoma State
-Games played at Los Angeles, California

Dayton Regional

No. 1 Connecticut vs. No. 16 Harvard
No. 8 James Madison vs. No. 9 Chattanooga
-Games played at Hartford, Connecticut

No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 15 UC Riverside
No. 7 California vs. No. 10 Hartford
-Games played at East Lansing, Michigan

No. 3 Oklahoma vs. No. 14 Robert Morris
No. 6 Pittsburgh vs. No. 11 Montana
-Games played at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

No. 4 North Carolina State vs. No. 13 TCU
No. 5 Baylor vs. No. 12 Ball State
-Games played at Raleigh, North Carolina

Bracket:
Greensboro vs. Fresno
Dayton vs. Dallas

Last Four In:
TCU
DePaul
Florida State
Oklahoma State

Last Four Out:
Georgia Tech
Virginia
Davidson
Virginia Tech