One bid league
In 2002 - 2003, Conference USA placed five teams in the Women's NCAA Tournament. In the 2003 - 2004 and 2004 - 2005 seasons, Conference USA placed four teams (in the Women's NCAA Tournament. However, only one team each of the next two seasons ('05-'06 and '06-'07) earned a berth in the Tournament.
Conference re-alignment after the 2005 season drastically changed the C-USA landscape; and, changed the league from a very, very respectable conference (one of the top 10 conferences in Division I) to a mid-major, one bid league.
Gone were Charlotte (Atlantic 10); Cincinnati (Big East); DePaul (Big East); Louisville (Big East); Marquette (Big East); Saint Louis (Atlantic 10); TCU (Mountain West); and USF (Big East).
In came Marshall, Rice, SMU, Tulsa, UCF, and UTEP.
Will the 2007 - 2008 season be any different for C-USA? Will at least two teams earn spots in the "Big Dance"?
According to Rice's Greg Williams and Houston's Joe Curl, the answer is an unfortunate "no".
"I think we'll be a one bid league," Owls head coach Greg Williams told The HRR. "Unless, we do some surprising things in non-conference. Several of the teams have tried to upgrade their schedule to play more teams that are higher ranked RPI. That's the start. The next step in that is to win.
"I would probably have a better feel for that (one bid league or better) in non-conference games; but, on paper right now, I would say "yes" because I think our league is going to be extremely balanced we had seven teams receive first place votes. I don't know if that's ever happened in any league. I wouldn't be surprised if any of those seven (teams) win it. I think Southern Miss was picked eighth. I wouldn't be surprised if they won it.
"So, it's wide, wide open - which is good for the competitiveness in the league; but, that doesn't lend itself to two or three teams extending themselves out and having a tremendous record - like Tulane did last year. And, even then, it (the great record) didn't do them any good. It goes back to 'if we knock off some of the teams that some of the schools are playing', then, (the league has an outside chance of sending more than one team to the NCAAs); but, I see our conference winner being 11 and 5, maybe 12 and 4. I don't see anyone being better than 12 and 4. I'd be surprised anyway; and, anytime you have that many losses (in conference), it's difficult to get more than one bid."
Houston Lady Cougars head coach Joe Curl shared similar thoughts.
"I think the culture is still maybe a one bid league; but, I think every team in our conference has improved and that has been true the last year or so. In the past, we have been a conference that sent five teams to the NCAA with two or three teams also going to the WNIT as well. Now, I know that was when the DePauls were in the league; but, some of them were going to the WNIT when teams like Houston and others were in the NCAA Tournament.
"I think things happen in cycles; but, we are a conference that needs to be hungry. We need to go out as a conference and play teams and get some big wins as a conference. We' (the Lady Cougars) have done that in the past -- beating Georgia, Florida, Texas, etc.; and, that's why we're playing (teams like) LSU and Duke this season. We could play some games where we'd have a higher percentage chance of winning; but, I just don't know if that helps you sustain your program or rebuild your program. Different philosophies for different coaches."
I believe C-USA is heading in the right direction; but, I do agree with both coaches. This season seems to be a third straight season for Conference USA to be a one bid league.
Conference re-alignment after the 2005 season drastically changed the C-USA landscape; and, changed the league from a very, very respectable conference (one of the top 10 conferences in Division I) to a mid-major, one bid league.
Gone were Charlotte (Atlantic 10); Cincinnati (Big East); DePaul (Big East); Louisville (Big East); Marquette (Big East); Saint Louis (Atlantic 10); TCU (Mountain West); and USF (Big East).
In came Marshall, Rice, SMU, Tulsa, UCF, and UTEP.
Will the 2007 - 2008 season be any different for C-USA? Will at least two teams earn spots in the "Big Dance"?
According to Rice's Greg Williams and Houston's Joe Curl, the answer is an unfortunate "no".
"I think we'll be a one bid league," Owls head coach Greg Williams told The HRR. "Unless, we do some surprising things in non-conference. Several of the teams have tried to upgrade their schedule to play more teams that are higher ranked RPI. That's the start. The next step in that is to win.
"I would probably have a better feel for that (one bid league or better) in non-conference games; but, on paper right now, I would say "yes" because I think our league is going to be extremely balanced we had seven teams receive first place votes. I don't know if that's ever happened in any league. I wouldn't be surprised if any of those seven (teams) win it. I think Southern Miss was picked eighth. I wouldn't be surprised if they won it.
"So, it's wide, wide open - which is good for the competitiveness in the league; but, that doesn't lend itself to two or three teams extending themselves out and having a tremendous record - like Tulane did last year. And, even then, it (the great record) didn't do them any good. It goes back to 'if we knock off some of the teams that some of the schools are playing', then, (the league has an outside chance of sending more than one team to the NCAAs); but, I see our conference winner being 11 and 5, maybe 12 and 4. I don't see anyone being better than 12 and 4. I'd be surprised anyway; and, anytime you have that many losses (in conference), it's difficult to get more than one bid."
Houston Lady Cougars head coach Joe Curl shared similar thoughts.
"I think the culture is still maybe a one bid league; but, I think every team in our conference has improved and that has been true the last year or so. In the past, we have been a conference that sent five teams to the NCAA with two or three teams also going to the WNIT as well. Now, I know that was when the DePauls were in the league; but, some of them were going to the WNIT when teams like Houston and others were in the NCAA Tournament.
"I think things happen in cycles; but, we are a conference that needs to be hungry. We need to go out as a conference and play teams and get some big wins as a conference. We' (the Lady Cougars) have done that in the past -- beating Georgia, Florida, Texas, etc.; and, that's why we're playing (teams like) LSU and Duke this season. We could play some games where we'd have a higher percentage chance of winning; but, I just don't know if that helps you sustain your program or rebuild your program. Different philosophies for different coaches."
I believe C-USA is heading in the right direction; but, I do agree with both coaches. This season seems to be a third straight season for Conference USA to be a one bid league.
posted by Kris Gardner @ 10:43 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home