|
|
|
MWC To Send Four Women's Basketball Teams to 2008 Postseason New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming advance to NCAAs, while TCU competes in WNIT
March 17, 2008
NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Bracket
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Mountain West Conference will send four teams to the 2008 postseason. New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming have been invited to the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament, while TCU will make an appearance in the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT). New Mexico (20-12), the MWC automatic qualifier after capturing its fifth overall and second-consecutive Mountain West Conference Women's Basketball Championship title last week, is a No. 12 seed. The Lobos return to the NCAA Tournament for the seventh straight year and the eighth time overall. New Mexico will play No. 5 seed West Virginia (24-7) in the first round on Saturday, March 22 at approximately 6:30 p.m. MT in Albuquerque, N.M. The Lobos, 3-7 all-time in NCAA Tournament play, fell in the first round last year to Wisconsin-Green Bay, 59-52. The winner of the New Mexico vs. West Virginia contest faces the winner of the No. 4 seed Vanderbilt (23-8) vs. No. 13 seed Montana (25-6) on Monday, March 24. Regular-season champion Utah (27-4) will be a No. 8 seed in the NCAA Tournament, after compiling a perfect 16-0 conference record. The Utes will face No. 9 seed Purdue (18-14) in the first round on Sunday, March 23 in West Lafayette, Ind., at 7 p.m. ET. The Utes will be making their fourth appearance in five years in the NCAA Tournament, after advancing to the second round of the WNIT last year. Utah has made 14 appearances in the NCAA postseason, garnering an 8-14 all-time record. The Utes reached the Elite Eight in 2006, defeating Middle Tennessee State, Arizona State and Boston College. The winner of the Utah vs. Purdue game will face the winner of the No. 1 seed Tennessee (30-2) vs. No. 16 seed Oral Roberts (19-13) on Tuesday, March 25. Wyoming is making its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Cowgirls finished the season with a 24-6 overall record after winning the WNIT championship last year. Wyoming is the No. 11 seed and will face No. 6 seed Pittsburgh (22-10) in the first round on Saturday, March 22, at approximately 2 p.m. MT in Albuquerque, N.M. The winner of the Wyoming vs. Pittsburgh contest will face the winner of the No. 3 seed Baylor (24-6) vs. No. 14 seed Fresno State (22-10) on Monday, March 24. TCU (21-11) will make its first appearance in the WNIT. The Horned Frogs received a bye in the first round and will host the winner of the Idaho State-Boise State game in the second round on Monday, March 24. TCU has been to the postseason eight straight years. The MWC has made 35 postseason appearances since the league was formed nine years ago, including four NCAA Sweet 16 showings (Utah-2001, 07, BYU-2002, New Mexico-2003). Utah was also the first MWC team to advance to the Elite Eight in 2006. Last season, BYU, New Mexico and TCU made appearances in the NCAA Tournament. Six of the nine MWC teams have been to the NCAA Tournament the last six years. NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament first- and second-round games are at predetermined sites for the sixth straight year. The four regional winners will meet at the NCAA Women's Final Four, April 6 & 8, at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Fla., with the University of South Florida serving as the host. The MWC in the 2008 NCAA Tournament Monday, Mar. 24 -mwc-
|
|
