16 Mar 7 - Closing Time (PRETOURNAMENT)

Volume XX, No. 18 - 16 Mar 7: PRETOURNAMENT - []

Closing Time

More than a quarter (9) of the 32 conference races went down to the final week. Only a couple of cases featured the league-leaders meeting head-to-head with titles on the line, but there was a mix of rising to the occasion and shrinking from it against would-be spoilers.
     Oregon clinched the PAC-12 title with a road sweep of the Los Angeles schools (including 76-@66 over USC); it's only the third conference regular season title ever for the Ducks (after PAC-10/2002 [Ernie Kent/Fred Jones-Luke Ridnour-Luke Jackson] and PCC/1919). Utah edged Colorado (@57-55). Arizona edged California (@64-61 despite being badly outrebounded 26-41).
     In the ACC, Miami(Florida) road-routed (68-@50) but then collapsed on Desperation Trail in a disappointing (road) rout loss at Virginia Tech to fall out of first place. Meanwhile, North Carolina toughed out two squeak wins against Syracuse (@75-70) and then on the road at arch-rival Duke (76-@72 dominating the boards 58-26 as cBrice Johnson[18p21r] countered 29p5a from pGrayson Allen) to clinch the title. Virginia routed Louisville (@68-46 led by cMike Tobey[15p20r]). Pittsburgh tripped twice, at Virginia Tech and at Georgia Tech (59-@63 including shooting 0-for-11 on three-pointers). Syracuse tripped at Florida State as well.
     Texas A&M beat Vanderbilt (@76-67) to clinch a share of the SEC title; it's the first regular season title in 30 years for the Aggies (since SWC/1986 [Shelby Metcalf/Don Marbury-Winston Crite-Todd Holloway]). Kentucky routed LSU (@94-77) to clinch its share of the title (and repeat from last year). South Carolina tripped at Georgia (72-@74).
     With the AMERICAN title on the line, SMU pounded Connecticut (@80-54) but fell at Cincinnati (54-@61 in a defensive struggle that saw both teams combine to shoot 3-for-31 on three-pointers). That allowed 2-0 Temple to clinch the title. Houston had already shut down Cincinnati (@69-56 while committing only 5 turnovers).
     VCU had the chance to win the ATLANTIC 10 title outright, but had to settle for a three-way triumvirate instead after tripping in overtime at Dayton (67-@68[OT] led by tScoochie Smith[29p5a8r]). St. Bonaventure claimed its share of the title beating St. Joseph's (@98-90 on 63 percent shooting led by gMarcus Posley[47]'s star turn) -- it's the first conference regular season title ever for the Bonnies. Alas, StJoes couldn't make it a foursome, falling at home to Duquesne. Davidson beat George Washington (@87-80).
     Hawaii tripped at Long Beach State and had to share the BIG WEST title along with UC-Irvine. Akron routed Ohio University (@91-76 despite 25p7a from pJaaron Simmons) to clinch the MAC (with a gap). Princeton tripped at Harvard (71-@73) to fall out of first place; meanwhile, Yale road-routed third-place Columbia (71-@55) to clinch the IVY title outright (after sharing it last year) and earn its first bid to the NCAA tournament since 1962. Weber State tripped at Idaho but didn't have to share the BIG SKY title after Montana fell at home.

BIG 10 gap-champ Indiana had its strongest week of the season, edging on the road at Iowa (81-@78) and thumping Maryland (@80-62 while sinking 20-for-25 free throws). Purdue handled Wisconsin (@91-80 on 62 percent shooting as fCaleb Swanigan[27p8r] cancelled 30p8r from tNigel Hayes). Iowa won on the road at Michigan (71-@61 behind bJarrod Uthoff[29p7r]).
     BIG 12 gap-champ Kansas continued to roll, road-routing Texas (86-@56 on 60 percent shooting) and beating Iowa State (@85-78 comitting only 5 turnovers). West Virginia routed Texas Tech (@90-68) and won on the road at slumping Baylor (69-@58). Baylor earlier tripped at Oklahoma (71-@73).
     In the BIG EAST, Butler cooled off Seton Hall (@85-78 on 25-for-32 free-throw shooting despite 27p3a6r from bIsaiah Whitehead). Creighton tripped twice, at Providence (66-@70 as xBen Bentil[27p10r] starred) and at Xavier (93-@98).

- - - - - -

In conference tournament play, 4-gap [1]Wichita State failed to Anti-Spoil in the MISSOURI VALLEY as big-game Northern Iowa came through, upsetting WichSt in the semis in overtime (57-52[OT] holding the Wheatshockers to 2-for-24 on three-pointers) and then downing [2a]Evansville in the final (56-54 on bWes Washpun's game-winning [make that BID-WINNING] jumper. With the low rating of the MVC, Evansville (a very good team) will be sweating it out on Sunday hoping for an at-large bid.
     PATRIOT/[1]Bucknell fell at home right away in double-overtime to [9]Holy Cross (@72-77[OT]). OHIO VALLEY/[1/E]Belmont fell at "home" in Nashville in overtime to [8]Austin Peay (@96-97[OT] as cChris Horton[30p16r] outshone 32p from Evan Bradds) and APeay went on to win four tourney games (and a Jack Dawson bid). ATLANTIC SUN/gap-[1]North Florida was drubbed at home right away by [2c]Florida Gulf Coast (@56-89, dominated on the boards 45-22) and Jack Dawson FLGC went on to win in the final in a thriller in overtime on gZach Johnson's game-winning/BID-WINNING block. The logjam atop the BIG SOUTH was resolved when [3b]UNC-Asheville went through both co-champs [1a]High Point in the semis (@80-@69) and [1b]Winthrop in the final (@77-68 as xDwayne Sutton[25p18r] outdueled 31p5s from gJimmy Gavin).

- - - - - -

With 36 at-large bids, there hasn't been any injustice lately about a quality team not getting into the NCAAs -- it has only been the case nowadays of which bad teams got in anyway ... (but we may be back to our old legitimate beefs this time around).
     Here are the locks (and nots) for this year's at-large bids among the B-Major and MM leagues:

• BIG 12 (5/1) - Kansas + (lock: West Virginia, Oklahoma, Iowa State, Baylor, Texas;
  not: Texas Tech)
  
• BIG EAST (5/0) - Villanova + (lock: Xavier, Butler, Seton Hall, Creighton, Providence;
  not: NONE)
  
• PAC-12 (3/2) - Oregon + (lock: Arizona, Utah, California;
  not: Colorado, USC)
  
• ACC (4/2) - North Carolina + (lock: Virginia, x[Louisville], Miami[Florida], Duke, Pittsburgh;
  not: Notre Dame, Syracuse)
  
• AMERICAN (3/1) - Temple + (lock: x[SMU], Cincinnati, Connecticut, Tulsa;
  not: Houston)
  
• BIG 10 (5/1) - Indiana + (lock: Michigan State, Purdue, Iowa, Maryland, Wisconsin;
  not: Michigan)
  
• SEC (3/0) - Texas A&M + (lock: Kentucky, South Carolina, Vanderbilt;
  not: NONE)
  
• A-10 (2/2) - VCU + (lock: St. Joseph's, Dayton;
  not: St. Bonaventure, George Washington)
  
• MWC (0/1) - San Diego State + (lock: NONE;
  not: Boise State)
  
• WCC (2/0) - St. Mary's + (lock: Gonzaga, BYU;
  not: NONE)
  
• MVC (1/1) - *Northern Iowa + (lock: Wichita State;
  not: Evansville)
  

That's a walloping 33 lock bids, leaving only 3 soft bids up for grabs among 11 contenders who could still play themselves in or out of a bid. Yikes! That is as little wigggle room as we've ever seen. (And just imagine if both Louisville and SMU were eligible for the NCAAs -- we'd be down to 11 teams scrambling for one spot!) (Has the 30-second clock led to fewer upsets so that more B-Major also-rans are on solid ground with "locks" than has been in the past? Most likely so.) Living up to your seeding in the conference tournament is the bare minimum. (Wichita State's failure to Anti-Spoil has taken away one soft bid already ... and Valparaiso, Little Rock, Monmouth and Hawaii all could be Anti-Spoilers as well. Yikes!) - - - - - - Only three teams are in the running for the overall No.1-seed: Kansas, Villanova and North Carolina (in that order) based on whichever one wins its tournament and goes TiTo -- (if none of them do, Kansas gets it anyway). The final No.1 Regional seed would go to (in order) a TiTo Oregon, TiTo Indiana or if Virginia, Michigan State, West Virginia/Oklahoma and Xavier beat their respective title-champs on the way to tourney crowns.
     The BIG 12 has been the strongest and deepest league overall, but the BIG EAST, ACC and BIG 10 weren't that far behind in terms of the quality of their elite teams; the PAC-12 was deep (without as many truly elite squads) while the AMERICAN and ATLANTIC 10 were good at the top but weak at the bottom; the WEST COAST, MISSOURI VALLEY and MOUNTAIN WEST only had a handful of quality squads between them but were 1BC-calibre overall.
     Despite the depth and overall quality of the competition, [1]Kansas shouldn't be headed in the BIG 12 tournament (but the star power of bBuddy Hield could lead [3]Oklahoma past everyone); [2]West Virginia is built for tournament play; [5b]Iowa State and [5a]Baylor are fading while [4]Texas is rising (and coach Shaka Smart's style is tourney-tested). Only [2]Xavier figures to challenge mighty [1]Villanova in the BIG EAST although late surges from [3]Seton Hall and [4b]Butler have impressed; [6]Creighton and [4a]Providence are going in the wrong direction. [1]Oregon's style is ready-made for PAC-12 tourney play and it matches up well against both [3b]Arizona and [2]Utah; [3a]California could spoil but [5]Colorado and [6b]USC don't have enough to worry the top teams. [2a]Virginia and [1]North Carolina are co-favorites in the ACC; ([4]Louisville would have been a major factor); [2b]Miami(Florida) and [4b]Duke could step up as well; [9a]Pittsburgh is headed in the wrong direction; [5a]Notre Dame and [9b]Syracuse are spoilers at best.
     ([2]SMU's absence greatly diminishes the AMERICAN tourney draw); [3c]Cincinnati is strong (but not built for tourney play); [6]Connecticut is tourney-made while [3b]Tulsa should be good to spoil; [3a]Houston and [1]Temple figure to underachieve. One bad stretch when xDenzel Valentine was injured cost [2]Michigan State the spotlight as a contender for the overall No.1-seed but a healthy Spartan squad should roll through the BIG 10 tourney; [1]Indiana and [3b]Purdue are hot and [3c]Iowa and [3a]Maryland are real contenders but [3d]Wisconsin and [8]Michigan are only spoilers. [1a]Texas A&M and [1b]Kentucky didn't settle much in the SEC regular season (and UK's Blue Nation travelling fan base is a determining factor come tourney time; only [3a]South Carolina and [3c]Vanderbilt figure to even have a chance to spoil. The ATLANTIC 10 regular season was a scramble so any one of five teams could take the tourney among [1b]VCU, [4]St. Joseph's, [1a]Dayton, [1c]St. Bonaventure and [5]George Washington.
     A poor conference rating means [1]San Diego State may not even be a true Anti-Spoiler and [3]Boise State probably needs to win the MOUNTAIN WEST tourney. As long as they don't lose to anyone else, both [1a]St. Mary's and [1b]Gonzaga should be safe for their expected rubber-match showdown in the WEST COAST final but [3]BYU needs to a strong showing (and probably one upset) to secure an at-large bid. ([1]Wichita State should be safe as an Anti-Spoiler, but with such a poor conference rating for the MISSOURI VALLEY, [2a]Evansville is probably NIT-bound after [4a]Northern Iowa's stolen bid.)
     With so few soft bids even up for grabs, it's a bad year to be an Anti-Spoiler, so HORIZON/[1]Valparaiso, SUN BELT/[1]Little Rock, METRO ATLANTIC/[1]Monmouth and BIG WEST/[1a]Hawaii probably can't risk having any B-Major/Mid-Major bid-stealers send them to the NIT.      It would be a shame if SOUTHERN/[1]Chattanooga, MID-AMERICAN/[1]Akron, SUMMIT/[1b]South Dakota State, CONFERENCE USA/[1]UAB, SOUTHLAND/[1]Stephen F. Austin (the only undefeated title champ this season), AMERICA EAST/[1]Stony Brook, COLONIAL/[1b]UNC-Wilmington, BIG SKY/[1]Weber State and WAC/[1]New Mexico State didn't make the NCAAs.
     Home-standing NORTHEAST/[1]Wagner should have enough in the final. SWAC/[1]Texas Southern was surprisingly strong. Let's hope MEAC/[1]Hampton is the least of this year's Field of 68.

Here's a weird scheduling note. SUNB/[1]Little Rock has played itself into an Anti-Spoiler role. Ideally, you'd like to have seen all of those "confirmed" 1BC leagues play their conference tournaments last week, so that if there were any failed Anti-Spoilers, you'd already know about it when the "confirmed" Mid-Major and B-Major league tourneys get going this week. But, for some reason, the SUN BELT not only leaves its tourney until the second week, it doesn't conclude until Sunday afternoon. We could have a scenario where LRock makes it to the SUNB final but loses in OT and both teams get in to the chagrin of B-Major also-rans throughout the country. BIGW/[1a]Hawaii has a similar (but lesser) argument. Everyone already knows where they stand with respect to MVC/[1]Wichita State. At least HORIZ/[1]Valparaiso and MAAC/[1]Monmouth will have sorted themselves out early in the week.

This year, we have yet another new postseason tournament -- Ay! Ay! Ay! The week-long 16-draw VEGAS-16 TOURNAMENT will take place Saturday-Wednesday March 26-30 all at the MANDALAY BAY ARENA in Las Vegas. That's now 164 teams (out of 351 total) who will be bound for a postseasn tournament; so now college basketball is headed the way of college football with its glut of bowl games. Let's see, that gives us Gold (NCAA/68), Silver (NIT/32), Bronze (CBI/16), Copper (CIT/32) and now Tin (V-16/16) medals to award. AAARRRGGGHHH!!!

-- Ron

P.S. Look for the official Hoops Contest invite Sunday overnight. (And don't forget the deadline is TUESDAY 6:30P because of the FIRST FOUR games.)

Key games this week:

Monday:

MAAC TOURNAMENT Final @AlbanyNY/Siena/
-([1]Monmouth-[2]@Iona),
SOCON TOURNAMENT Final @AshevilleNC
-([1]Chattanooga-[2]ETennesseeSt),
COLONIAL TOURNAMENT Final @BaltimoreMD/Towson/
-([1a]Hofstra-[1b]UNCWilmington),

Monday-Tuesday:

WCC TOURNAMENT Semis,Final @LasVegasNV/ORLEANS/
-([1a]StMarys-[4]Pepperdine[CA], [1b]Gonzaga-[3]BYU),
HORIZON TOURNAMENT Semis,Final @DetroitMI/Detroit/
-([1]Valparaiso-[4]GreenBay, [2a]@Oakland-[2b]WrightSt),
SUMMIT TOURNAMENT Semis,Final @SiouxFallSD
-([1a]IPFW, [1b]@SDState),

Monday, Saturday:

AMERICA EAST TOURNAMENT Semis,Final on-campus
-(@[1]StonyBrook, @[3a]Vermont-[3b]NewHampshire),

Monday, Thursday-Saturday:

MAC TOURNAMENT on-campus, @ClevelandOH
-([1/E1]@Akron, [2]@OhioU, [3a]Buffalo, [3b/W1a]CMichigan, [3c]@KentSt, [3d/W1b]BallSt),

Monday-Saturday:

MEAC TOURNAMENT @NorfolkVA/NorfolkSt/
-([1]@Hampton, @[2a]NorfolkSt, [2b]SCState, [4]BethuneCookman, [5]SavannahSt),

Tuesday:

NEC TOURNAMENT Final on-campus
-(@[1]Wagner-[2a]FairleighDickinson),

Tuesday-Saturday:

ACC TOURNAMENT @WashingtonDC
[4]Louisville is ineligible for the postseason (due to a self-imposed ban).
-(Tue Open/32s: [11b]FloridaSt-[15]BostonCol, [13]NCState-[14]WakeForest[NC];
   Wed 1st/16s: [5b]Duke-[13]/[14][NC], [7a]VirginiaTech-[11b]/[15], [7b]Clemson-[11a]GeorgiaTech, [9a]Pittsburgh-[9b]Syracuse;
   Thu 2nd/Qtrs: [1]NCarolina-[9a]/[9b], [2a]Virginia-[7b]/[11a], [2b]MiamiFL-[7a]//[11b]/[15], [5a]NotreDame-[5b]//[13]/[14]),
SWAC TOURNAMENT @HoustonTX/PrairieViewA&M,TexasSo/
-(@[1]TexasSo, [2]AlcornSt, [3]JacksonSt, [4]Southern),

Tuesday, Thursday-Saturday:

BIG SKY TOURNAMENT @RenoNV
-([1]WeberSt, [2]Montana, [3]Idaho, [4]IdahoSt),
C-USA TOURNAMENT @BirminghamAL/UAB/
[12a]Southern Mississippi is ineligible for the postseason (due to an NCAA ban).
-(Tue Open/32s: [12b]FLAtlantic-[14]TXSanAntonio;
   Wed 1st/16s: [3c]OldDominion-[12b]/[14], [6]UTEP-[11]FLInternational, [7]Charlotte-[9b]Rice, [8]WeKentucky-[9a]NTexas;
   Thu 2nd/Qtrs: @[1]UAB-[8]/[9a], [2]MidTennessee-[7]/[9b], [3a]Marshall-[6]UTEP, [3b]LouisianaTech-[3c]//[12b]/[14]),

Wednesday:

PATRIOT TOURNAMENT Final on-campus
-(@[2]Lehigh-[9]HolyCross),

Wednesday-Saturday:

BIG 12 TOURNAMENT @KansasCityMO
-(Wed 1st/16s: [7]TexasTech-[10]TCU(TX), [8]@KansasSt-[9]OklahomaSt;
   Thu 2nd/Qtrs: [1]@Kansas-[8]/[9], [2]WVirginia-[7]/[10], [3]Oklahoma-[5b]IowaSt, [4]Texas-[5a]Baylor[TX]),
BIG EAST TOURNAMENT @NewYorkNY/MSG/
-(Wed 1st/16s: [7]Marquette-@[10]StJohns, [8]Georgetown-[9]DePaul;
   Thu 2nd/Qtrs: [1]Villanova-[8]/[9], [2]Xavier-[7]/[10], [3]SetonHall-[6]Creighton, [4a]Providence-[4b]Butler),
PAC-12 TOURNAMENT @LasVegasNV/MGM/
-(Wed 1st/16s: [5]Colorado-[12]WashingtonSt, [6a]OregonSt-[11]ArizonaSt, [6b]USC-[10]UCLA[LosAngelesCA], [6c]Washington-[9]Stanford;
   Thu 2nd/Qtrs: [1]Oregon-[6c]/[9], [2]Utah-[6b]/[10], [3a]California-[6a]/[11], [3b]Arizona-[5]/[12]),
MWC TOURNAMENT @LasVegasNV/UNLV/
-(Wed 1st/16s: [6a]ColoradoSt-[11]SanJoseSt, @[6b]UNLV-[10]AirForce, [8a]Wyoming-[8b]UtahSt;
   2nd/Qtrs: [1]SanDiegoSt-[8a]/[8b], [2]FresnoSt-[6b]/[10], [3]BoiseSt-[6a]/[11], [4a]NewMexico-[4b]@Nevada),
SOUTHLAND TOURNAMENT @KatyTX
[3a]{Incarnate Word} is not yet eligible for the postseason.
-([1]@StephenFAustin, [2]@TexasA&MCC, [3b]@SamHoustonSt, [5]@HoustonBaptist),

Wednesday-Sunday:

BIG 10 TOURNAMENT @IndianapolisIN
-(Wed Open/32s: [11]Nebraska-[14]Rutgers, [12]Illinois-[13]Minnesota;
   Thu 1st/16s: [3c]Iowa-[12]/[13], [3d]Wisconsin-[11]/[14], [7]OhioSt-[10]PennSt, [8]Michigan-[9]Northwestern;
   Fri 2nd/Qtrs: [1]@Indiana-[8]/[9], [2]MichiganSt-[7]/[10], [3a]Maryland-[3d]//[11]/[14], [3b]@Purdue-[3c]//[12]/[13]),
SEC TOURNAMENT @NashvilleTN/BRIDGESTONE/Vanderbilt/
[14]Missouri is ineligible for the postseason (due to an NCAA ban).
-(Wed Open/32s: [12]@Tennessee-[13]Auburn;
   Thus 1st/16s: @[3c]Vanderbilt-[12]/[13], [6a]Georgia-[11]MississippiSt, [6b]Mississippi-[10]Alabama, [8a]Florida-[8b]Arkansas;
   Fri 2nd/Qtrs: [1a]TexasA&M-[8a]/[8b], [1b]@Kentucky-[6b]/[10], [3a]SCarolina-[6a]/[11], [3b]LSU-[3c]//[12]/[13]),
A-10 TOURNAMENT @BrooklynNY/BARCLAYS/
-(Wed Open/32s: [10b]Duquesne-[14]LaSalle, [12a]GeoMason-[12b]StLouis;
   Thu 1st/16s: [5]GeoWashington-[12a]/[12b], [6]Davidson-[10b]/[14], [7]RhodeIsland-[10a]Massachusetts, @[8]Fordham-[9]Richmond;
   Fri 2nd/Qtrs: [1a]Dayton-[8a]/[9], [1b]VCU-[7]/[10a], [1c]@StBonaventure-[6]/[10b]/[14], [4]StJosephs-[5]//[12a]/[12b]),

Thursday-Saturday:

BIG WEST TOURNAMENT @AnaheimCA/HONDA/
-([1a]Hawaii, [1b]@UCIrvine, [3]@LongBeachSt, [4]@UCSantaBarbara),
WAC TOURNAMENT @LasVegasNV/ORLEANS/
-([1]NewMexicoSt, [2a]{GrandCanyon}, [2b]CalStBakersfield),

Thursday-Sunday:

AMERICAN TOURNAMENT @OrlandoFL/UCF/
[2]SMU is ineligible for the postseason (due to an NCAA ban).
-(Thu 1st/16s: @[8]UCF-[11]Tulane, [9a]ECarolina-[9b]SFlorida;
   Fri 2nd/Qtrs: [1]Temple-[9a]/[9b], [3a]Houston-[8]/[11], [3b]Tulsa-[7]Memphis, [3c]Cincinnati-[6]Connecticut),
SUN BELT TOURNAMENT @NewOrleansLA
-(Thu Open/16s: [5]GeorgiaSo-[7b]SAlabama, [6]GeorgiaSt-[7a]TexasSt;
   Fri 1st/Qtrs: [3]TXArlington-[6]/[7a], [4]@Louisiana-[5]/[7b];
   Sat 2nd/Semis: [1]LittleRock-[4]//[5]/[7b], [2]@LAMonroe-[3]//[6]/[7a]),

Friday:

Saturday:

Sunday:

(NCAA BRACKET SELECTION),
(NIT BRACKET SELECTION),
(CBI [COLLEGE BASKETBALL INVITATIONAL] BRACKET SELECTION),
(CIT [COLLEGEINSIDER.COM TOURNAMENT] BRACKET SELECTION),
((new) V16 [VEGAS 16] BRACKET SELECTION).

---

Top 25 - 16 Mar 7: PRETOURNAMENT - [] Column

1. Kansas (26-4) BIG12+2
   
2. Villanova (27-4) BIG.E+2 BIG5u
   
3. Oregon (25-5) PAC12
   
4. Xavier (25-4)
   
5. Virginia (24-6)
   
6. North Carolina (25-6) ACC
   
7. Michigan State (26-5)
   
8. Oklahoma (23-6)
   
9. West Virginia (23-7)
   
10. Indiana (25-6) BIG10+2
    
11. Utah (23-7)
    
12. Miami(Florida) (24-6)
    
13. SMU (25-5)
    
14. Louisville (22-8)
    
15. Texas A&M (24-7) .5SEC+2
    
16. Kentucky (23-8) .5SEC+2
    
17. Iowa (21-9)
    
18. Maryland (23-7)
    
19. Duke (22-9)
    
20. Iowa State (21-10)
    
21. Purdue (23-7)
    
22. Cincinnati (22-9)
    
23. Butler (21-9)
    
24. St. Mary's (24-4) .5WCC+2
    
25. San Diego State (21-8) MWC+3
    

Honorable Mention:

Virginia Tech (18-13).

Temple (20-10) AMER,
VCU (22-9)/Dayton (24-6)/St. Bonaventure (22-7) A-10,
Hawaii (22-5)/UC-Irvine (22-8) BIG.W,
Akron (23-7) MAC,
Yale (21-6) IVY,
Weber State (20-8) SKY.

Northern Iowa (21-12) [MVCt],
Austin Peay (16-17) [@OVCt],
Florida Gulf Coast (16-13) [@A-SUNt],
UNC-Asheville (20-11) [vBIG.St].