By Woodrow Carroll
There are 32 major college basketball conferences. Any team in any one of these conferences theoretically could capture the NCAA basketball tournament championship. The tournament will begin March 15. Clearly, the eventual national champion will come from approximately 20 schools.
There are no undefeated teams this season. Entering last weekend there were only three teams unscathed in conference play, which was reduced to two Saturday when West Coast Conference power Gonzaga was upset by St. Marys, 71-61. It closed out conference play for both schools. Two weeks prior, Gonzaga was a 16-point winner at home against St. Marys.
St. Marys, in Moraga, Calif. in greater San Francisco area, was ready for Gonzaga. The Gaels finished in second place in league play and in the top 25 in polls following the upset against Gonzaga. The two teams could face each other in the Conference tournament which gets under way this week, although Gonzaga and St. Marys will not see action until Monday next week. Should both Gonzaga and St. Marys win Monday, the two sides will meet Tuesday for the automatic NCAA bid.
The two surviving league unbeaten teams are South Dakota State of the Summit Conference and Murray State of the Ohio Valley Conference.
The Jackrabbits of South Dakota State call Brookings home. Host Western Illinois played the Jackrabbits January 22. The two schools are members of the Summit Conference. South Dakota State won, 9-75.
There is a reason for South Dakota State’s success. The Jackrabbits (27-4) are the top ranked NCAA team in field goal shooting, three-point shooting, and in points scored. The team is only No. 147 in rebounding, but, with shots going in, rebound opportunities are limited.
Murray State (28-2) has been a power in the Ohio Valley Conference for many years. The Racers suffered early-season losses to Auburn and East Tennessee State then raced to victories in conference play. Murray State’s two defeats are the fewest of any team in the national polls.
• Arch Madness 2022 is what the Chicago Loyola University Ramblers win a return trip to the NCAA Tournament field of 68 teams.
Played in St. Louis, hence the term Arch Madness, the Missouri Valley Conference will determine its tournament champion Sunday, March 6. Games will be played Thursday through Sunday with the championship game 2 p.m. Sunday.
Loyola (22-7) is defending MVC Tournament champion. This time around the Ramblers are seeded No. 4. A 102-96 overtime loss to Northern Iowa Saturday, Feb. 26 cost Loyola the Conference championship and relegated the Ramblers to the No. 4 in the tournament seeding. Loyola and No. 5 Bradley will meet at 3:30 p.m. Friday with the victor moving into the semifinals..
Recent seasons have been rewarding for the Ramblers. In 2018, Loyola reached the Final Four before falling to Michigan. Last season, the Ramblers knocked off both Georgia Tech and Illinois before losing to Oregon State in the round of 16.
The Missouri Valley Conference Tournament will be finished three days prior to the start of the 14-team Big Ten Conference tournament.