That's Why It's Called 'Madness'
March 7, 2005
By Matt Lockhart
Sportswriter, Charleston Daily Mail
It's March and it's showing.
Last weekend's West Virginia Conference Tournament did two things for area basketball teams.
University of Charleston's loss in the women's semifinals kept the Golden Eagles from hosting the first round of the NCAA Division II East Regional.
West Virginia State's quarterfinal loss in the men's bracket kept the Yellow Jackets out of the NCAA Tournament altogether.
"This is March Madness," UC Coach Sherry Winn said. "Crazy things happen now."
Winn's Golden Eagles (26-4) drew the No. 3 seed in the East Regional, despite being the top-ranked team entering the WVC Tournament.
They will be joined in Anderson, S.C., for the first round Friday with three other WVC teams No. 4 Fairmont State, No. 5 Glenville State and conference champion Wheeling Jesuit, the No. 7 seed.
UC will play No. 6 Clarion (Pa.), a team it beat 89-54 in late November at Eddie King Gym.
Fairmont State (27-3) and Glenville State (24-7) will meet each other in the first round, while Wheeling Jesuit (23-8) takes on No. 2 California (Pa.), the defending Division II national champions.
"The East Region is loaded with talent," Winn said. "There will be no easy games. Whoever comes out has a great shot to go all the way."
Winn isn't alone in this school of thought.
During Sunday's selection show, NCAA representative Kathy Turpin said the East Region was one of the two toughest in the eight-region, 64-team tournament.
The same is true for the men's side, evidenced by West Virginia State's absence.
Wheeling Jesuit's WVC championship and automatic bid did not help the Yellow Jackets' chances, because the Cardinals (21-10) would not have had a high enough regional ranking to make the tournament otherwise.
Five teams received at-large bids in the East Region, including WVC regular-season winner No. 4 Salem International, and No. 5 Alderson-Broaddus. The three other spots went to conference tournament champions.
WVC Associate Commissioner Will Prewitt said West Virginia State's 19-10 record could have been the determining factor in the NCAA leaving the Yellow Jackets out.
Prewitt also said that eight of West Virginia State's nine non-conference games were against teams that had won more than 15 games and had been ranked in the East Region at some point during the year.
West Virginia State was 3-2 against teams picked for the East Regional, including a win over No. 2 Mount Olive (26-4).
The Yellow Jackets' early exit in the WVC Tournament didn't help matters, considering they were ranked sixth in the East Region before tournament play began.
NCAA Division II East Region Chairman John Wilson was at the WVC Tournament Thursday, and saw all three Kanawha Valley men's teams lose.
"I want to see who can play and who is good," Wilson said Thursday.
Squeaking in ahead of West Virginia State with at-large bids were two Pennsylvania schools No. 6 Indiana (23-8) and No. 7 Millersville (22-7), just ahead of No. 8 Wheeling Jesuit.
The Cardinals will play host Pfeiffer (26-4) in Saturday's first round in Misenheimer, N.C.
Salem (22-6) and A-B (24-6) will play for the third time this season, after they split their regular season meetings.
The eight regional champions from the men's side will meet for the Elite Eight March 23-26 at Grand Forks, N.D. The women's Elite Eight is the same time in Hot Springs, Ark.
"Everyone has new hopes and dreams," said Winn, who has her Golden Eagles ranked 11th nationally. "It's almost like what you did before doesn't count, which is a bummer."
UC will make the 61/2-hour drive to Anderson, S.C., on Thursday.