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Such like the big dance, when it comes to conference tournaments, we expect the top-seeded teams to go deep. It’d be hard to anticipate a conference title game void of teams with the strongest season records. But, as this week has proven, a strong performance during the first lap does not guarantee a trip to the finish line.
Here’s a look at a few one-seeds that did not even get a chance to take their talents to the title game:
ACC
In a Friday night thriller, no. 19 UNC defeated ACC leader and no. 3 Virginia. The fifth-seeded Tar Heels stunned with a 71-67 win over the top-seed, paving their way to the championship game.
A10
Nationally ranked Davidson (no. 24) fell to fifth-seeded Virginia Commonwealth University. The Wildcats’ 10-game winning streak came to a screeching halt with a 93-73 loss to the Rams in the semifinal round. Shaka Smart’s HAVOC moves on to face Dayton with the hope of earning their first A10 tournament title.
Missouri Valley
In a conference dubbed as “a breeding ground for March Madness Upsets” by USA Today, the semifinal round resulted in an upset for the nation’s no. 12 team. Fourth-seeded Illinois State took down top-seeded Wichita State with a 65-52 victory. Illinois State’s run didn’t last long though; the team lost to Northern Iowa in the championship game.
On a positive note, all of the above teams should get a chance for redemption, or to prove their worth, in the big dance. That may not be the case for the Ohio Valley’s top-seeded Murray State that actually made it to their championship game, only to take second place to Belmont in a one-point heartbreaker. Now they’re left wondering if they’ll make it into the tournament or will end up taking their talents to the NIT instead. Welcome to the madness that is March.
