Women's College Basketball Bubble Watch: Which Midmajors could the party crash?

(Note from the publisher: This article is part of the Bracket Central series, a look at the advance of the NCAA tournaments of men and women as well as analyzes and selection during the tournaments.)

While we enter the last week and change before the selection Sunday, I would like to take a moment to highlight some teams that flew under the radar. A large number of programs had special seasons to different seasons, especially in the middle of the majors, some teams go together. While you may not end up in the big dance, you are fighting for the chance to play in and could fall to the party.

Montana state

The Bobcats are 27-3, a direct Big Sky Champs and enjoy the most successful season of Tricia Binford's 20-year-old career in Bozeman, Mont., And the program history as a whole. The Bobcats are in first -class position with the 16th, which are the creative defense of the state Pro CBB -Analytics, to return to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2022 after the signatures against Nord -arizona, Florida Gulf Coast, Troy and Eastern Carolina had won.

Purdue-Fort Wayne

The mastodons have only been a D1 school in 2002 and only had their first winners' season in 2011. Maria Marschesano has a second season in a row in Fort Wayne, Ind. The mastodons have to win the conference tournament to make it a big dance for the first time, but this season was already a massive success.

Southeasters Louisiana

One of my most popular random statistics is that Southeasters Louisiana has more victories in the American Athletic Conference than some teams in the AAC after winning three games against the league in the non -conference game. The Lions, who are sitting 25: 4, enjoy the most successful season in the program history and have put together their best run in Southland Play (19-1) since the accession in 1997. When Ayla Guzzardo took over 2017 in Hammond, LA, the program had not been a winner for almost a decade. Do this now four for the Lions, with a great shot at your second appearance in the NCAA tournament

Now examine the Bubble teams of other conferences:

Acc

Lock: California, Herzog, State Florida, Georgia Tech, Louisville, North Carolina, NC State, Notre Dame

On the bladder: Virginia Tech

Spotlight on: Virginia Tech

The Hokies are currently my last team in the bracket, slide into the first four and play an opportunity for a Matchup No. 6 against No. 11.

It was a rocky end of the regular season for Virginia Tech and achieved a strong victory against tournament -bound CAL, but then loses the extension against Boston College. Another loss against Stanford the week before was also a difficult blow to block a long offer.

The Hokies pulled Georgia Tech in Matchup No. 8 against No. 9 for the ACC tournament and have to win to support another quality victory and a trip to the NCAA tournament. The Yellow jackets lost four of their last five games to close the regular season. … coach Megan Duffy's squad is in a first -class position to make his trip to Greensboro optimal.

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Big east

Lock: Creighton, Uconn

On the bladder: Marquette, Seton Hall

Spotlight on: Seton Hall

The pirates need a little luck to get out of the bladder, but you can also affect your reputation in the Big East tournament. Seton Hall is planned as No. 3 seeds. He has a goodbye in the first round and will take over the winner of Xavier and Depaul, with the opportunity to continue in the next round and to play Cricke.

Seton Hall was competitive with the Bluejays, but cannot win in the two meetings during the regular season in Big East. If it can put together four quarters in Uncasville, Conn.

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Big ten

Lock: Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan, State of Ohio, UCLA, USC

Project in: Iowa, Indiana, Oregon, Minnesota

On the bladder: Nebraska, Washington

Spotlight on: Minnesota and Washington

There may be no more direct game in the bladder than the meeting in the first round in the Big Ten tournament between the Huskies and Golden Gopher.
So strong Minnesota during Big Ten Play, his California road trips until January and start in February led to a 2: 7 degree of the regular season. It is worth noting that the Gopher was still tight and were much more competitive than their record shows, but the losses added up and closes the year badly when they make the big dance as a large.

On the opposite side, the huskies closed with four wins in a row, including three tournament teams (Nebraska and Oregon) and defeated Minnesota in Minneapolis. Both teams have to stack possible victories, but Washington currently has a cleaner curriculum vitae and a stronger case because he ended the season.

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Big 12

Lock: Baylor, state of Kansas, state of Oklahoma, TCU, Utah, West Virginia,

Project in: Iowa state

On the bladder: Arizona, Colorado

Spotlight on: Arizona and Colorado

These two bubble teams will likely compete in the BIG 12 tournament. Colorado steps in the first game (an opponent that the Buffalos recently defeated 23 points) against the right to play in second round No. 16 -Seed Houston.

The wildcats lost a close game in Boulder in early February, but the buffalo has become 2-5 since this game, while Arizona was 5-2.

Injuries have played an unfortunate role, but the winner of this game has the opportunity to put some of the doubts aside of the regular season aside.

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Sec

Lock: Alabama, Kentucky, LSU, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vanderbilt

Project in: Mississippi State

Spotlight on: Mississippi State

I would not put a second in the bladder at the moment: Florida's game without a run to the SEC championship game, and Mississippi State is far enough because I would be surprised by the Bulldogs that fail from the NCAA tournament.

However, the bulldogs actually have a great shot to increase their sowing, take Missouri in the first game and play with Ole Miss in the second round with Ole Miss.

This gives the team of coach Sam Purcell a great opportunity to avenge their quad -2 defeat from the end of January. The state Mississippi played Ole Miss Tight during its one rival game and lost 71-63 against the rebels. Winning two games in the Sec tournament could win the Bulldogs from No. 8/No. Take. 9 Line a much easier way to run a run in the NCAA tournament as No. 7 seeds.

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Midmajors

Lock: Richmond

Project in: Albany, Ball State, Columbia, Fairfield, Fairleigh Dickinson, FGCU, Gonzaga, Grand Canyon, Green Bay, Hawaii, Harvard, High Point, James Madison, Lehigh, Middle Tennessee, Missouri State, Montana State, Norfolk State, North Carolina A & T, North Carolina-Greensboro, South Dakota State, Southeasters Louisiana, Southern, Tennessee Tech, UnlV, UTSA

On the bladder: Belmont, Drake, Murray State, Portland, Princeton, Südflorida

Spotlight on: Missouri Valley Conference

It is quite unlikely that the MVC will be a BID stealer on Sunday, but it is extremely tight with most of the upper level of the league in the tournament bubble.

The state of Missouri is currently the automatic offer of the league, but is with Drake and Murray State (2-0 against Drake, 1-1 against Murray State). In order to make things even more fascinating, Belmont and Illinois State are bound to fourth place, just one game behind it.

With two games in the league in front of the MVC tournament next week, things can be pretty sharp!

The state of Illinois in the US state of Missouri on Thursday, with the potential to have a big swing in the seed and conference tournaments.

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(Photos by Denim Deshield of the Mississippi State and Drake Katie Dinnebier: Stew Milne / Getty Images, David K ​​Purdy / Getty Images)