By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports
March beckons. Before the Madness are conference tournaments, vital for one-bid leagues like Conference USA, the Southland and the SWAC.
Teams are bidding for their best-possible seeding in those tournaments. There’s not a local team that looms as a strong contender for postseason magic, but the Louisiana Tech men and both Northwestern State teams appear to have the best chances to make runs in their league tourneys – if they finish the regular season strongly.
Checking on area Division I teams:
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Louisiana Tech (18-10, 7-8 CUSA)
Status in CUSA race: The Bulldogs, having dropped two of the last three, are seventh in the 10-team league but within two wins of fourth place. Sam Houston is in ninth. Next week Tech is home against fourth-place New Mexico State (8-6) and sixth-place UTEP (7-7). All 10 CUSA teams go to the March 11-15 CUSA Tournament and a first-round bye is within the Bulldogs’ reach.
Next: Saturday, 4:30, at Sam Houston State (11-17, 4-11), next Thursday home vs. New Mexico State
Last game: lost 64-63 Saturday at Western Kentucky
Notes: Tech needed overtime to beat the Bearkats in Ruston 66-61 on Feb. 1 … the Bulldogs are 12-3 at Thomas Assembly Center, 5-2 in CUSA games, but just 2-6 in league road games … point guard Sean Newman now ranks third nationally with his 8.1 assists average. Center Daniel Batcho is second in the NCAA in shooting aim (68.2 percent) and 20th in blocked shots average (2.11) … Sam Houston’s Lamar Wilkerson is seventh nationally with 3.4 3-pointers made per game.
Northwestern (13-15, 10-8 Southland)
Status in SLC race: With two home games left in the regular season against teams the Demons edged on the road, hopes of a first-round bye in eight-team Southland Tournament are high but will require sweeping the next two and getting some help with other results. Four of the 12 league teams don’t advance to Lake Charles for the tourney; NSU clinched its spot last week.
Next: home Saturday at 3:30 vs. Houston Christian (12-17, 9-9); home Monday night at 6:30 vs. UIW
Last game: won 72-69 Monday night at Southeastern
Notes: The Demons swept their road games at UNO, playing without injured leading scorer Addison Patterson, who returned to help NSU top second-place SLU in Hammond Monday night … junior guard Micah Thomas stepped forward with games of 23 and 24 points, hitting 10 of 17 on 3-pointers, leading victories at UNO and SLU.
Grambling (9-18, 6-8 SWAC)
Status in SWAC race: The Tigers have four SWAC games remaining before the March 12-15 conference tournament in Atlanta and three are against teams ahead of Grambling, including both road games this week in the Tigers’ Florida swing. Grambling will make the 10-team field, as UAPB and Mississippi Valley have a combined three wins and are toast. But the Tigers need a strong finish to avoid one of the lower seeds.
Next: home Saturday at 4:30 against Texas Southern (10-14, 7-4), at home Monday 4:30 vs. Prairie View (4-20, 3-8)
Last game: lost 71-64 at home last Saturday to Southern
Notes: Grambling had won three of its last four, including a 22-point romp over Prairie View, before bowing to the Jaguars for the second time this season … the Tigers are just 5-6 at home this season, including a 65-59 loss to Bethune Cookman followed by a 79-72 win over FAMU last month.
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Louisiana Tech (13-13, 6-9 CUSA)
Status in CUSA race: Having dropped four straight, the last two at home, the sixth-place Lady Techsters have three CUSA games left, the last two at fourth-place Nex Mexico State (8-6 in the league) and last-place UTEP (3-11). All 10 teams go to the CUSA Tournament March 11-15, and the Techsters are in the mix for a first-round bye with a good finish.
Next: Home tonight, 6:30, vs. Sam Houston State (12-13, 5-10); next Thursday at New Mexico State
Last game: lost 78-73 to Western Kentucky last Saturday
Notes: Paris Bradley picked up her sixth CUSA Freshman of the Week honor after her fourth 20-point game of the season, most by a Techsters rookie in 11 seasons… the Techsters were upset at Sam Houston last month as the Bearkats won their second CUSA game. They’re 3-3 since, but have dropped their last two.
Northwestern (13-13, 10-7 Southland)
Status in SLC race: The Demons have three home games in the last six days of the regular season and two are against teams that won’t qualify for the eight-team SLC Tournament, Houston Christian and East Texas A&M. Winning tonight’s game against UIW could help fifth-place NSU nab one of the top four spots and a first-round bye in the March 10-13 SLC Tournament in Lake Charles.
Next: home tonight, 6:30, vs. UIW (15-12, 10-8); home Saturday, 1 p.m., vs. Houston Christian; home Wednesday, 6:30, vs. East Texas A&M
Last game: won 76-74 Saturday at UNO
Notes: The Demons finally won a conference game decided in the last seconds with the victory at UNO, after dropping nailbiters to Stephen F. Austin (twice), Lamar, and UIW way back on Dec. 6. They held off a Texas A&M-Corpus Christi rally in the last half-minute for a 46-42 road win last month … point guard Mya Blake has four 30-point games in her last 10 outings, including 31 at UNO.
Grambling (11-14, 8-6 SWAC)
Status in SWAC race: The Tigers are in fifth place with four regular-season games left, the last two at home, one against third-place Alabama A&M (12-3 in the SWAC). The other three are against teams with losing records in conference play. Grambling is three wins behind fourth place, so looks solid to be a dangerous No. 5 seed in the SWAC Tournament March 11- 15 in Atlanta.
Next: tonight, 6 p.m. CST, at Bethune-Cookman (9-18, 6-9)
Last game: lost 70-47 at home last Saturday to Southern
Notes: The Tigers upset league-leader Texas Southern with a resounding 71-46 thumping at the Fred Hobdy Center on Valentine’s Day, but were cracked by 23 last Saturday at home by arch-rival Southern, which is now a half-game behind TSU thanks to Grambling’s upset.
Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com