SMU Women's Basketball Faces No. 15/19 Notre Dame In NCAAs

[PonyPride]

SMU Women's Basketball Faces No. 15/19 Notre Dame In NCAAs
Mustangs, Irish split two previous meetings

DALLAS (SMU) - All season, as the SMU women's basketball team piled up victories, the goal for the Mustangs was a return trip to the NCAA Tournament, in which SMU had not taken part since 2000. Last week's victory over UTEP in the Conference USA Tournament finale ensured the Ponies a spot in the tournament, and they found out Monday night that they'll face Notre Dame in the first round, at 1:30 Sunday (central time) at Purdue University's Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Ind.

The 24-8 Mustangs enter the NCAA Tournament with the most victories in program history; Notre Dame boasts a nearly identical of 23-8. The Irish are ranked No. 15 in the Associated Press poll and No. 19 in the ESPN/USA Today poll, while the Mustangs also received votes in both polls.

The teams have met twice before: Notre Dame came out on top, 76-60, in South Bend, Ind., in the 1981-82 season, and the Mustangs prevailed two years later, 64-63, at Moody Coliseum.

The Irish started the season on a hot streak, winning 12 of their first 13 games, including 10 straight. They then lost four of their next seven games, including showdowns with traditional powers Tennessee and Connecticut. The Irish have three players averaging double digits in scoring: Charel Allen (14.5 points per game), Ashley Barlow (11.7) and Lindsay Schrader (10.4).

The game will be broadcast on ESPN or ESPNU, and on KKGM (1630 AM).


SMU, the only Division I athletic program in Dallas, Texas, sponsors 17 sports and has been ranked as the top school in its conference for 10 straight years in the Director's Cup overall athletic rankings. More information about SMU and its coaches, athletes and teams is available at www.SMUMustangs.com.

[MustangStealth]

As a side note, Southern Miss will play in the WNIT. I'm not sure what happened to UAB and Houston, since the automatic spot is supposed to go to the highest seeds from the conference tourney not in the NCAA, but maybe since they both had sub-.500 overall records they were ineligible.

[Tipoff96]

You're correct - it's the under .500 record that cost UAB and Houston a post-season appearance.

[smu diamond m]

Could you imagine a post-season with sub-.500 teams?
UGH

[abezontar]

you mean like an SBC team in a bowl game?

[smu diamond m]

you mean like an SBC team in a bowl game?

You have to be better than .500 to play in a bowl.

[MustangStealth]

Not if you are your conference champion. Ask UNT.

http://www.collegefootballpoll.com/2001_archive_bowls.html

[The XtC]

UNT had to get a waiver from the rule, to accept the bid that goes to their conference champion. That's the only reason they will make an exception, but it can happen.

[smu diamond m]

Not if you are your conference champion. Ask UNT.

http://www.collegefootballpoll.com/2001_archive_bowls.html

Sorry I missed the one exception to the rule in the last who knows how many years.