The major conference tournaments will begin next week, but there are compelling stories in some of the mid-major battles that will begin this week. There are three of the top 11 ranked teams in the NCAA participating, some of the highest scoring teams in the nation doing battle, and the roads toward 12 NCAA tournament bids to be started. Most importantly, this is where you find your Cinderella of the NCAA tournament, a team that will entrap the minds of those in the upcoming weeks.
American East Conference
The American East tournament begins Wednesday and is led by the University of Albany Great Danes. Albany sprinted out to a 15-1 conference record and won the conference by three games over Stony Brook and Vermont. Stony Brook is led by presumed conference player of the year Jameel Warney, who averaged 16.3 points and 11.4 rebounds per game. Albany is looking to repeat as American East champion, led by Sam Rowley’s 14.3 points and 7.7 rebounds.
Atlantic Sun Conference
Fueled by regular season conference champion University of North Florida, the Atlantic Sun was a hotly contested race that came down to the end. The conference tournament will begin this Tuesday and is led by substantial talent. Guard Ty Greene of University of South Carolina-Upstate averaged 20.1 points per game this year, leading the Spartans to the third seed in the tournament and big man Jalen Billups of Northern Kentucky shot a stellar 69.7% from the field for the fourth seeded Norse. Mercer won this tournament last year, going on to upset Duke in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
Big South
The Big South had five teams within one game of first place in the regular season, something sure to lead to highly contested games this week. High Point and Charleston Southern ended tied at the top of the conference, with Charleston Southern getting the top seed in the tournament. The top seeded Buccaneers were led by Saah Nimley’s 21.5 points per game this season, while Jerome Hill of the sixth seeded Gardner-Webb Bulldogs averaged 19.1 points and 10 rebounds this season. Coastal Carolina won this tournament last year and is looking to repeat as the third seed this season.
Colonial Conference
There was a four way tie for first place in the Colonial Conference, with William and Mary as the top seeded team, proving the depth of this conference. William and Mary is fueled by the conference’s second leading scorer Marcus Thornton at 19.4 points per game and, while they are only the seventh seed in the tournament, Drexel has the leading scorer in the conference in Damion Lee with 21.4 points per game. Delaware won the tournament last year and is the sixth seed this season.
Horizon League
The Horizon League has two of the top 70 teams in America according to RPI and appears to have one of the more competitive mid-major conference tourament battles. Valparaiso is the top seeded team in the tournament, but University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, the second seeded team, is led by two time Horizon League player of the year Keifer Sykes, who averaged 18.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee won this tournament last year, but is banned from postseason play this season.
Missouri Valley Conference
Usually a very solid conference, the Missouri Valley Conference is on the fringe of being a power conference, with four teams in the top 115 of RPI headlined by Northern Iowa and regular season champion Wichita State. Ron Baker of Wichita State and Seth Tuttle of Northern Iowa have become household names this season, but DJ Balentine, who averaged 19 points per game, and Egidijus Mockevicius, who averaged 12 points and 9.9 rebounds per game, are names to know for Evansville, leading the fifth seeded Aces. Wichita State won the tournament last season, extending their undefeated season of 2013-2014, and looks to earn a third or fourth seed in the NCAA tournament by repeating.
Northeast Conference
Saint Francis of New York bolted to a 15-3 record in the regular season and a Northeast Conference title and is looking now to add an NCAA tournament berth. Jalen Cannon of Saint Francis of New York averaged 16.5 points and 10.2 rebounds for the Terriers and Dyami Starks of third seeded Bryant averaged a conference high 18.5 points per game for the Bulldogs. Mount St. Mary’s won the conference tournament last year and is the fourth seed this season.
Ohio Valley Conference
Murray State sprinted into the Top 25 after completing a 16-0 Ohio Valley Conference regular season schedule. Cameron Payne is the presumed conference player of the year after averaging 20.2 points per game for Murray State, but Ohio Valley Conference West leaders Belmont were fueled by 17.9 points per game from Craig Bradshaw and 70.4% shooting from Evan Bradds. Eastern Kentucky won the conference’s NCAA bid last season and looks to repeat as the second seeded team this season.
Patriot League
Bucknell won the regular season title in the Patriot League and heads a competitive field in the conference tournament. Dan Trist led the Patriot League with 17.7 points per game for the fourth seeded Lafayette Leopards while Tim Kempton had 15.1 points and 8.6 rebounds for the third seed Lehigh. American looks to repeat as Patriot League champions from the sixth seed this season.
Southern Conference
Wofford has had a successful 2014-2015, ranked 51st in RPI, and is the top seed for the upcoming Southern Conference tournament. Jalen Riley led the conference with 20.7 points for East Tennessee State, fifth seeded in the tournament, and sixth seeded VMI has one of the better offenses in the nation, scoring 81.2 points per game. Wofford won the tournament last year and looks to repeat as the favorite.
Summit League
South Dakota State tied for the conference lead with North Dakota State and won the top seed in the Summit League tournament. South Dakota State is fueled by 14.4 points and 7.7 rebounds per game from Tyler Lawson and Lawrence Alexander of North Dakota State led the conference with 19.1 points. North Dakota State earned the NCAA tournament bid last season and looks to repeat in 2015.
West Coast Conference
The West Coast Conference has three of the RPI top-60 teams, but seventh ranked top seed Gonzaga is heavily favorited for the West Coast Conference crown, going 17-1 in conference play. Although Gonzaga and St. Mary’s have won every West Coast Conference title since 2008, and 16 of the past 19 titles, BYU may be a force as the second seed in the tournament. Tyler Haws led the West Coast Conference with 21.9 points per game for the Cougars and guard Kyle Collinsworth set an NCAA single-season record with five triple doubles, averaging 13.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game for the season. Gonzaga looks to win their 13th West Coast Conference championship and third in a row.