New Mexico celebration
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Women's Basketball Weekly Release - NCAA Edition
March 18, 2008
MWC Women's Basketball Weekly Release - NCAA Edition
MWC NOTES
REGULAR-SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP
No. 15/14 Utah earned the 2007-08 MWC regular-season title with a 16-0 conference record. The Utes have won five previous championships, including three outright (2000, 2001, 2003). Utah is also the only MWC team to go undefeated in conference play, after also posting a 14-0 record in the 2000-01 season.
MWC TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP
No. 4 seed New Mexico won its fifth MWC Championship title with a 62-59 win over No. 6 seed San Diego State. The Lobos defeated No. 5 seed BYU and No. 9 seed Colorado State to advance to the finals. New Mexico is the only MWC team to win three consecutive championships (2003, 2004, 2005) and five overall (2007, 2008). UNM is also the first No. 4 seed to win the championship.
TV TIDBITS
The Mountain West Conference has 32 games on regional and national television this season. Twenty-five games will be shown on the MountainWest Sports Network - The Mtn., and nine games broadcast live nationally on CSTV: College Sports Television and VERSUS.
NCAA TOURNAMENT MATCH-UPS
First-Round Game
#11 Wyoming (24-6) vs. #6 Pittsburgh (18-13)
Saturday, March 22, 2 p.m. MT
This will only be the second meeting ever between the two schools. The last time was November 30, 1980, as the Panthers defeated the Cowgirls, 79-76. This marks Wyoming's first appearance in the NCAA Tournament, after winning the WNIT championship last season. Pittsburgh holds a 1-1 overall record in the Tournament after make its first appearance last year. The Panthers defeated James Madison before falling to eventual-champion Tennessee. The winner of the Wyoming-Pittsburgh game will face the winner of the Baylor-Fresno State winner.
First-Round Game
#12 New Mexico (20-12) vs. #5 West Virginia (24-7)
Saturday, March 22, 6:30 p.m. MT
This will be the first meeting between New Mexico and West Virginia. The Lobos are making their seventh straight NCAA appearance and are 3-7 all-time. The Lobos best finish was a trip to the Sweet 16 in 2003. West Virginia is making its second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and third overall since 2004. The Mountaineers are 3-4 all time in the championship.
First-Round Game
#8 Utah (27-4) vs. #9 Purdue (18-14)
Sunday, March 23, 7 p.m. ET
This will be the first meeting between Utah and Purdue. The Utes are 8-14 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, with their best finish coming in the Elite Eight in 2006. Purdue boasts a 38-17 overall record in the championship. Last season the Boilermakers advanced to the Elite Eight before falling to North Carolina. The winner of the Utah-Purdue contest will face the winner of the Tennessee-Oral Roberts game.
WNIT TOURNAMENT MATCH-UPS
Second-Round Game
TCU (21-11) vs. Boise State/Idaho State
TBA
This will be TCU's first appearance in the WNIT. The Horned Frogs will be entering postseason play for the eighth straight year. The team will face the winner of the Idaho State/Boise State game. Idaho State posted a 20-9 record and finished second in the Big Sky Conference standings with a 12-4 mark. Boise State, 23-7 overall this season, tied for the Western Athletic Conference regular-season title with a 14-2 league mark.
IN THE POLLS
Utah is ranked for the seventh straight week, coming in at No. 18 in the Associated Press and No. 17 in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches polls. Wyoming and TCU are both receiving votes in both polls.
NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS
The MWC finished its non-conference season with a 65-51 (.560) record. In the nine-year history of the MWC, the league has never finished below .500. This season, the MWC has a 4-1 record vs. the Big Ten, including Wyoming's win over then-#25 Wisconsin. MWC teams are 4-1 vs. the Atlantic-10, bolstered by UNLV's win over #16/#14 George Washington. TCU, Utah and Wyoming have also knocked off Big 12 opponents #20/#23 Oklahoma State, Nebraska and Kansas State, respectively.
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