The Guru Report: Temple and Saint Joseph’s Chasing Separate Conference Top Finishes and No. 1 Seeds

By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

 

Wednesday night will be a good one to get a sneak preview of March Madness at Saint Joseph’s and Temple, who remain in the hunt for respective first place finishes in the Atlantic Ten and American Athletic Conferences ahead of next week’s first wave of tournament fights for NCAA automatic qualifiers.

 

But first, while no one locally played yet this week, on Tuesday night, a chance to start getting high with a little help from some some friends ended with no chance at all.

 

We start in the Big East where a Marquette win over St. John’s would help Villanova land in third place out of No. 10 UConn’s reach in next weekend’s tourney at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., until the title round if both advance.

 

But in the year of nightly upsets St. John’s took down the Golden Eagles 56-50 on the road in Milwaukee, Wis., and barring some miracle the Wildcats will likely come out Wednesday’s second game with UConn, this one in Storrs, heading for a three-way tie for third with Tuesday’s opponents.

 

If so, both Villanova and St. John’s swept Marquette and since the Wildcats melted down in the league opener to the Red Storm in Madison Square Garden and didn’t play a second game, they are a four seed, which mean likely playingMarquette a third time in a quarterfinal.

 

For a team categorized on the bubble and in the proverbial hard to beat a good team three times dynamic, more than heavy lifting will be needed by Villanova, besides hoping bid stealing does not happen elsewhere.

 

The St. John’s loss could have been survivable were not there losses at Providence and home to Butler.

 

While we’re here, on a brighter note, congrats to ‘Nova’s Lucy Olsen and Saint Joseph’s Laura Ziegler and Talya Bruglar, as well as Princeton’s Kaitlyn Chen, who made the 40-member watch list and All-America ballot of the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA).

 

If the Wildcats don’t make the NCAAs and they are one of the first four out, they will be a No. 1 seed in the new NCAA-run 32-team Women’s Basketball Invitational Tourney, though they would still be a high pick anyway or play in the 48-team WNIT, which ‘Nova coach Denise Dillon once guided Drexel to a title.

 

Postseason Brightens for Temple

 

The Owls, on a five-game win streak and who host Tulsa at 7 p.m. in the Liacouras Center at 7 p.m., Wednesday, (ESPN+) are in first place in the AAC, and can clinch a double bye for the tourney in Fort Worth, Texas, with a sweep of the visitors.

 

Had not East Carolina lost in four overtimes Tuesday night to North Texas, then the combo would have clinched a tie for first for Temple.

 

But in first at this hour, if Temple wins out, beating East Carolina on the road Sunday and FAU here next Wednesday, the Owls earn the No. 1 seed.

 

They must still win the whole thing in Texas to get to the NCAA, but if not, the chances are excellent to make either the WBIT or WNIT, which will still be great progress in year two under Diane Richardson.

 

Saint Joseph’s Close to Goals

 

The Hawks with their most wins in history host Fordham at Hagan Arena, Wednesday, at 7 p.m. (ESPN+) looking to sweep the Rams and clinch a double bye for next week’s tournament in suburban Richmond.

 

If Richmond, the team, loses to Duquesne Wednesday night, and the Hawks with a win snap the first-place tie, their Duquesne game in Pittsburgh Saturday for the season final will be a shot to grab the No.1 seed.

 

Getting to the A-10 championship game could be good enough to land an NCAA invite if the Hawks fall short in that contest, but they’ll be somewhere in the postseason.

 

Looking Ahead: In the Big Ten, Penn State is at Purdue at 7 p.m. The Lady Lions, tied for eighth, are 0-6 in February since losing Tay Valladay to a season-ending injury, dropping from an NCAA lock to the wrong side of the bubble.

 

Elsewhere, locally, La Salle closes the home slate hosting Saint Louis at 6:30 p.m. (ESPN+) and finishes at Fordham, Saturday, currently tied for 12^th in the A-10 and could be 11^th.

 

In the Patriot League, Lehigh is at Boston U. at 6 p.m. while at the same time Lafayette hosts Navy in the Kirby Sports Center in Easton, Pa., both games on ESPN+.

 

Nationally, in a Big Ten doubleheader on Peacock, No. 2 Ohio State hosts Michigan at 7 p.m. before No. 6 No. 6 Iowa visits Minnesota at 9 p.m.

 

No. 3 Texas at 7 p.m. visits No. 24 Oklahoma at 7 p.m. looking to tie the Sooners for first in the Big 12 on ESPN+.

 

On Thursday, just one local game has Rider is at Siena in the MAAC at 6 p.m. on ESPN+.

 

The second NCAA reveal from the basketball committee of the Top 16 teams is on ESPN at 6:30 p.m.

 

The 68-team bracket Selection Sunday show is 8 p.m. on March 17 on ESPN.

 

And that’s the report.