INDIANAPOLIS – In the final edition of the NCAA's region rankings, Carson-Newman stayed steady in fifth of the Southeast Region announced by the organization Wednesday to start the final week of the 2021-22 regular season
The selection committee uses these rankings as a guideline to make up the NCAA Tournament field. The top eight teams in the region make the NCAA Tournament with three automatic bids going to the winners of the conference tournaments from the South Atlantic Conference, Conference Carolinas and the Peach Belt Conference. The selection show is Sunday night at 10 p.m. on NCAA.com
For the No. 1 team in the region, that school gets to host the Southeast Region tournament over the second weekend of March with three wins needed to advance to the National Quarterfinals in Birmingham, Ala. at the Birmingham Crossplex from March 21-25.
Three of the team's five losses have come against two of the top four clubs in the region with a fourth coming against No. 7. With Anderson moving into the region rankings, the Lady Eagles have three wins against the top 10.
All of the movement came below the Lady Eagles with the top three teams representing the Peach Belt as North Georgia would be the host site if the season ended today. In fourth Wingate would the potential first-round matchup. Barton and Catawba flip-flopped.
Clayton State dropped out of the rankings as Columbus State would be the final team in the field if the standings were to hold. Anderson moved up to ninth and Belmont Abbey reentered the rankings at No. 10 and play Francis Marion on Friday.
The Lady Eagles aim for a sixth straight win on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. in the SAC Tournament Quarterfinals playing against seventh-seeded UVA Wise. Broadcast coverage can be found on 106.3 (WPFT-FM, Sevierville) and cneagles.com/live starting at 6:45.
- CN -
