Mid-major conferences preview (Part four)

By Ross Lancaster Sports Central Columnist

The so-called mid-major conferences, while not as widely known as the big six conferences, have still provided surprises such as Valparaiso in 1998 and Gonzaga for the past three years. Most of the teams profiled will have no chance at even a Sweet 16 berth. However, remember these names in March when filling out your bracket.

In Conference USA, Cincinnati is the traditional power and should win the regular season C-USA title once again behind the strength of guard Steve Logan.

Charlotte, the defending C-USA champs, and Memphis, behind center Kelly Wise and blue-chip recruit Dajuan Wagner, will be dancing in Mid-March.

Many people are expecting big things out of Rick Pitino is his first year at Louisville, but Louisville did lose 19 games enroute to a rare losing season. Expect an NIT berth for the Cardinals.

The Atlantic-10 looks to regain its hold on being a great conference once again after a down year in 2001. St. Joseph's, Xavier, and Temple, the conference's three tournament teams from last season, look to be as dominant as ever. All three should be consistent Top 25 teams throughout the year.

The Mountain West Conference has a potential of three NCAA Tournament teams in Wyoming, perennially strong Utah, and New Mexico. Expect Wyoming to come on top of the trio.

In the WAC, it is simply Fresno St. and nine other pretenders. Even with the ban of WAC Freshman of the Year, Tito Maddox, this team is still very strong and could make it into the Sweet 16.

The West Coast Conference, Gonzaga's stomping ground, is to be just that this season. However, don't expect the Bulldogs to get to the Sweet 16 for the fourth year in a row, but rather to get just to the NCAA Tournament.

In the Mid-American, or MAC, Kent State is coming off of a huge year, and an upset win over Indiana in the NCAAs, and should live up to the same level once again.

The newly formed Sun Belt Conference looks to be the potential holder of Cinderella's glass slipper with the Hilltoppers of Western Kentucky. Hints of greatness were evident in the Hilltoppers' near knock off of an outstanding Florida team in last year's NCAA Tourney. Center Chris Marcus is one of the nation's best players, period, and should lead this team to a surprise of the college basketball world.

In the also newly formed Horizon League, Butler looks to go dancing for the third year in a row, as they are the likely champions of the league.

There are also many other conferences, and their projected champions are as follows:

Colonial Athletic: UNC Wilmington Missouri Valley: Southwest Missouri State America East: Boston University Atlantic Sun (formerly TAAC): Georgia State Big Sky: Eastern Washington Big South: Winthrop Big West: Utah State Ivy: Princeton Metro Atlantic: Iona Mid-Continent: Valparaiso Mid-Eastern: South Carolina State Ohio Valley: Tennessee Tech Northeast: Monmouth Patriot: Holy Cross Southern: College of Charleston Southland: Northwestern State Southwestern Athletic: Alabama State.

Next week's preview edition, Part Five, will take a look at the Pac-10.

Article courtesy of Sports Central.