2017 Championship Week Primer: WAC

If there was to be a conference that lost out on realignment, it was the WAC. Many of the teams left for other conferences and the WAC replaced them with what remained from the collapse of the now defunct Great West Conference. There are now only eight teams left in the WAC, but it does have one advantage over the Great West; its tournament champion gets to go to the NCAA Tournament. 

 

Cal State Bakersfield won the conference by a game over New Mexico State. The Roadrunners have been trending on the 14 and 15 line, moving up recently as lower seeded teams advanced to the NCAA Tournament in other conference championships. Bakersfield won the tournament last year as well. 

 

As Grand Canyon is completing its transition to Division I, they will not be eligible for the postseason just yet. The other seven teams will participate in the conference tournament with Bakersfield getting a bye to the semifinals. 

 

Quarterfinals-Thursday, March 9th 

#5 Seattle vs. #4 Utah Valley

#7 Chicago State vs. #2 New Mexico State 

#6 UT Rio Grande Valley vs. #3 UMKC

 

Semifinals-Friday, March 10th 

#5 Seattle vs. #1 Cal State Bakersfield 

#3 UMKC vs. #2 New Mexico State

 

Championship-Saturday, March 11th 

New Mexico State and Bakersfield split the season series, with both teams winning at home. New Mexico State struggled down the stretch somewhat, losing three of four games at one point, including a 19 point loss at Bakersfield. The Roadrunners on the other hand, romped down the stretch, only dropping a game at the end of the season when the conference championship had already been wrapped up. I believe they will beat the Aggies again and go to the NCAA Tournament again. 

 

New Mexico State 55, Cal State Bakersfield 69