Women's teams want no surprises

Lady Vols, Vandy, MTSU expecting top three seeds

Unlike last year, Tennessee Coach Pat Summitt isn't expecting any surprises on Selection Monday.

Neither is Vanderbilt Coach Melanie Balcomb.

Middle Tennessee State's Rick Insell isn't about surprises or not — he believes the Lady Raiders deserve a No. 3 seed.

Meanwhile, Belmont women's coach Tony Cross doesn't know what to expect.

The only sure thing is that all four local coaches will see the names of their schools on the television screen tonight at 7 when the field for the NCAA Tournament is set on ESPN.

The fourth-ranked Lady Vols (28-3) are expected to receive one of the four No. 1 seeds.

Then again, they were in almost the same position last year and slipped to a No. 2 seed. Top overall seed North Carolina was placed in the same region and eventually eliminated UT in the Elite Eight.

A 63-54 semifinal loss last week to LSU in the SEC Tournament didn't help Tennessee's case for a top seed. But Summitt is confident that a top RPI ranking and the toughest schedule in the country will be enough.

"There's no doubt in my mind," Summitt said. "But my mind is not the one that's going to make the decision. It's up to the committee. You've got to look at our schedule and RPI and look at our record and think it's not too bad."

Expecting a two

While Summitt complained last year about receiving a No. 2 seed, Balcomb will be happy if the No. 9 Commodores (27-5) get a two seed. Vanderbilt received an automatic berth by winning the SEC Tournament,

Balcomb will be disappointed if they end up with anything less.

"In 2004, when these seniors were freshman, we ran the table (in the SEC Tournament) like we did this year and we received a two seed," Balcomb said. "I expect the same thing this year. We played a tough schedule and we didn't have any bad losses. I will be disappointed if we get a three seed."

It could be close for the Commodores. Their RPI is seventh, but their strong performance in the SEC Tournament, which included a 51-45 win over LSU in the finals, should work in their favor.

Cross has Belmont (25-6) in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the Bruins stepped up from the NAIA level to NCAA Division I in 1997. Belmont got in by beating East Tennessee State Saturday 69-57 for the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament championship.

Unlike Summitt and Balcomb, Cross said he and his players will simply be satisfied when they see "Belmont" show up on ESPN. The seed and the opponent won't matter.

"If I was a one or two seed, I can't say how I would be," Cross said. "But with this being our first time in, whoever we play, wherever we play, and what time doesn't matter one bit."

Insell's big expectations

As for MTSU, "We're excited to see where we are and where we're going," Insell said. "By all the criteria laid out by the NCAA, I think we deserve a three seed.

"Our RPI has been around 10 most of the year, our strength of schedule is in the top 20, we beat Georgia at Georgia, Minnesota at Minnesota, and we beat Old Dominion. We've won 26 straight games and we went undefeated in our conference. I think that deserves a three seed, but we're probably going to get a four or five."

ESPN analyst Debbie Leonard, who worked the Sun Belt Conference Tournament semifinals and championship, said the Lady Raiders will likely be a four or five seed.

"I think they have made a could case for a three, but knowing the committee the way I do, they'll probably be a four or five," she said. "But I don't see any way how they could be given a six. They're the real deal and they've have an outstanding season."

UT, Vandy, Belmont and MTSU aren't the only teams from Tennessee that will be in the NCAA Tournament.

Chattanooga's women won the Southern Conference Tournament for the second consecutive year, which earned them an automatic berth.