LSU women’s basketball team, led by coach Kim Mulkey, is eyeing a No. 1 seed in next month’s NCAA Tournament. The team has had a spectacular season with a record of 26-1, including a No. 2 seed in the SEC Tournament. However, the Tigers are not sure whether they will make it to the top line due to their weak non-conference strength of schedule, ranked near No. 300 nationally.
Mulkey has acknowledged that the selection committee will consider non-conference strength of schedule while deciding on the top seeds for the tournament. She stated that even if they had beaten No. 1 South Carolina, it would not have guaranteed a jump to the 1-line due to their weak schedule.
The team’s chances for a No. 1 seed depend on the performance of other teams in the running, including Stanford, Utah, UConn, Maryland, and Iowa. The latest projections by ESPN’s Charlie Creme had LSU on the 1-line, while the selection committee favored Utah for the final No. 1 seed.
LSU is currently holding steady as a No. 2 seed in ESPN’s bracket, while CBS Sports has projected them as a No. 2 seed along with Utah. The Tigers need to avoid losses to teams they should beat to keep their chances alive.
As the regular season nears its end, the Tigers will be keeping an eye on other teams’ performances during conference tournaments. With the regular season finale against Mississippi State, LSU has an opportunity to solidify their position and possibly make a push for the No. 1 seed.
In the opening round of the tournament, the Tigers would potentially face Fairleigh Dickinson or Southern Utah, with a matchup against No. 7 Oklahoma State or No. 10 Columbia in Baton Rouge.
