NWSL Challenge Cup Preview

It feels like a decade since we last had sports on American soil. In fact, the night that the NBA was shut down itself felt like it was nine months long. Things have been going well on the Head in the Game front without sports. I (Troy) was able to count all the blades of grass in my backyard and I believe Grant is now fluent in Dutch. Unfortunately, we won't have too much more time to devote to those beloved hubbies.

The National Women's Soccer League is the first American sports league to be starting up after the sporting world completely shut down due to COVID-19. It isn't the NBA. It's not the NHL. It isn't their male counterparts in MLS. It most definitely is not Major League Baseball. Beginning on June 27th, the NWSL is beginning the Challenge Cup.

Being a fairly young league, and the first big sporting event to return, we've decided to put together a get-to-know the league post to help you learn more about the NWSL. This post will go into the league's background, the teams that make it up, and a breakdown of the Challenge Cup. Don't worry all of you NWSL fans, if you're worried that a lot of this information will be redundant for you, we'll be sure to have some insights and fun bits to make things great for everyone. 

NWSL FAQ

What is the NWSL? - The NWSL is the National Women's Soccer League. It is the highest level of women's soccer in the United State and one of the top leagues in the entire world. 

How long has this thing been going on? - The NWSL was founded in 2012 and began play with eight teams in 2013. After expansion and two teams folding, the league currently has nine teams with a tenth team in Louisville scheduled to enter the league in 2021. 

Is the NWSL owned by MLS? - The NWSL is their own separate entity from Major League Soccer. It is similar to how the NBA and WNBA work in that while some teams share a similar owner with their counterparts in the other league, some teams are independently owned. Currently there are four teams owned by MLS franchises (Houston, Orlando, Portland, and Utah). Two teams share ownership with USL (America's second division) teams (North Carolina and soon to be Louisville). One team, OL Reign, is owned by a foreign entity (Olympique Lyonnais of France). The remaining three teams are independently owned. 

Does the league feature National Team players? - All 23 players from the 2019 World Cup Champion US Women's National Team ply their trade in the NWSL. In fact, the league had 58 players representing 11 countries in the most recent World Cup.

How doth thou watch the NWSL? - Beginning this season, the NWSL has a broadcast partnership with CBS. That means that normal regular season games are set to air on CBS, CBS Sports Network, CBS All Access, and occasionally on Twitch. I'll get into how you can watch the Challenge Cup tournament later on.

Which team should I be supporting? - That's sort of a subjective question, but I will be presenting info on each team to help you make the decision that is best for you and your family. 

What the heck's a Challenge Cup? - Hold your horses partner, I'm getting there.

Why is the Sky Blue FC? - Because.

Meet The Teams

(Please note that the Orlando Pride will not be competing in this tournament after a high volume of positive COVID-19 tests among players and staff. Please also note that not all players listed will be competing in this tournament due to injury or concerns regarding health. For up-to-date rosters please visit the NWSL Website) 

Chicago Red Stars

Where? - Bridgeview, Illinois (Chicago Suburb)

When? - Founded in 2007 for Women's Professional Soccer before moving to the Women's Premier Soccer League and finally arriving in the NWSL when the league debuted. 

Who? - The Red Stars feature US national-teamers Julie Ertz, Morgan Brian, Tierna Davidson, and Ashlyn Naher. They also feature Yuki Nagasato, who was part of the Japanese national team that won the 2011 World Cup.

Why? - The Red Stars have a fantastic pair of kits (go check them out for yourself). The away kit, in my humble opinion, is one of the best in the entire world.

Houston Dash

Where? - Houston, Texas

When? - Founded in 2013, the Dash began their first season in the league's second season in 2014. 

Who? - The Dash are the lone team that didn't have a player on the USWNT for the most recent World Cup. However, they do feature multiple international stars. These include Rachel Daly, who may be England's best player, Sophie Schmidt, who has almost 200 caps for Canada, fellow Canadian Nichelle Prince, and Mexican international Arianna Romero.

Why? - One reason to watch the Dash is their contrarian approach opposed to much of the league. While most teams have tried to build their appeal based on national team stars from the US, the Dash have gone with a more international roster. It makes sense that they're well traveled since they are partially owned by James Harden. 

North Carolina Courage

Where? - Cary, North Carolina (within the North Carolina triangle)

When? - Founded in 2017 after purchasing their franchise rights from the Western New York Flash, the Courage played their first league game during the 2018 season.

Who? - The team features multiple US national-teamers: Abby Dahlkemper, Crystal Dunn, Samantha Mewis, and Jessica McDonald. They also feature Abby Erceg, who is the captain of both the Courage and the New Zealand national team. 

Why? - If you want a proven winner then you're going to want to go with the North Carolina Courage. In their first season in the league, the Courage won the NWSL Shield (best regular season team) and finished as runners up in the playoff championship game. In their second and third seasons they won both the Shield and the playoffs. If you value winning more than anything, you'll obviously be cheering for the team who has never done worse than second place.  

OL Reign (Formerly Seattle Reign FC)

Where? - Tacoma, Washington (outside of Seattle)

When? - Founded under the name Seattle Reign FC in time for the opening NWSL season, the team was recently purchased by French club Olympique Lyonnais and changed their name to OL Reign because of branding.

Who? - OL Reign features Megan Rapinoe and Allie Long of the USWNT. The also feature Rosie White of New Zealand, Jodie Taylor of England, and Rebecca Quinn of Canada. 

Why? - By cheering for the Reign, you get to get in on the ground floor of a rebuild while also having multiple pieces already in place. Megin Rapinoe has a big fan base and rightfully so, so why not join it yourself?

Orlando Pride

Special Update - The Pride announced that they will not be attending the NWSL Challenge Cup over concerns about COVID-19 after several players and staff tested positive. Their information is still listed if you'd like to cheer for them when they get back to playing again.

Where? - Orlando, Florida

When? - They were founded in 2015 and began play in 2016. 

Who? - The Pride feature Alex Morgan (congrats on the baby btdubs), Ashlyn Harris and Ali Krieger (congrats on the wedding btdubs). Add on to that Sydney Leroux, who played for the 2015 World Cup winning USWNT, and all time great Marta from Brazil. 

Why? - Orlando has a fun roster. On top of the four US players I mentioned up above, add in Marta, who is one of the best players ever. 

Portland Thorns FC

Where? - Portland Thorns FC

When? - They were founded in 2012 in time for the inaugural season of the NWSL. 

Who? - The Thorns feature from the most recent USWNT World Cup roster Adrianna Franch, Emily Sonnett, Tobin Heath, and reigning MVP Lindsey Horan. They also feature the Canadian G.O.A.T., also known as the G.O.A.T.-eh, Christine Sinclair. 

Why? - Much like the Red Stars, if you want to cheer for a team based on their kits, then the Thorns are a great option for you. Once we get back to the point where we can have fans in the stands, Portland has the best crowds in the league, with their average attendance being almost double what the next closest team is. 

Sky Blue FC

Where? - Harrison, New Jersey (greater NYC area)

When? - Beginning in the WPS in 2007 before moving to the NWSL for its launch. 

Who? - Both Carli Lloyd and Mallory Pugh play for Sky Blue FC. They also feature Nahomi Kawasumi, who played a big part in the Japanese team that won the 2011 World Cup.

Why? - If you want a sort of underdog story, then Sky Blue FC is the way to go. News came out of some problems that resulted from poor management, which included players having to move multiple times during the season, poor field conditions, and subpar front office staff. Thankfully, a new ownership staff has came in, and things seems to be righting themselves. 

Utah Royals FC

Where? - Sandy, Utah (Salt Lake City area)

When? - FC Kansas City moved to Utah after the conclusion of the 2017 season and became what we now know as the Utah Royals. 

Who? - The Royals feature multiple players with US national team experience, including Kelley O'Hara, Becky Sauerbrunn, Christen Press, and Amy Rodriguez. Add on to that Scottish footballer Rachel Corsie and Spanish player Veronica Boquete.

Why? - The Royals are technically the hosts of this whole shindig, and they have a pretty great crest. 

Washington Spirit

Where? - The Washington D.C. area (stadium depends on the game)

When? - The Spirit were founded for the launch of the NWSL.

Who? - The Spirit features 2019 World Cup first-teamer Rose Lavelle, Japanese player Kumi Yokoyama, and Canadian national-teamer Jenna Hellstrom.

Why? - While it might be hard to sell you on own player and one player alone, Rose Lavelle might do this. She might have been the most electric part of what the US team did on the field of the last World Cup, and she'll be equally as good for the Spirit. 

Challenge Cup Preview

Alright, enough set up. Here is the thing the title promised. Please note that the opening game and championship game are aired on CBS, while every other game is aired on CBS All Access. In the schedule below games on CBS are listed in bold whereas games on CBS All Access are in normal text. Please also note that CBS All Access has a one week free trial, so if you time it right, you should only have to pay for a month of the service. 

Format

Beginning on Saturday June 27th, each team will be playing a minimum of four games in beautiful Sandy, Utah. The schedule was determined by a random draw. The eight teams will move on to a knock-out tournament with seeding based on their points total, beginning on Friday July 17. The whole affair concludes with the championship game, to be played on Sunday, July 26th. 

Favorites

The favorite going into the tournament has to be the reigning champs, the North Carolina Courage. The Courage have been the class of the league for the past few season and I could see them doing well here both due to their depth and because out of all the teams in the league they are the ones who have the most of their core available. There is a lot of parity in the league, so their top competitors aren't overly easy to pick out, but Portland and Chicago both have a lot of fire power to take a good shot at the Courage. 

Schedule

Saturday June 27

12:30 PM - North Carolina Courage vs Portland Thorns FC

10 PM - Chicago Red Stars vs Washington Spirit

Tuesday July 30

12:30 PM - Houston Dash vs Utah Royals FC

10 PM - OL Reign vs Sky Blue FC

Wednesday July 1

12:30 PM - Chicago Red Stars vs Portland Thorns FC

10 PM - North Carolina Courage vs Washington Spirit

Saturday July 4

12:30 PM - Sky Blue FC vs Utah Royals FC

10 PM - Houston Dash vs OL Reign

Sunday July 5

12:30 PM - Chicago Red Stars vs North Carolina Courage

10 PM - Portland Thorns FC vs Washington Spirit

Wednesday July 8

12:30 PM - OL Reign vs Utah Royals FC

10 PM - Houston Dash vs Sky Blue FC

Sunday July 12

12:30 PM - Houston Dash vs Washington Spirit

10 PM - Chicago Red Stars vs Utah Royals

Monday July 13

12:30 PM - OL Reign vs Portland Thorns FC

10 PM - North Carolina Courage vs Sky Blue FC

Friday July 17

12:30 PM - Quarterfinal 1

10 PM - Quarterfinal 2

Saturday July 18

12:30 PM - Quarterfinal 3

10 PM - Quarterfinal 4

Wednesday July 22

12:30 PM - Semifinal 1

10 PM - Semifinal 2

Sunday July 26

12:30 PM - Championship Game

To stay up to date on the newest Head in the Game articles (and general sports commentary), follow @headingameblog on Twitter. You can also find us on Twitter @T_RoyStory (Troy) and @G_Tingley (Grant)

A Response to Racism

I am not one to make profound statements or provide social commentary, so following the disturbing murder of George Floyd, I was content to sit idly by and do nothing beyond liking statements that others tweeted/posted in regards to the incident and racism in America. But as I saw more and more people speaking out and asking others (especially white people) to speak out, I felt guilty about remaining silent. I couldn't just continue to sit in silence after yet another black man was unjustly killed by police.

First, a disclaimer. As a white man living in Indiana, I don't know how it feels to be oppressed. I don't know how it feels to be treated like a second-class citizen. I don't know how it feels to live in fear of being killed because of the color of my skin. Therefore, I'm not going to act like I know how it feels.

Racism is clearly still a major problem in the world and in America. If you don't believe that, you're delusional. It has always been a problem. The only difference now is that people can film the problem and put it on social media. And you don't have too do much scrolling to find examples of disgusting racism. I'm not just referring to all the racist rants that get posted online. Within the last year alone, a black man (Botham Jean) was killed while eating ice cream in his own apartment, and another (Ahmaud Arbery) was killed while jogging. Jean's killer, a police officer, got 10 years in prison. Arbery's killers were arrested, but only after the video of his murder went viral. Those are just two cases off the top of my head. There are a plethora of other cases.

The institution in place in America was built to be unequal. Black people are more likely to be poor and more likely to be put in jail. White people are afforded more privileges. If you want to see a clear example of systemic racism, just look at how police treat unarmed black suspects versus how they treat armed and dangerous white suspects, or how they treat armed white protesters versus how they treat unarmed black protesters. It can be disturbingly different. This is the result of a racist institution. To quote African-American sociologist W. E. B. Dubois, "A system cannot fail those it was never designed to protect."

Although there is no quick fix for the crooked system, there are things that can be done to chip away at the foundation. There are actions that can be taken and attitudes that can change. Let me speak directly to some of the people whose attitudes need to change.

To the people who want to point out that not all cops are bad, you're missing the point. The cops who are bad are not held as accountable as they should be. Just because police are put in place to enforce laws doesn't mean they should be exempt from having laws enforced upon them. If a police officer murders somebody, they should be treated the same as an ordinary citizen who murders somebody. Racism and murder are wrong, no matter what uniform you're wearing.

To the people who say "All Lives Matter" or "Blue Lives Matter" in response to "Black Lives Matter", you're missing the point. All lives should matter, but black people are often treated like their lives don't. That is why the BLM movement was started. As supporters have made painstakingly clear, they aren't saying that only black lives matter, they are saying that black lives matter too.

To the people who say that athletes are disrespecting the flag and the military when they kneel for the National Anthem, you're missing the point. They are kneeling because they feel that the country the flag represents does not treat them fairly. When Colin Kaepernick kneeled for the National Anthem, he made it clear to everyone that he was protesting police brutality, not trying to disrespect America or the brave men and women who fight/fought to protect it. In fact, he brought up the fact that many of those brave men and women are not treated well when they return home, and several of them spoke out in support of his peaceful protest.  But a lot of people were so focused on being angry at him for "disrespecting the flag" that they didn't actually listen to what he had to say.

To the people who are more bothered by the riots that break out in response to incidents like George Floyd's murder than they are by the incidents themselves, you're missing the point. Rioting may not be the most ideal way to solve a problem, but as Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "I think America must see that riots do not develop out of thin air. Certain conditions continue to exist in our society which must be condemned as vigorously as we condemn riots. But in the final analysis, a riot is the language of the unheard." This is a powerful and prescient quote from the great civil rights leader. Sometimes, riots are the only way for a group of people to stop being ignored.

Racism isn't going to magically disappear, but there are actions that can be taken, not just by those people mentioned above, but by others, to fight racism. Schools can better educate children about the things minorities have gone through in this country instead of whitewashing history. Politicians can create more just laws and policies, and eliminate the unjust ones currently in place. Police departments can do more extensive vetting and training of officers, and do a better job of punishing them when they overstep their bounds. White people, including myself, can do a whole lot better. We can speak out more against racism. We can contact people in power to let them know that we will not tolerate it. We can support causes that try to fight racism. We can listen to those who experience racism. And we can stop being racist.

I'm just tired. I'm tired of black men being killed for no reason. I'm tired of racist cops not being held accountable. I'm tired of people being more upset at the response to an incident than the incident itself. I'm tired of racism. I can't imagine how those who actually experience it firsthand must feel.

Conference Tournament Week 2020 Preview: Vol. 2

The regular season is officially over, which means it's fully Champs Week. Technically it's already been Champs Week, a Champs Week that has already delivered. We've already seen upsets, Cinderella stories, and game-winning shots.

Congratulations to the seven teams that have already received autobids to the Big Dance. This preview will focus on the remaining twenty-six conferences that will be crowning a tournament champion this week. We have a lot to get to, so I won't dilly dally, but first I wanted to give an update to our This B1G Week readers on the final records for game predictions.

Grant's Previous Week Pick Record: 6-8

Grant's Total Pick Record: 195-81

Troy's Previous Week Pick Record: 9-5

Troy's Total Pick Record: 201-75

Autobids

The following teams have already received automatic bids for the NCAA Tournaments: Liberty (Atlantic Sun), Winthrop (Big South), Yale (Ivy League), Bradley (Missouri Valley), Utah State (Mountain West), Belmont (Ohio Valley), and East Tennessee State (Southern).

Conference Profiles

Times Listed are in EST

Atlantic Coast

• Championship Info: Saturday 3/14 @ 8:30 PM - ESPN
• Tournament Dates: 3/10-14
• Tournament Location: Greensboro, North Carolina
• Thoughts: In what is the ACC's worst year in a long time, there are three strong options to win the conference tournament. Florida State, Louisville, and Duke are all very safely into the NCAA Tournament and safe bets to win the ACC tournament. On the bubble side of things, the defending champs Virginia should be in as long as they avoid a bad loss. The only other team with any sort of a claim of an at large bid is NC State, but they'd probably need to go deep into their conference tournament to make it in. 
• Grant's Predicted Winners: Virginia Cavaliers
• Troy's Predicted Winner: Florida State Seminoles 

Atlantic 10

• Championship Info: Sunday 3/15 @ 1 PM - CBS
• Tournament Dates: 3/11-15
• Tournament Location: Brooklyn, New York
• Thoughts: The A10 features maybe the most fun player to watch in the country with Obi Toppin of Dayton. Toppin's Flyers dominated the conference all year and will be the heavy favorites to win the tournament. Rhode Island and Richmond want to have a strong showing to try at an at large bid.
• Grant's Predicted Winners: Dayton Flyers
• Troy's Predicted Winner: Dayton Flyers

American

• Championship Info: Sunday 3/15 @ 3:15 PM - ESPN
• Tournament Dates: 3/12-15
• Tournament Location: Fort Worth, Texas
• Thoughts: The American finished with a very surprising three-team tie for the regular-season crown. Houston and Cincinnati aren't entirely unexpected, but no one saw the Tulsa Golden Hurricanes doing what they did. This will be an interesting tournament, as pretty much everyone with a chance to win it, except Houston, is on the bubble. Cincinnati and Wichita State need strong showings to go dancing, while Memphis and Tulsa probably are far enough out where they need to win the whole thing to get in. 
• Grant's Predicted Winners: Cincinnati Bearcats
• Troy's Predicted Winner: Houston Cougars

 American East

• Championship Info: Saturday 3/14 @ 11 AM - ESPN 2
• Tournament Dates: 3/7, 3/10, 3/14
• Tournament Location: Campus Sites
• Thoughts: We had previewed this conference before their opening round in Vol. 1. Nothing much has changed, Vermont is still the clear favorite (hopefully I didn't jinx the Catamounts).
• Grant's Predicted Winners: Vermont Catamounts
• Troy's Predicted Winner: Vermont Catamounts

Big East

• Championship Info: Saturday 3/14 @ 6:30 PM - FS1
• Tournament Dates: 3/11-14
• Tournament Location: New York City, New York
• Thoughts: This conference is a seven-team race to win the tournament. It may seem odd to have 70% of the league having a chance, but it's true. Anyone besides Georgetown, St. John's, and DePaul have a strong case to win this tournament. Sure, the trio of Seton Hall, Villanova, and Creighton are favorites, but it wouldn't be wise to count out the rest of the league.  
• Grant's Predicted Winners: Villanova Wildcats
• Troy's Predicted Winner: Creighton Blue Jays

Big Sky

• Championship Info: Saturday 3/14 @ 8 PM - ESPN U
• Tournament Dates: 3/11-14
• Tournament Location: Boise, Idaho
• Thoughts: The Big Sky has a trio of teams that will be the favorites to win the crown in Boise. Those teams (Eastern Washington, Montana, and Northern Colorado) will be where the expected winners will come from. Eastern Washington ended up as the regular-season champion, so they will be the slight favorite here. 
• Grant's Predicted Winners: Northern Colorado Bears
• Troy's Predicted Winner: Eastern Washington Eagles

Big Ten

• Championship Info: Sunday 3/15 @ 3:30 PM - CBS
• Tournament Dates: 3/11-15
• Tournament Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
• Thoughts: As you probably know from our season-long coverage in This B1G Week, the Big Ten has been insane this season. As you can tell from the way the season ended, anything can happen. Wisconsin overcame an at times rough nonconference season to win a share of the regular-season title. Add on to that there being strong possibilities that double-digit teams make the big dance. This tournament will be very hard to pick a winner for, but we're going to do it anyway. 
• Grant's Predicted Winners: Michigan State Spartans
• Troy's Predicted Winner: Michigan State Spartans

Big 12

• Championship Info: Saturday 3/14 @ 6 PM - ESPN
• Tournament Dates: 3/11-14
• Tournament Location: Kansas City, Kansas no no wait so sorry so sorry, Kansas City, Missouri
• Thoughts: There are two teams here that I think everyone wants to see play in the title game. Kansas and Baylor are both vying for number one seeds in the NCAA Tournament and split the regular-season series in highly competitive games. There are a couple of teams that are trying to pick up some wins to cement their at large bid, but no one seems to have the firepower to knockoff the top two teams. 
• Grant's Predicted Winners: Texas Tech Red Raiders
• Troy's Predicted Winner: Kansas Jayhawks

Big West

• Championship Info: Saturday 3/14 @ 11:30 PM - ESPN 2
• Tournament Dates: 3/12-14
• Tournament Location: Anaheim, California
• Thoughts: This one seems to be one of the easier ones to pick a winner for. UC Irvine has been the class of the conference all year, winning the league by several games. I don't want to jinx the Anteaters by not mentioning anyone else, so UC Santa Barbara has a cool mascot name (the Gauchos) and is the hometown of a blog favorite show (Psych). Note that the Big West reseeds teams after the first round.
• Grant's Predicted Winners: UC Irvine Anteaters
• Troy's Predicted Winner: UC Irvine Anteaters

Colonial

• Championship Info: Tuesday 3/10 @ 7 PM - CBS Sports
• Tournament Dates: 3/7-10
• Tournament Location: Washington D.C.
• Thoughts: Listen it may seem a little cheap for us to pick who wins the title once we know the two teams in the finals, but we didn't make the schedule. This comes down to Hofstra vs Northeastern to secure their bid in the Big Dance. For more in-depth thoughts on this conference, please see Vol. 1.
• Grant's Predicted Winners: Hofstra Pride
• Troy's Predicted Winner: Hofstra Pride

Conference USA

• Championship Info: Saturday 3/14 @ 8:30 PM - CBS Sports
• Tournament Dates: 3/11-14
• Tournament Location: Frisco, Texas
• Thoughts: This one is another three-team race between North Texas, Western Kentucky, and Louisiana Tech. North Texas ended up winning the regular season, and given that the conference tournament is conveniently located about half a hour away from their campus, they are the favorite. But La Tech and the Hilltoppers will give them a good fight.  
• Grant's Predicted Winners: Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
• Troy's Predicted Winner: North Texas Mean Green

Horizon

• Championship Info: Tuesday 3/10 @ 7 PM - ESPN
• Tournament Dates: 3/3, 3/5, 3/9-10
• Tournament Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
• Thoughts: Listen, it may seem a little cheap for us to pick who wins the title once we know the two teams in the finals, but we didn't make the schedule. This comes down to Illinois Chicago vs Northern Kentucky to secure their bid in the Big Dance. For more in-depth thoughts on this conference please see Vol. 1.
• Grant's Predicted Winners: Northern Kentucky Norse
• Troy's Predicted Winner: Northern Kentucky Norse

Ivy League

• Championship Info: See Thoughts Section
• Tournament Dates: See Thoughts Section
• Tournament Location: See Thoughts Section
• Thoughts: The Ivy League announced on Tuesday that it is canceling its conference tournament due to concerns about the coronavirus meaning that the Yale Bulldogs will be receiving the conference's autobid. Wash your hands folks and if you're feeling sick just stay in and watch basketball instead of going out. 

Metro-Atlantic

• Championship Info: Saturday 3/14 @ 4 PM - ESPN U
• Tournament Dates: 3/10-14
• Tournament Location: Atlantic City, New Jersey
• Thoughts: This is the MAAC, please don't confuse it with the MAC or the MEAC. The Metro-Atlantic Athletic Conference is a league with a lot of parity. At the beginning of February, KenPom had projections of the last-place team in the MAAC only four games behind first place. Things didn't shake out that way, but I believe that this may be the conference that has the weirdest conference tournament. 
• Grant's Predicted Winners: Siena Saints
• Troy's Predicted Winner: Saint Peter's Peacocks

Mid-American

• Championship Info: Saturday 3/14 @ 7:30 PM - ESPN 2
• Tournament Dates: 3/9, 3/12-14
• Tournament Location: Campus Sites (Opening Round) & Cleveland, Ohio
• Thoughts: This is the MAC, please don't confuse it with the MAAC or the MEAC. Who is ready for some MACtion? Akron may have ended up winning the league by two games, but going into the conference tournament, there are a decent amount of teams that can win this thing. Chief of which are Bowling Green and Ball State. 
• Grant's Predicted Winners: Akron Zips
• Troy's Predicted Winner: Akron Zips

Mid-Eastern

• Championship Info: Saturday 3/14 @ 1 PM - ESPN 2
• Tournament Dates: 3/10-14
• Tournament Location: Norfolk, Virginia
• Thoughts: This is the MEAC, please don't confuse it with the MAC or the MAAC. There are three teams that seem to be the favorites in this league. North Carolina Central, North Carolina A&T, and Norfolk State finished top three in the league during the regular season and are the expected winners. 
• Grant's Predicted Winners: Norfolk State Spartans
• Troy's Predicted Winner: North Carolina A&T Aggies

Northeast

• Championship Info: Tuesday 3/10 @ 7 PM - ESPN 2
• Tournament Dates: 3/4, 3/7, 3/10
• Tournament Location: Campus Sites
• Thoughts: Listen, it may seem a little cheap for us to pick who wins the title once we know the two teams in the finals, but we didn't make the schedule. This comes down to St. Francis (PA) @ Robert Morris. to secure their bid in the Big Dance. For more in-depth thoughts on this conference please see Vol. 1.
• Grant's Predicted Winners: St. Francis (PA) Red Flash
• Troy's Predicted Winner: St. Francis (PA) Red Flash

PAC 12

• Championship Info: Saturday 3/14 @ 10:30 PM - FS1
• Tournament Dates: 3/11-14
• Tournament Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
• Thoughts: I feel like over the course of this season I would look at the PAC 12's standings about once a week, and every time, someone different would be at the top. It is truly a perplexing conference. There are teams in the league that in early January none of us thought would be in the discussion for a NCAA bid, but now UCLA has a real chance to make the Big Dance. It also features an Arizona team that seems to have somehow gamed the NET rankings to an extreme level. 
• Grant's Predicted Winners: Oregon Ducks
• Troy's Predicted Winner: Oregon Ducks

Patriot

• Championship Info: Wednesday 3/11 @ 7:30 PM - CBS Sports
• Tournament Dates: 3/3, 3/5, 3/8, 3/11
• Tournament Location: Campus Sites
• Thoughts: Listen, it may seem a little cheap for us to pick who wins the title once we know the two teams in the finals, but we didn't make the schedule. This comes down to Boston U @ Colgate to secure their bid in the Big Dance. For more in-depth thoughts on this conference please see Vol. 1.
• Grant's Predicted Winners: Colgate Raiders
• Troy's Predicted Winner: Colgate Raiders

Southeastern 

• Championship Info: Sunday 3/15 @ 1 PM - ESPN
• Tournament Dates: 3/11-15
• Tournament Location: Nashville, Tennessee 
• Thoughts: I'm not entirely sure what to think of the SEC. They most certainly are down this year, there's a decent chance they only get three or four teams into the national tournament. The top three of Kentucky, Auburn, and LSU are probably safe, but I'm less sure about anyone else in the league. Also, I want to note that after defeating Kentucky in their second game of the year, Evansville went 7 and 22, losing every single conference game. Sorry, my anti-Wildcat bias may be showing here. 
• Grant's Predicted Winners: Auburn Tigers
• Troy's Predicted Winner: Auburn Tigers

Southland

• Championship Info: Saturday 3/14 @ 9:30 PM - ESPN 2
• Tournament Dates: 3/11-14
• Tournament Location: Katy, Texas
• Thoughts: While I wouldn't count out Abilene Christian and Nicholls, Stephen F. Austin is a heavy favorite to win this tournament. Not many teams will want to draw the Lumberjacks in the NCAA Tournament after they ended with only 3 losses in the regular season and beat Duke at Duke. Plus, two of their losses came to teams that are very much in the bubble or the tournament, and the third loss came by a single point. 
• Grant's Predicted Winners: Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks
• Troy's Predicted Winner: Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks. 

Southwestern

• Championship Info: Saturday 3/14 @ 6 PM - ESPN U
• Tournament Dates: 3/10, 3/13-14
• Tournament Location: Birmingham, Alabama
• Thoughts: Will the SWAC tournament be wack? It just may be. 60% of the league was separated by just three games. Prairie View was the regular-season champions, so they end up being the default favorite. Also, just so we're clear, this league is known as the Southwestern Western Athletic Conference despite the furthest west teams being in East Texas.
• Grant's Predicted Winners: Prairie View A&M Panthers
• Troy's Predicted Winner: Prairie View A&M Panthers

Summit

• Championship Info: Tuesday 3/10 @ 9 PM - ESPN 2
• Tournament Dates: 3/7-10
• Tournament Location: Sioux Falls, South Dakota
• Thoughts: Listen, it may seem a little cheap for us to pick who wins the title once we know the two teams in the finals, but we didn't make the schedule. This comes down to North Dakota and North Dakota State to secure their bid in the Big Dance. For more in-depth thoughts on this conference please see Vol. 1.
• Grant's Predicted Winners: North Dakota State Bison
• Troy's Predicted Winner: North Dakota State Bison

Sun Belt

• Championship Info: Sunday 3/15 @ 2 PM - ESPN 2
• Tournament Dates: 3/7, 3/9, 3/11, 3/14-15
• Tournament Location: Campus Sites and New Orleans, Louisiana (Semis & Finals)
• Thoughts: Arkansas Little Rock is the favorite in this league, but this league is closer than their final standings may suggest. It also seems relevant to point out that while the top two teams (Little Rock and South Alabama) got byes to the semi-finals, they had a pretty long layoff between their last game and their first of the conference tournament. 
• Grant's Predicted Winners: Georgia State Panthers
• Troy's Predicted Winner: South Alabama Jaguars

Western

• Championship Info: Saturday 3/14 @ 10 PM - ESPN U 
• Tournament Dates: 3/12-14
• Tournament Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
• Thoughts: It would be hard to honestly say there is more than one contender in this tournament. New Mexico State went undefeated in the regular season and it seems like they'll win the rest of the games needed to go dancing. If anyone else wins the league, it will certainly be an upset. 
• Grant's Predicted Winners: New Mexico State Aggies
• Troy's Predicted Winner: New Mexico State Aggies

West Coast

• Championship Info: Tuesday 3/10 @ 9 PM - ESPN
• Tournament Dates: 3/5-7, 3/9-10
• Tournament Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
• Thoughts: Listen, it may seem a little cheap for us to pick who wins the title once we know the two teams in the finals, but we didn't make the schedule. This comes down to Gonzaga vs Saint Mary's to secure their bid in the Big Dance. For more in-depth thoughts on this conference please see Vol. 1.
• Grant's Predicted Winners: Gonzaga Bulldogs
• Troy's Predicted Winner: Gonzaga Bulldogs

Championship Game Schedule

Tuesday 3/10

• Colonial - 7 PM - CBS Sports
• Horizon - 7 PM - ESPN
• Northeast - 7 PM - ESPN 2
• Summit - 9 PM - ESPN 2
• West Coast - 9 PM - ESPN

Wednesday 3/11

• Patriot - 7 PM - CBS Sports

Saturday 3/14

• American East - 11 AM - ESPN 2
• Mid-Eastern - 1 PM - ESPN 2
• Metro Atlantic - 4 - ESPN U
• Big 12 - 6 PM - ESPN
• Southwestern - 6 PM - ESPN U
• Big East - 6:30 PM - FS1
• MAC - 7:30 PM - ESPN 2
• Big Sky - 8 PM - ESPN U
• Atlantic Coast - 8:30 PM - ESPN
• Conference USA - 8:30 PM - CBS Sports
• Southland - 9:30 PM - ESPN 2
• Western - 10 PM - ESPN U
• PAC 12 - 10:30 PM - FS1
• Big West - 11:30 PM - ESPN 2

Sunday 3/15

• Atlantic 10 - 1 PM - CBS
• Southeastern - 1 PM - ESPN
• Sun Belt - 2 PM - ESPN 2
• American - 3:15 PM - ESPN
• Big Ten - 3:30 PM - CBS

To stay up to date on the newest Head in the Game articles (and general sports commentary), follow @headingameblog on Twitter. You can also find us on Twitter @T_RoyStory (Troy) and @G_Tingley (Grant)

Conference Tournament Week 2020 Preview: Vol. 1

It's the most wonderful time of the year! You get to watch collegiate basketball for brunch, lunch, afternoon snack, supper, and late-night snack, also known as the five true meals. Conference tournament week(s) could be easily the most underrated time of the sporting year. For the better part of two weeks you get hoops action from noon to after midnight. On top of that, every single team should have something to play for. Some teams are trying to bolster their chances at the Big Dance. Some are tying to get into by winning their conference tournament. Some are just playing to end their season on a positive note.

This is the first of two posts looking at conference tournaments, the second will come out in one week's time. This post will be diving into the conferences beginning their tournaments this week, giving our thoughts and predicted winners. At the bottom of the post you'll find the schedule of when all the tournament finals will take place. Note that conferences are listed in alphabetical order and that conference who start this week but whose final is next will have winner predictions in Vol. 2, except for the Southern Conference.

Conference Profiles

Times Listed are in EST

 American East

• Championship Info: Saturday 3/14 @ 11 AM - ESPN
• Tournament Dates: 3/7, 3/10, 3/14
• Tournament Location: Campus Sites
• Thoughts: This league feels like it has a clear winner for the conference tournament. Vermont won the league this year and they did so handily. While the Catamounts are the clear favorite, obviously in March anything can happen. If it isn't the fighting Ben and Jerry's, the next best guess at the champions would be Stony Brook or Hartford. Quick notes: There is no set bracket for the American East. Rather the lowest remaining seed plays the highest and so forth. 
• Grant's Predicted Winners: Vermont Catamounts
• Troy's Predicted Winner: Vermont Catamounts

Atlantic Sun

• Championship Info: Sunday 3/8 @ 3 PM - ESPN
• Tournament Dates: 3/3, 3/5, 3/8
• Tournament Location: Campus Sites
• Thoughts: The Atlantic Sun seems to come down to a two-horse race. The Liberty Flames were one of the last remaining unbeaten teams in the country, not losing until their game against LSU right before New Year. North Florida was neck and neck with the Flames all season long, splitting the season's series and sharing the regular season title. Don't count out Stetson or Lipscomb, but it just feels like the final game will be Flames vs Ospreys round three.
• Grant's Predicted Winners: Liberty Flames
• Troy's Predicted Winner: Liberty Flames

Big South

• Championship Info: Sunday 3/8 @ 1 PM - ESPN
• Tournament Dates: 3/3, 3/5-6, 3/8
• Tournament Location: Campus Sites
• Thoughts: The Big South will be another two-horse race. Radford and Winthrop are both 20 plus win teams that finished tied atop of the conference. Gardner-Webb is a dangerous team that can compete with these two for the crown, but the Highlanders and Eagles seem like the favorites here.
• Grant's Predicted Winners: Winthrop Eagles
• Troy's Predicted Winner: Radford Highlanders

Colonial

• Championship Info: Tuesday 3/10 @ 7 PM - CBS Sports
• Tournament Dates: 3/7-10
• Tournament Location: Washington D.C.
• Thoughts: The Colonial will be a sneakily competitive conference tournament. There isn't a ton of space between the top team in the league, Hofstra, and the middle of the conference. The Pride, William & Mary, Towson, Charleston, and Delaware are all legit contenders to win this tournament. 
• Grant's Predicted Winners: William & Mary Tribe
• Troy's Predicted Winner: Hofstra Pride

Horizon

• Championship Info: Tuesday 3/10 @ 7 PM - ESPN/2
• Tournament Dates: 3/3, 3/5, 3/9-10
• Tournament Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
• Thoughts: The question is will this conference have the Wright stuff or will the Norse be riding into the Horizon. Sorry, I couldn't pass up that opportunity. Wright State ended up winning the regular season by two games over Northern Kentucky, the difference being that the Raiders swept the series season over their rivals from an hour away. Obviously, anything can fly in March, but these two are the clear favorites to play for the tournament bid. 
• Grant's Predicted Winners: Northern Kentucky Norse
• Troy's Predicted Winner: Wright State Raiders

Missouri Valley

• Championship Info: Sunday 3/8 @ 2 PM - CBS
• Tournament Dates: 3/5-8
• Tournament Location: Saint Louis, Missouri
• Thoughts: Each year, Arch Madness is one of my favorite conference tournaments. There are a lot of storylines going into this one. Northern Iowa is a very good team and has a chance to make the Big Dance if they have a good showing but don't end up winning. Their main competitor for the conference crown is Loyola Chicago, one of the best Cinderella stories in recent years. Finally, you have an Evansville team who beat Kentucky early in the year but ended up losing every conference game. 
• Grant's Predicted Winners: Northern Iowa Panthers
• Troy's Predicted Winner: Northern Iowa Panthers

Mountain West

• Championship Info: Saturday 3/7 @ 5:30 PM - CBS
• Tournament Dates: 3/4-7
• Tournament Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
• Thoughts: The main question for the Mountain West is can anyone hand San Diego State their second loss of the year. The Aztecs went into late February undefeated until losing to UNLV, but other than that one blip, not many teams have competed with them. Utah State has an outside chance of making the tournament, but hard to see anyone topping SDSU.
• Grant's Predicted Winners: San Diego State Aztecs
• Troy's Predicted Winner: San Diego State Aztecs

Northeast

• Championship Info: Tuesday 3/10 @ 7 PM - ESPN/2
• Tournament Dates: 3/4, 3/7, 3/10
• Tournament Location: Campus Sites
• Thoughts: This is about to be me standing on a soapbox for a minute, so bear with me. Merrimack won the conference's regular-season, yet due to this year being their first in Division One, they are not allowed to play in any post-season tournaments. Who benefits from this? Why would you punish the school and its students just because they are new? The Warriors were the best team in the NEC but they won't get to display this on the national stage for arbitrary reasoning. Rant over. The tournament winner will probably be either St. Francis (PA) or Robert Morris. Also, there are two schools in the NEC that are named St. Francis, what's up with that? 
• Grant's Predicted Winners: St. Francis (PA) Red Flash
• Troy's Predicted Winner: St. Francis (PA) Red Flash

Ohio Valley

• Championship Info: Saturday 3/7 @ 8 PM - ESPN 2
• Tournament Dates: 3/4-7
• Tournament Location: Evansville, Indiana
• Thoughts: The OVC should be a very interesting conference tournament to watch. The conference finished with a two-way tie and the only reason why it wasn't three-way was that Murray State and Austin Peay played in the final regular-season game. Throw Belmont in the mix and the semis and finals of the tournament should be very interesting. 
• Grant's Predicted Winners: Belmont Bruins
• Troy's Predicted Winner: Murray State Racers

Patriot

• Championship Info: Wednesday 3/11 @ 7:30 PM - CBS Sports
• Tournament Dates: 3/3, 3/5, 3/8, 3/11
• Tournament Location: Campus Sites
• Thoughts: The Patriot league features a school called American University, it has both the Army and the Navy, and Boston, where the Patriots play. There is no more appropriately named conference on Earth. Unfortunately, the favorite to win the conference tournament is a school that's less Patriotically named and more toothpaste related. Colgate seems to be the team to pick to go dancing. 
• Grant's Predicted Winners: Colgate Raiders
• Troy's Predicted Winner: Colgate Raiders

Southern

• Championship Info: Monday 3/9 @ 7 PM - ESPN
• Tournament Dates: 3/6-9
• Tournament Location: Asheville, North Carolina
• Thoughts: The Southern might be the best conference tournament outside of the Power-6 conferences. There are multiple teams (East Tennessee State, Furman, and UNC Greensboro) in the league that could pull off upsets in the Big Dance. There are also teams in the middle that can certainly win the Southern tournament. For teams on the bubble, you strongly want East Tennesee State to win this thing. The Buccaneers have a strong case for an at large birth if they don't take the tournament title. 
• Grant's Predicted Winners: UNC Greensboro Spartans
• Troy's Predicted Winner: Furman Paladins

Summit

• Championship Info: Tuesday 3/10 @ 9 PM - ESPN 2
• Tournament Dates: 3/7-10
• Tournament Location: Sioux Falls, South Dakota
• Thoughts: Once again we have a two-team race to take this tournament title. In a battle of the Dakota States, it'll be a question if it's North or South. The two schools split their season series. You can take the Jackbunnies or the Bison but it would be surprising if the winner is a team other than SDSU or NDSU.
• Grant's Predicted Winners: South Dakota State Jackrabbits
• Troy's Predicted Winner: South Dakota State Jackrabbits

Sun Belt

• Championship Info: Sunday 3/15 @ 2 PM - ESPN 2
• Tournament Dates: 3/7, 3/9, 3/11, 3/14-15
• Tournament Location: Campus Sites and New Orleans, Louisiana (Semis & Finals)
• Thoughts: In this weirdly spaced tournament there are a lot of options to go dancing. Arkansas Little Rock does seem like the best team in the league even if there isn't a ton of difference in the conference standings. 
• Grant's Predicted Winners: Georgia State Panthers
• Troy's Predicted Winner: Arkansas Little Rock Trojans

West Coast

• Championship Info: Tuesday 3/10 @ 9 PM - ESPN
• Tournament Dates: 3/5-7, 3/9-10
• Tournament Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
• Thoughts: The late-night darlings of the WCC will take the court in Vegas with two seeming locks to make the Big Dance and one team trying their best to get back in the discussion. Gonzaga and BYU are trying to bolster their bids at seeding for the national tournament while Saint Mary's is trying to get on the right side of the discussion. 
• Grant's Predicted Winners: Gonzaga Bulldogs
• Troy's Predicted Winner: Gonzaga Bulldogs

Championship Game Schedule

Saturday 3/7

• Mountain West - 5:30 PM - CBS
• Ohio Valley - 8 PM - ESPN

Sunday 3/8

• Big South - 1 PM - ESPN
• Missouri Valley - 2 PM - CBS
• Atlantic Sun - 3 PM - ESPN

Monday 3/9 

• Southern - 7 PM - ESPN

Tuesday 3/10

• Colonial - 7 PM - CBS Sports
• Horizon - 7 PM - ESPN
• Northeast - 7 PM - ESPN 2
• Summit - 9 PM - ESPN 2
• West Coast - 9 PM - ESPN

Wednesday 3/11

• Patriot - 7 PM - CBS Sports

Saturday 3/14

• American East - 11 AM - ESPN 2
• Mid-Eastern - 1 PM - ESPN 2
• Metro Atlantic - 4 - ESPN U
• Big 12 - 6 PM - ESPN
• Southwestern - 6 PM - ESPN U
• Big East - 6:30 PM - FS1
• MAC - 7:30 PM - ESPN 2
• Big Sky - 8 PM - ESPN U
• Atlantic Coast - 8:30 PM - ESPN
• Conference USA - 8:30 PM - CBS Sports
• Southland - 9:30 PM - ESPN 2
• Western - 10 PM - ESPN U
• PAC 12 - 10:30 PM - FS1
• Big West - 11:30 PM - ESPN 2

Sunday 3/15

• Ivy League - Noon - ESPN 2
• Atlantic 10 - 1 PM - CBS
• Southeastern - 1 PM - ESPN
• Sun Belt - 2 PM - ESPN 2
• American - 3:15 PM - ESPN
• Big Ten - 3:30 PM - CBS

To stay up to date on the newest Head in the Game articles (and general sports commentary), follow @headingameblog on Twitter. You can also find us on Twitter @T_RoyStory (Troy) and @G_Tingley (Grant)