COUNTDOWN TO MARCH MADNESS--WOMEN--WEEK ENDING MARCH 5, 2005

NOTE: This is the final installment of "Countdown To March Madness" for the 2004-05 season. As always, the women's teams are featured on Thursday, followed by the men on Friday. Teams in conferences covered by D-II South Sports are marked in BOLD type.

SOUTH REGION

1. Central Arkansas

2. Henderson State

3. Tuskegee

4. Valdosta State

5. West Florida

6. West Georgia

7. Florida Tech

8. Fort Valley State

9. Paine

10. Florida Gulf Coast

ANALYSIS: Conferences covered by D-II South Sports are marked in BOLD type. The number of projected bids to the NCAA tournament for each conference are marked in parentheses.

Gulf South (5): Central Arkansas, Henderson State, and Valdosta State seem to be locks for NCAA bids, regardless of what happens in the GSC tournament.

SIAC (2): Tuskegee and Fort Valley State are the leading candidates to get NCAA bids, barring an upset in the SIAC tournament.

Sunshine State/Independent (1): Florida Tech may be the lone SSC women's squad to advance to postseason play. Florida Gulf Coast (20-8) needs help from the conference tournaments to reach first-ever NCAA tournament.

SOUTH ATLANTIC REGION

1. Shaw

2. Clayton State

3. Carson-Newman

4. Columbus State

5. Fayetteville State

6. Wingate

7. USC Aiken

8. GC&SU

9. Catawba

10. Johnson C. Smith

ANALYSIS:

CIAA (2): Shaw is lock to reach to the NCAA tournament, with a perfect 22-0 in-region record. But Fayetteville State and Johnson C. Smith stand to battle for a potential second bid.

Peach Belt (4): Regular season champion Clayton State hopes to add a tournament title to its wish list. Columbus State needs at least 20 wins to boost its postseason resume, as does USC Aiken. An early exit from the PBC tournament could cost Georgia College & State University dearly come selection time.

South Atlantic (2): Carson-Newman looks like to lock to advance to the NCAA's. Wingate may also need to at least reach the finals of the SAC tourney to bolster its NCAA hopes. A third team, Catawba, may need to win it all to get the automatic bid.

For a complete breakdown on all of the regional rankings, log on to http://www.ncaasports.com.