When a team goes 28-3, wins their regular season title and conference tournament a decent spot in the NCAA Tournament is all but a lock, right? Not if you’re Southwest Missouri State. The Lady Bears did all those things, but were good enough for only a 12-seed in the eyes of the NCAA, which announced the field of 64 on Sunday. The Lady Bears will head to South Bend, Indiana to play Notre Dame in round one. Playing anonymously is nothing new for SMS, which spent a brief two-week stint in the Top 25 then dropped out after their 18-game winning streak ended. SMS is headed to the NCAA Tourney for the second straight year. In 2003, they were a surprise winner at the Missouri Valley Conference tournament, but got bounced by Texas Tech in the first round. The Missouri Tigers were able to grab an 11-seed in the tournament and will take on Stanford in Tempe, Arizona in round one. Mizzou enters the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2001, when they made a surprising run to the Sweet 16. Mizzou, which started its Big 12 schedule 0-4, will enter the tournament with a record of 17-11.
