Want To Win A Conference Tourney? Know Your Foe

Each day this week, Storming The Floor will be previewing that night's important games. Enjoy.

Anyone who watches Championship Week games knows that teams come from nowhere to win auto-bids all the time. Often the ability to win has nothing to do with superior talent, motivation, or schemes. It comes down to subtle mental gamesmanship from the players and coaches. Here are a few suggestions for teams that will be fighting for their NCAA tournament lives this week, starting tonight:

South Carolina State/Bethune-Cookman: The winner of this Tuesday tip-off gets to face the #1-seed Morgan State Grizzlies with an opportunity to move on. You may remember that Morgan State head coach Todd Bozeman is not a fan of the ham sammich. A small bribe to the room service staff and you might even have him facing jail time.

IUPUI (vs. Oakland, Summit League Semis): Ask Golden Grizzlies who the Raiders are going to take with their #1 pick. Discuss it every time you D-up on one of their players. This question will confuse and irritate them, as the school is located in Michigan, not California.

William & Mary (vs. George Mason, CAA final): This is more of a warning than a suggestion: wear a cup. I mean it. Everyone remembers GMU's dramatic run to the Final Four a couple of seasons ago, but few remember that it started with a low blow in the conference semis. Patriots coach Jim Larranaga suspended one of his best players for the offense, still got the at-large bid and the first-round win, and things took off from there. If you think he won't order nut-punches for your entire lineup to get a championship, you're dead wrong.

Gonzaga (vs. San Diego, WCC final): Gonzaga players should occasionally yawn and say things like "Damn, I must have gotten, like, twelve hours of sleep last night." San Diego needed 2OTs in the Sunday night game to make it to the finals. DO NOT make Jenny Craig Pavilion jokes, as this will only remind them that they are playing at home.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Sometimes a simple "your sister" comment can lead to a head-butt and ejection. But get creative - this is your one shining moment.