Recently I've heard people talking and read some things regarding the Sugar Bears' chances of missing out on the conference tournament.

I guess it's mathematically possible – I just don't forsee it happening.

For one, the Sugar Bears have to lose to SAU. Now, granted, the way they've been playing of late it's no stretch to think they could fall to the Lady Muleriders. At this point, all bets are off even against the Alpha Sigma Tau 2 intramural team.

But remember, the Sugar Bears went TO SAU (one of those places that people who've been around forever say is "always a tough place to play" and "they've given some of our best teams fits down there" and all that jazz) and won by 20. Twenty points. Yes, they also blew out UAM the first time then lost the second go-round, but the UAM game was a little closer the first time and the second one was on the road. This one is at home – although that might not mean a whole lot. It's something, at least.

And, lest anyone forget, this is the blood game. It was against SAU that Mariesha Piggee got hammered harder than Eddie Sutton ever has. You see a teammate get crushed then pass out and have to be carted off on a stretcher – all the while the other team is out on the court cheering and jumping around – that's not something you forget too easily. Probably makes you a little more focused and makes you play a little harder.

And, Renita Dobbins still hasn't forgiven them for two years ago.

So that's the first thing that has to happen, and that's obviously by no means a given. Yes, the Sugar Bears have been awful lately but they've also been really good at times. Have a little faith, hard as it may be. The losing's got to end at some point, right? When better than now?

The team is plenty talented, it's just a matter of getting everything right. Whether or not that happens is to be determined, but I wouldn't go ahead and write off this SAU game as a loss by any means.

Now, the bigger thing ...

UCA is 8-7 in GSC play. At worst they'd be 8-8. At best, SAU and UAM can be 9-7. That still leaves the Sugar Bears fifth. But, Tech could finish 8-8 too. But you know what Tech is going to have to do to get that eighth win? Beat Delta State. I really cannot see that happening. Delta is still in a battle with Henderson for the league crown, too, so they aren't going to be sitting their players and laying down in the last game of the regular season.

Tech may have looked like world-beaters against the Sugar Bears, but a lot of that was because Melanie Pierce looked like the second coming of Carone Harris or something. She's not going to be able to get off like that against Delta, who has enough people tall and quick enough to keep up and not let her get going like that.

So, to recap, not only do the Sugar Bears have to lose at home to a team they dominated before and want to kill again, but Tech also has to beat maybe the best team in the league. Oh, and SAU and UAM have to win out, too.

There are a lot of things that have to happen for Tupelo not to happen for the Sugar Bears. It's possible I guess, just not probable.