03/15/2010
Connecticut’s journey for the sixth perfect season in NCAA history will
begin in Norfolk, Va.
The undefeated Huskies earned the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA women’s
basketball tournament Monday night and will open against Southern at Norfolk,
Va.
Ten teams have entered the NCAA tournament unbeaten; only five have emerged
victorious. UConn and coach Geno Auriemma have done it three times, including
last season.
Tennessee, Stanford and Nebraska earned the other No. 1 seeds.
Stanford, the last team to beat Connecticut, earned its first No. 1 seed
since 1998 in the NCAA women’s basketball tournament. Tennessee earned its
record 20th No. 1 seed a year after getting bounced from the tournament in the
first round. And Nebraska earned its first No. 1 seed in school history after
winning its first 30 games this season. The Cornhuskers lost their only game of
the season in the Big 12 tournament semifinals.
The Huskies (33-0), too, have run through their opponents this season,
winning by an average of 35 points. In search of its seventh national
championship, UConn is looking to become the fifth team to win consecutive
titles. Tennessee last did it in 2007 and 2008.
Awaiting the Huskies in the second round could be former assistant Tonya
Cardoza and the Temple Owls. They face James Madison in the first round.
Other first-round games in the Dayton region are: No. 5 Virginia vs. No. 12
Green Bay; No. 4 Iowa State vs. No. 13 Lehigh; No. 6 St. John’s vs. No. 11
Princeton; No. 3 Florida State vs. No. 14 Louisiana Tech; No. 7 Mississippi
State vs. No. 10 Middle Tennessee; and No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 15 St. Francis
(Pa.).
While other teams look to make history in the tournament, the Lady Vols had
enough of that last year. Tennessee, a No. 5 seed last season, lost in the first
round to Ball State, marking the first time in the program’s history that the
team didn’t advance out of the opening weekend.
Tennessee will open up at home against Austin Peay in the Memphis region.
The Lady Govs (15-17) are the eighth team in NCAA history to make the tournament
with a losing record. They upset Eastern Illinois to win the Ohio Valley
tournament.
Fifth-seeded Georgetown plays MAAC conference champion Marist, and No. 4
Baylor will face Fresno State in Berkeley. West Virginia, the runner-up in the
Big East tournament, earned a No. 3 seed and will play Southland champion Lamar.
ACC champion Duke earned a No. 2 seed and will host the first two rounds.
The Blue Devils will play Mid-Eastern champion Hampton in the opener. LSU meets
Hartford in the other game at Cameron.
Other first-round games in the Memphis region are: No. 6 Texas vs. No. 11
San Diego State; No. 7 LSU vs. No. 10 Hartford; and No. 8 Dayton vs. No. 9 TCU.
Dayton is one of five teams making their debut—Princeton, Arkansas-Little
Rock, Portland State, Northern Iowa, and Dayton.
Baylor freshman Brittney Griner, too, will get her first taste of the NCAA
tournament. The Lady Bears earned a No. 4 seed and will play Fresno State in the
first round. Griner, who drew national attention coming into college as a
dunking phenom, made headlines again on March 3 after throwing a punch in a game
against Texas Tech. She was suspended for two games by the school for her
actions.
In the Kansas City region, Nebraska will open against Northern Iowa. UCLA
and North Carolina State will face off in the eight-nine game. Other first-round
matchups in the region include No. 5 Michigan State against Mid-American
champion Bowling Green. No. 4 Kentucky will face Big South champion Liberty. In
the other half of the region, sixth-seed Georgia Tech faces Arkansas-Little
Rock, which is making its first tournament appearance. No. 3 Oklahoma faces
South Dakota State.
Second-seed Notre Dame will host Cleveland State in its opener. Wisconsin
plays America East winner Vermont in the other matchup.
But it all comes back to UConn.
The Cardinal (31-1) were the last team to beat the Huskies—in the
semifinals of the 2008 NCAA tournament. Stanford will open this year’s
tournament hosting UC Riverside in the Sacramento region.
Other first-round games in the Sacramento region are: No. 8 Iowa vs. No. 9
Rutgers; No. 5 Georgia vs. No. 12 Tulane; No. 4 Oklahoma State vs. No. 13
Chattanooga; No. 6 Vanderbilt vs. No. 11 DePaul; No. 3 Xavier vs. No. 14 East
Tennessee State; No. 7 Gonzaga vs. No. 10 North Carolina; and No. 2 Texas A&M
vs. No. 15 Portland State.