The Seeds
• 1. Michigan State
• 2. Stanford
• 3. Connecticut
• 4. Kansas State
• 5. Vanderbilt
• 6. Florida State
• 7. Iowa State
• 8. Southern Cal
• 9. Louisville
• 10. Utah
• 11. Richmond
• 12. Montana
• 13. Bowling Green
• 14. Dartmouth
• 15. Santa Clara
• 16. Alcorn State
|
Kansas City Region Elsewhere
Philadelphia | Chattanooga | Tempe
The Washington Post
Tuesday, March 15, 2005; Page D9 1. Michigan State, Big Ten champion
Record: 28-3 (14-2).
Coach: Joanne McCallie.
Top players: G Lindsay Bowen, 5-7, Jr. (13.8 ppg, 2.7 apg, 66 3-pt. FG); C Kelli Roehrig, 6-4, Sr. (13.7 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 50.9% FG); F Liz Shimek, 6-1, Jr. (14.8 ppg, 9 rpg, 48.8% FG), G Kristin Haynie, 5-8, Sr. (10.6 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 5.1 apg).
Data: Michigan State won its first Big Ten championship and became the first team since Purdue in 1999 to win the regular season and tournament titles. The Spartans are 10-1 against ranked teams. Tournament most outstanding player Haynie has 328 career steals, third in Big Ten history. Michigan State has had more assists than turnovers in nine of its last 10 games. The Spartans outrebound their opponents by 7.9 rebounds per game, which ranks ninth in Division I. 16. Alcorn State, Southwestern champion
Record: 20-7 (13-3).
Coach: Shirley Walker.
Top players: G LaToya Johnson, 5-10, Sr. (12.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 3.4 apg); G Shikhia Sims, 5-4, Sr. (10.9 ppg, 3.1 apg, 80% FT); F Rasaan Powell, 6-2, Soph. (9.9 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 53% FG).
Data: The Lady Braves won their three conference tournament games by at least nine points. They rely heavily on seniors -- four are starters -- and their reserves combined to average 21.9 points. Walker is in her 27th season as coach. 8. Southern California, Pacific-10 at-large
Record: 19-10 (12-6).
Coach: Mark Trakh.
Top players: G Brynn Cameron, 5-10, Fr. (10.2 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 42.2% 3-pt. FG); G Meghan Gnekow, 5-11, Jr. (8.8 ppg, 6 rpg, 34.4% FG); F Eshaya Murphy, 5-11, Soph. (8.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 36.8% FG).
Data: Trakh, in his first year at USC, led the Women of Troy to their most wins since 1996-97 (the last time they played in the NCAA tournament) and their best Pac-10 finish (tied for second) since 1994. USC gave Stanford all it could handle in the Pac-10 semifinals; they led 37-32 at halftime before falling, 73-69. Nine players average 15 minutes and five points or more. Six of those nine are freshmen or sophomores. 9. Louisville, Conference USA at-large
Record: 22-8 (11-3).
Coach: Tom Collen.
Top players: C Jazz Covington, 6-3, Soph. (17.9 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 35 mpg); F Missy Taylor, 6-3, Soph. (13.2 ppg, 7 rpg, 52% FG); G Angel Bradley, 5-6, Sr. (9 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 33 mpg).
Data: Rarely do teams change their point of emphasis late in the season, but the Cardinals enter the NCAA tournament experimenting with a lineup heavy on inside players. Purdue transfer Taylor is back after missing eight late-season games because of a knee injury; 6-1 forward Yuliya Tokova played well enough in her absence that Cullen is considering using all three together. Louisville has some margin for error because of its defense -- opponents shoot 36.9 percent from the field. 5. Vanderbilt, SEC at-large
Record: 22-7 (10-4).
Coach: Melanie Balcomb.
Top players: G-F Ashley Earley, 5-11, Sr. (18.5 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 64.3% FG); F Carla Thomas, 6-3, Soph. (15.9 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 55.7% FG); G Dee Davis, 5-7 Soph. (13.7 ppg, 6.2 apg, 81.2% FT).
Data: The Commodores lost three straight games in mid-January, but they've won eight of 10 since, with the only losses coming against rival Tennessee. Four players average double figures in points. Vanderbilt ranks third in Division I in scoring offense (79 points per game) and second in shooting (49.9%), and it's cracked the 90-point barrier seven times. The Commodores are also pretty good defensively, forcing an average of 20.8 turnovers and limiting teams to just 59.6 points. 12. Montana, Big Sky champion
Record: 22-7 (13-1).
Coach: Robin Selvig.
Top Players: C Hollie Tyler, 6-3, Sr. (14.8 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 2.9 bpg); G Katie Edwards, 5-9, Jr. (12.6 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.6 apg); G Lynsey Monaco, 5-10, Sr. (4.6 ppg, 6.1 apg, 2.3 spg).
Data: The Lady Griz, winners of 15 of their last 16, are in the NCAAs for the second year in a row and the 16th time overall. Selvig, with a record of 624-180 in 27 seasons at Montana, entered this season with the fourth-best winning percentage among active women's coaches. The team's highest-profile win of the season came on Dec. 29, when Montana beat visiting Florida State, 60-49. Tyler, the Big Sky co-MVP, scored a career-high 29 points on 13-of-17 shooting against Weber State in the conference tournament final. 4. Kansas State, Big 12 at-large
Record: 23-7 (12-4).
Coach: Deb Patterson.
Top players: F Kendra Wecker, 5-11, Sr. (20.6 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 84% FT); G Laurie Koehn, 5-8, Sr. (12.2 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 90% FT); G-F Megan Mahoney, 6-0, Sr. (9.6 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 80% FT).
Data: Wecker is the conference's career leading scorer -- she has more than 2,240 points -- and was named conference player of the year. Her value is such that when she missed a game against Liberty in December with an ankle injury, the Wildcats lost by 21. Mahoney suffered an ankle injury in the Big 12 title game loss to Baylor, and her status for the NCAA tournament is questionable. 13. Bowling Green, Mid-American champion
Record: 23-7 (13-3).
Coach: Curt Miller.
Top players: C Liz Honegger, 5-11, Soph. (14.5 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 1,7 bpg); F Ali Mann, 6-1, Soph. (13.9 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 48.2% FG); F Carin Horne, 5-10, Soph. (11.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 40.7% FG); G Kate Achter, 5-8, Fr. (11 ppg, 4 rpg, 4.1 apg).
Data: Bowling Green, which has won six in a row and 11 of its last 12 games, is making its first NCAA tournament appearance since 1994. The Falcons have recorded consecutive 20-win seasons for the first time in more than a decade. They led the MAC in scoring at 71.5 points per game. Bowling Green averages only six three-pointers a game, but in their last four games, the Falcons have made 10 per game. They made 12 three-pointers in the MAC tournament final. Achter is only the fourth freshman to earn MAC tournament most outstanding player honors. 6. Florida State, ACC at-large
Record: 23-7.
Coach: Sue Semrau.
Top players: F Roneeka Hodges, 5-11, Sr. (19 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 46.4% FG); G Alicia Gladden, 5-11, Soph. (12.3 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 2.1 apg); F Ganiyat Adeduntan, 6-1, Jr. (11.6 ppg, 7.7 rpg); G Holly Johnson, 5-8, Jr. (8.6 ppg, 3.9 apg).
Data: This was Florida State's first 20-win season in 14 years and only its fifth in school history. Hodges, a transfer from LSU, has scored in double figures in 28 of 30 games. Her twin sister, Doneeka, who played with Hodges for three seasons at LSU, was a rookie with the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks last season. Florida State has won four of five overtime games, including double- and triple-overtime games against Virginia Tech. The Seminoles opened the season with 12 wins, but faded down the stretch, losing five of their last 10. 11. Richmond, Atlantic 10 at-large
Record: 23-7 (12-4).
Coach: Joanne Boyle.
Top players: F Kate Flavin, 6-1, Sr. (17.5 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 56.2% FG), G Saona Chapman, 5-8, Jr. (11.8 ppg, 4.6 apg, 49 3-pt. FG), G Araceli Gil, 5-3, Jr. (7.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 80.3% FT), F Christina Campion, 6-0, Soph. (9.9 ppg, 6.7 rpg)
Data: Flavin, who is one of only two players in school history to score 1,000 points and grab 1,000 rebounds, sat out the Atlantic 10 tournament because of a knee injury. The Spiders hope to have her available for the NCAA tournament. Flavin and Chapman have accounted for 40 percent of Richmond's offense. Richmond was the best shooting team in the Atlantic 10, making 45 percent of its shots. The Spiders were also an opportunistic team, scoring 25 percent of their points off opponents' turnovers. 3. Connecticut, Big East champion
Record: 23-7 (13-3).
Coach: Geno Auriemma.
Top players: G Ann Strother, 6-2, Jr. (13 ppg, 3.1 apg, 39.2% 3-pt. FG); G-F Charde Houston, 6-1, Fr. (11.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 50.4% FG); F Barbara Turner, 6-0, Jr. (10.8 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 51.4% FG).
Data: The Huskies lost two more regular season games than they had the past three seasons combined. But they've won 15 of their past 18 games, and they swept through the conference tournament for their first title since 2002. The three-time defending national champions have plenty of talent, but no transcendent star such as Diana Taurasi. Four Huskies -- Strother, Turner, Jessica Moore and Ashley Battle -- surpassed the career 1,000-point mark this season. 14. Dartmouth, Ivy champion
Record: 17-10 (12-2).
Coach: Chris Wielgus.
Top players: C Elise Morrison, 6-3, Soph. (15.8 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 1.7 bpg); F Ashley Taylor, 5-11, Soph. (12.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 81.1% FT); G Jeannie Cullen, 5-10, Jr. (13.6 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 80.8% FT); G Angie Soriaga, 5-6, Jr. (10.6 ppg, 4.2 apg, 94.1% FT).
Data: Dartmouth, which is making its fifth NCAA tournament appearance, has won 12 of its last 14 games after starting 3-7. This is the first time in 15 seasons that the Big Green has four players averaging in double figures in points. Soriaga, who has nearly twice as many assists (110) as turnovers (58), is fourth on the school's career assist list with 343. She set the school record for consecutive free throws made last season, making 35 in a row. She has made her last 31. Cullen ranks second in school history with 185 career three-pointers. 7. Iowa State, Big 12 at-large
Record: 23-6 (12-4).
Coach: Bill Fennelly.
Top players: G Anne O'Neil, 5-11, Sr. (16.6 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 51% 3-pt); F Katie Robinette, 6-2, Sr. (15 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 51% FG); G-F Mary Fox, 6-0, Sr. (11.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 81% FT).
Data: Don't be deceived by the loss to Texas Tech in the Big 12 quarterfinals: It was the only conference tournament quarterfinal between teams ranked in the top 20. Had a 12-game winning streak in midseason. Iowa State is a very good outside shooting team -- the Cyclones made 38.7 percent of their three-pointers and 75 percent of their free throws. They went 15-0 at home. 10. Utah, Mountain West at-large
Record: 25-7 (12-2).
Coach: Elaine Elliott.
Top players: F Kim Smith, 6-1, Jr. (17.9 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 50.7% FG); G Shona Thorburn, 5-10, Jr. (15.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 6.6 apg); G Lana Sitterud, 5-10, Jr. (9.5 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 68 3-pt. FG); C Deanne Hanchett, 6-3, Fr. (6.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 40.4% FG).
Data: Utah is making its second NCAA appearance in the last three seasons and 13th overall. The Utes are 4-12 in the tournament. Utah was the top three-point shooting team in the Mountain West this season, making 38 percent of its shots from behind the arc. The Utes attempt more than 18 three-pointers per game, making more than seven per game. Smith, the three-time Mountain West player of the year, has scored in double figures in every game for Utah this season and 38 straight. 2. Stanford, Pacific-10 champion
Record: 29-2 (17-1).
Coach: Tara VanDerveer.
Top players: G Candice Wiggins, 5-11, Fr. (17.3 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 47.9% FG); C Brooke Smith, 6-3, Jr. (13 ppg, 61.2% FG, 5.2 rpg); G Kelley Suminski, 5-9, Sr. (11.4 ppg, 45.7% 3-pt. FG, 2.8 apg).
Data: The Cardinal finished the regular season on a 20-game winning streak and ranked No. 1 in the nation, but that apparently wasn't good enough to earn a No. 1 seed or even to keep Stanford out west. (The last top-ranked team that failed to get a No. 1 seed was Texas in 1984.) The Cardinal hasn't lost since a 62-58 defeat at Oregon on Dec. 29, and it's won its 20 games since then by an average margin of 23 points. 15. Santa Clara, West Coast champion
Record: 17-13 (8-6).
Coach: Michelle Bento-Jackson.
Top players: G Quinn Thomas, 5-9, Sr. (14 ppg, 5 rpg, 2.5 apg); G Michelle Cozad, 5-10, Jr. (12.8 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 43% 3-pt); G Ashley Graham, 5-7, Soph. (9.2 ppg, 2.8 apg, 45% 3-pt).
Data: Hosted the conference final and ended Gonzaga's 23-game winning streak with a 77-66 win -- all after losing twice to the Bulldogs in the regular season, by 35 and five points. Bento-Jackson opened her postgame news conference by saying, "Wow!" The Broncos shoot three-pointers very well; as a team they made 37.5 percent. Early season losses to Michigan State, Minnesota and Georgia.
© 2005 The Washington Post Company |
