The Seeds
• 1. North Carolina
• 2. Baylor
• 3. Minnesota
• 4. Notre Dame
• 5. Arizona State
• 6. Virginia
• 7. TCU
• 8. Mississippi
• 9. Geo. Washington
• 10. Oregon
• 11. Old Dominion
• 12. Eastern Ky.
• 13. UC Santa Barbara
• 14. St. Francis (Pa.)
• 15. Illinois State
• 16. Coppin State
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Tempe Region Elsewhere
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The Washington Post
Tuesday, March 15, 2005; Page D8 1. North Carolina, ACC champion
Record: 27-3 (12-2).
Coach: Sylvia Hatchell.
Top Players: G Ivory Latta, 5-5, Soph. (16.9 ppg, 4.5 apg, 88.3% FT); F Erlana Larkins, 6-2, Fr. (15.1 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 61.2% FG); F Camille Little, 6-1, Soph. (12 ppg, 5.9 rpg); G Nikita Bell, 6-0, Sr. (10.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 3 spg).
Data: North Carolina has won 13 in a row and outscored opponents by an average of 21.3 points. They lead Division I in steals with 14 per game. Latta, who holds South Carolina's high school scoring record, finishing with 4,319 points, has scored 940 points in 61 games at North Carolina. Little's father, Robert, played for the Harlem Globetrotters. Kenya McBee, who started three games and averages 13 minutes, recently submitted an audition tape for the TV show, "America's Next Top Model." 16. Coppin State, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champion
Record: 23-7 (15-3).
Coach: Derek Brown.
Top players: F Sherrie Tucker, 5-10, Jr. (15.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 40.9% FG); F Lakesha Wills, 5-11, Sr. (13.2 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 53.1% FG); G Denita Plain, 5-6, Sr. (6.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 3.9 apg); C Leisel Harry, 6-3, Sr. (11.9 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 53.1% FG).
Data: Coppin State won a school record eight straight entering its first NCAA tournament appearance in 20 years as a Division I program. The Lady Eagles led the league in field goal percentage (.423). Tucker was the MEAC's top scorer. Wills, the MEAC tournament most outstanding player, averaged 20 points in three tournament games. Brown was a longtime assistant to men's coach Fang Mitchell and played for Maryland Coach Gary Williams in high school. 8. Mississippi, SEC at-large
Record: 19-10 (8-6).
Coach: Carol Ross.
Top players: G Armintie Price, 5-9, Soph. (17 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 53.5% FG); C Amber Watts, 6-3, Sr. (11.8 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 1.7 bpg); G Carletta Brown, 5-2, Sr. (8.7 ppg, 4.6 apg, 1.7 spg).
Data: The Lady Rebels were 1-13 in the SEC just two seasons ago; since then, they are 15-13, an improvement that coincided with the arrival of the dynamic Price. A year after being named the conference's top freshman, Price earned SEC defensive player of the year honors. She became the first guard to lead the SEC in rebounding, and was the first player in SEC history to lead the league in steals (3.3 per game) and rebounds. 9. GW, Atlantic 10 at-large
Record: 22-8 (13-3).
Coach: Joe McKeown.
Top players: F Anna Montaņana (17.3 ppg, 7 rpg, 4 apg), C Jessica Simmonds (14.6 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 47% FG), G Kimberly Beck (8 ppg, 5.3 apg, 2.7 spg), G Kenan Cole (7.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg).
Data: The Colonials are making their third straight and 12th overall NCAA appearance. Montanana makes GW go. Between her points and assists, she has been responsible for 42 percent of the Colonials' scoring. Beck was the Atlantic 10 rookie of the year after she became only the third freshman to lead the conference in assists. Outside of the above four players, the rest of the team managed only five points in the Colonials' loss to Temple in the Atlantic 10 final. 5. Arizona State, Pacific-10 at-large
Record: 22-9 (12-6).
Coach: Charli Turner Thorne.
Top players: F Emily Westerberg, 6-0, Soph. (11.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 84.5% FT); F Kristen Kovesdy, 6-3, Jr. (11 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 60.8% FG); G Kylan Loney, 5-7, Sr. (9.4 ppg, 2.8 apg, 41.7% FG).
Data: Arizona State's seventh 20-win season was good enough for its first NCAA berth since 2002. The Sun Devils limited their opponents to 53.4 points per game and held eight teams to 45 points or fewer. They held Stanford to its lowest point total of the season in the Pac-10 final, but it wasn't enough in a 56-42 loss. Kovesdy and sophomore Jill Noe appeared on the Food Network's "Food 911" show in February; they were shown preparing a healthy pregame meal for their teammates. 12. Eastern Kentucky, Ohio Valley champion
Record: 23-7 (15-1).
Coach: Larry Joe Inman.
Top players: F Miranda Eckerle, 6-0, Sr. (15.5 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 49.7% FG); G Ashley Cazee, 5-8, Fr. (11.3 ppg, 50.2% FG, 80.6% FT); C Pam Garrett, 6-1, Sr. (10.8 ppg, 5.7 rpg); F Candis Cook, 5-11, Sr. (10 ppg, 6.4 rpg).
Data: After starting 3-6, Eastern Kentucky ended the season winning a school-record 15 in a row. The Lady Colonels are making their second NCAA tournament appearance and their first since 1997. Eastern Kentucky averages 70.5 points per game and shoots 42.4 percent from the floor. Eckerle, the tournament most valuable player, has scored 27 or more points in three of her last four games. Cazee was selected the conference freshman of the year. 4. Notre Dame, Big East at-large
Record: 26-5 (13-3).
Coach: Muffet McGraw.
Top players: F Jacqueline Batteast, 6-2, Sr. (17.1 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 2.7 apg); G Megan Duffy, 5-7, Jr. (11.8 ppg, 5.5 apg, 90.2% FT); C Teresa Borton, 6-3, Sr. (8.4 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 56.6% FG).
Data: In its most successful regular season since its national championship year in 2000-01, Notre Dame beat seven ranked teams, including four top 10 teams, and was especially good on the road, holding its opponents to 33.7 percent shooting en route to an 11-2 record. Batteast, the Big East player of the year, ranks among the Irish's top five in career points, rebounds and blocked shots, and Borton has never missed a game or a practice in her four-year career. 13. UC-Santa Barbara, Big West Champion
Record: 21-8 (16-2).
Coach: Mark French.
Top players: F Kristen Mann, 6-2, Sr. (19.9 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 33 mpg); G Mia Fisher, 5-9, Sr. (13.7 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 75% FT); F Autumn Nichols, 6-1, Jr. (7.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 55% FG).
Data: The Gauchos won their ninth straight conference tournament title, after having won their 11th straight regular season title, but it wasn't easy. They lost to Idaho twice, then survived a conference tournament that featured teams with 20, 19 and 17 wins. Mann was the conference player of the year; she scored in double figures in all but one game. Fisher scored more than 15 points 10 times. 6. Virginia, ACC at-large
Record: 20-10 (8-6).
Coach: Debbie Ryan.
Top players: C Brandi Teamer, 6-2, Sr. (12.7 ppg, 6 rpg, 48.7% FG); F LaTonya Blue, 5-11, Sr. (12.5 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 4.3 apg); F Jocelyn Logan-Friend, 6-1, Sr. (9.4 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.9 bpg); G Sharnee Zoll, 5-7, Fr. (5.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 4.9 apg).
Data: After missing the NCAA tournament for the first time in 20 years, Virginia returns for its 21st appearance. The Cavaliers, who recorded their first 20-win season in five years, have five seniors, four of whom play significant minutes. Blue, who is fifth in assists (432) and eighth in steals (211) on the school's career lists, might be unable to play because of a badly sprained ankle. Zoll surpassed Dawn Staley's freshman record for assists in a season with 148. 11. Old Dominion, Colonial champion
Record: 22-8 (15-3).
Coach: Wendy Larry.
Top players: G Shareese Grant, 5-8, Sr. (14.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 4.2 apg); G Lawona Davis, 5-11, Jr. (11.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 45.5% FG); F Tiffany Green, 6-2, Fr. (10.1 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 56.1% FG); F Sherida Triggs, 6-1, Soph. (7 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.2 bpg)
Data: After winning its 14th consecutive CAA tournament title, Old Dominion is making its 22 NCAA tournament appearance. The Lady Monarchs are a young team with only two seniors and one junior. Their five freshmen have had the biggest impact on the team, accounting for 37.1 percent of its scoring and 41.6 percent of its rebounding. The Lady Monarchs outrebound their opponents by 11.6 rebounds per game. 3. Minnesota, Big Ten at-large
Record: 24-7 (12-4).
Coach: Pam Borton.
Top players: C Janel McCarville, 6-2, Sr. (16.3 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 3.8 apg); F Jamie Broback, 6-3, Soph. (14.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 48.2% FG); G Shannon Schonrock, 5-6, Jr. (9.3 ppg, 67 3-pt. FG, 42.1% 3-pt. FG)
Data: Minnesota, which advanced to last year's Final Four, allows an average of 55.6 points per game and has held 13 opponents to 50 points or less. McCarville, the only starter not from the state of Minnesota, is the 10th player in Big Ten history to record 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. With six players 6 feet 2 or taller, the Gophers led the Big Ten with 8.4 more rebounds per game than their opponents. Minnesota has won seven of its last 10 games. 14. Saint Francis (Pa.), Northeast champion
Record: 21-9 (16-2).
Coach: Jill Poe.
Top players: C Beth Swink, 6-2, Sr. (22.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 52% FG); F Christin Black, 5-11, Sr. (12.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 3.5 apg); G Sarah Bolten, 5-11, Sr. (9.8 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 4.2 apg); G Amber Hein, 5-9, Jr. (7.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.1 apg).
Data: Saint Francis has won 14 consecutive games, the second longest streak in school history. The Red Flash are making their fourth straight trip to the NCAA tournament and their ninth in the last 10 years. Saint Francis ranks seventh in Division I in assists (17.6 per game) and 71 percent of their field goals come off an assist. Swink ranks second in Division I in scoring and has 2,117 career points, second in conference history. Black was the Northeast defensive player of the year. 7. Texas Christian, Conference USA champion
Record: 23-9 (10-4).
Coach: Jeff Mittie.
Top players: F Sandora Irvin, 6-3, Sr. (20.1 ppg, 12 rpg, 72.8 FT%); F Ashley Davis, 6-0, Soph. (9.8 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 75% FT); G Natasha Lacy, 5-10, Soph. (9.5 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 31.1 mpg)
Data: Irvin is the team's focal point. She leads them in scoring, her 383 rebounds this season are the most in school history and she is a finalist for the national player of the year. She also is former Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irvin's niece. Davis is the team's best three-point shooter. In all, though, it hasn't been an easy season. The 14-year old daughter of TCU associate AD Jack Hesselbrock died of cancer late last month; the team is wearing patches on their jerseys in her honor. 10. Oregon, Pac-10 at-large
Record: 20-9 (12-6).
Coach: Bev Smith.
Top players: F Cathrine Kraayeveld, 6-4, Sr. (14.4 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 45.6% FG); C Andrea Bills, 6-3, Sr. (11.7 ppg, 7 rpg, 52.1% FG); G Corrie Mizusawa, 5-8, Sr. (4.9 ppg, 6.9 apg, 44.5% FG). Data: The Ducks were the only team to beat Stanford in conference play, a 62-58 victory in late December. Oregon, which is making its first tournament appearance since 2001, has a core group of seniors to rely on. Kraayeveld and Bills each have over 700 career rebounds, and Mizusawa, who ranks third in Division I in assists, is a true pass-first point guard. In two years at Oregon, she has more assists (373) than points (301). This season, she has a 2.9 assist-to-turnover margin. 2. Baylor, Big 12 champion
Record: 27-3 (14-2).
Coach: Kim Mulkey-Robertson.
Top players: F Sophia Young, 6-1, Jr. (17.4 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 53% FG); C Stephanie Blackmon, 6-2, Sr. (16 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 79% FT); G Chameka Scott, 6-0, Jr. (7.9 ppg, 4 rpg, 70% FT).
Data: Won the Big 12 tournament for the first time in school history even though Blackmon and Young were hampered by foul trouble in the final. Also won the conference regular season title. Went 6-2 in games decided by five points or less. That's a marked difference from the Lady Bears' double-overtime loss in the Big 12 title game and two-point loss to Tennessee in the NCAA round of 16. 15. Illinois State, Missouri Valley champion
Record: 13-17 (7-11).
Coach: Robin Pingeton.
Top players: F Katie Donovan, 6-0, Sr. (13.6 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 3.1 apg); G Jaci McCormack, 5-10, Sr. (12.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 3.9 apg); G Megan McCracken, 5-8, Soph. (11 ppg, 3.3 apg); C Holly Hallstrom, 6-2, Jr. (7.4 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 46.8% FG).
Data: Illinois State, which beat three 20-win teams to win the Missouri Valley tournament, is the third team to make the field of 64 with a losing record. This is their first NCAA appearance since 1989. Illinois State was inconsistent this season and had to deal with controversy surrounding reserve forward Erin Keeney's departure. The school said Keeney quit the team in late February. Keeney said she was dismissed from the team. Keeney played in 21 games, starting three.
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