No. 1

Connecticut
Big East Champion
Record: 30-1 (16-0).
Coach: Geno Auriemma.
Top players: G Shea Ralph (14.4 ppg, 4.8 apg, 80% FTs, 63% FGs), F Svetlana Abrosimova (13.2 ppg, 6.2 rpg), G Sue Bird (10.6 ppg, 50% 3-pt.).
Data: The Huskies, whose only loss was72-71 to Tennessee, are outscoring opponents by an average of 30.5 points per game. Their attack is so balanced, seven players have led the team in scoring in a game this season. All but two players have scored in double figures in at least one game. This is the first time the Huskies have beaten Tennessee and Louisiana Tech in the same season.

No. 2

Duke
ACC Champion
Record: 26-5 (12-4).
Coach: Gail Goestenkors.
Top players: G Georgia Schweitzer (15.5 ppg, 3.2 apg), C Lauren Rice (9.6 ppg, 7.0 rpg), F Rocelle Parent (1.5 spg, 6.7 rpg).
Data: The Blue Devils have overcome the loss of F Peppi Browne (13.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg), who injured her knee in January and is unlikely to be ready during the NCAA tournament. Schweitzer, the ACC player of the year, leads an offense that has largely been productive but can be unraveled easily, particularly by athletic opponents. Parent, an all-ACC defensive selection, anchors a well-balanced defense.

No. 3

Louisiana State
SEC At-large
Record: 22-6 (11-3).
Coach: Sue Gunter.
Top players: G Marie Ferdinand (17.3 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 5.2 apg), G Katrina Hibbert (14.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg), F DeTrina White (11.6 ppg, 8.9 rpg).
Data: The Lady Tigers have no momentum going. They are 4-3 in past seven games and lost by 13 to Vanderbilt in SEC tournament. Guard play is key to LSU's success. Ferdinand and Hibbert must get Tigers off to a good start in first-round game. They are aggressive defenders who help LSU hold opponents to 31 percent three-point shooting. LSU shoots 49 percent from the field.

No. 4

Purdue
Big Ten Champion
Record: 22-7 (11-5).
Coach: Kristy Kurry.
Top players: G Kate Douglas (21.3 ppg, 4.7 apg), C Camille Cooper (14.4 ppg, 57% FGs, 7.6 rpg), G Kelly Komara (11.1 ppg).
Data: The defending NCAA champions upset Penn State in the Big Ten tournament to win their third straight title. Douglas, who led the Big Ten in scoring, was the conference player of the year. Purdue, which averaged 10.1 steals per game, held its opponents to 59.4 points per game and a 39 percent field goal percentage. The Boilermakers win, and lose, at the free-throw line, where they shoot 70 percent.

No. 5

Oklahoma
Big-12 At-large
Record: 23-7 (13-3).
Coach: Sherri Coale.
Top players: F Phylesha Whaley (20.6 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 53% FGs), G LaNeisha Caufield (14.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 85% FTs), G Stacey Dales (12.8 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 38% 3-pt.).
Data: The Sooners, who last made an appearance in the tournament in 1995, are enjoying their best season since 1986. They became the first team in Big 12 history to win their first nine conference games. Whaley, who was selected the Big 12 player of the year, has produced 27 double-doubles and scored in double figures 88 times in 102 games.

No. 6

Xavier
Atlantic 10 Champion
Record: 26-4 (13-3).
Coach: Melanie Balcomb.
Top players: G Amy Waugh (10.8 ppg, 5.9 apg), G Nicole Levandusky (13.4 ppg, 5 rpg), C Taru Tuukkanen (14.9 ppg, 6.9 rpg).
Data: The Musketeers' four losses were by a combined total of 10 points. They are a high-powered offensive team with the third-best field goal percentage in Division I (49.9 percent). Waugh, the Atlantic 10 rookie of the year, made 58 three-pointers this season and makes 47 percent of her attempts from three-point range. Xavier lost to Connecticut, 86-84, in the first round of last year's NCAA tournament.

No. 7

Marquette
Conf. USA At-large
Record: 22-6 (14-2).
Coach: Terri Mitchell.
Top players: C Abbie Willenborg (16.3 ppg, 9.3 rpg), F Lisa Oldenburg (16.1 ppg, 7.1 rpg), G Keisha Oliver (10.2 ppg, 4.4 rpg).
Data: Marquette lost in the second round last season and has to be concerned after losing its last regular season game, then getting upset in the conference quarterfinals as the No. 1 seed. Willenborg and Oldenburg, both seniors, give the Golden Eagles a tremendous inside game. Mitchell, whose teams have been a postseason disappointment, needs this experienced group to make an NCAA run.

No. 8

Drake
Missouri Valley Champion
Record: 23-6 (15-3).
Coach: Lisa Bluder.
Top players: C Carla Bennett (14.5 ppg, 7.1 rpg), F Erin Richards (11.4 ppg, 84% FTs), G Stephanie Schmitz (10.2 ppg, 4.2 apg).
Data: The Bulldogs have seven players taller than 6 feet. So it's no coincidence that they are outrebounding their opponents by more than five per game. Bennett was the MVC freshman of the year. Drake is 22-1 when it scores at least 70 points, but is 1-5 when it scores less than 70 points.

No. 9

Clemson
ACC At-large
Record: 18-11 (9-7).
Coach: Jim Davis.
Top players: G Chrissy Floyd (12.2 ppg, 1.8 spg), C Erin Batth (9.3 ppg, 7.4 rpg), G Krystal Scott (9.0 ppg, 3.2 apg).
Data: Clemson lost to the ACC's top three regular season teams – Duke, Virginia and N.C. State – in mid-February, then dropped the ACC tournament quarterfinal to North Carolina. (The Tigers lost on a last-second tip-in, 58-56.) Floyd, a freshman reserve, leads the team in scoring. With help from Batth, who was a member of the all-ACC defensive team, the Tigers are holding their opponents to 59.9 points per game.

No. 10

Western Kentucky
Sun Belt At-large
Record: 21-9 (13-3).
Coach: Steve Small.
Top players: F ShaRae Mansfield (18.6 ppg, 10.7 rpg), G Jamie Britt (15.6 ppg, 7.2 rpg), G Jaime Walz (15.0 ppg, 5.4 rpg).
Data: Mansfield, Britt and Walz form as strong a threesome as there is in women's basketball. The Hilltoppers basically go seven deep and have overcome quite a few injuries. Won 15 of 17 games to close the regular season, then lost the Sun Belt final to Louisiana Tech, 97-94. They last went into the NCAA tournament in 1997, Small's first year; last year they were left out despite a 21-7 mark.

No. 11

Stephen F. Austin
Southland Champion
Record: 27-3 (17-1).
Coach: Royce Chadwick.
Top players: F Shawnta Johnson (15.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg), G Stephanie Whitmore (15.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 4.7 apg), G Tami Rater (9.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg).
Data: The Ladyjacks are the third-best scoring team in the NCAA and have a scoring margin of 21.1 points per game. They have lost once in past 22 games, and all but two of those victories were by at least 10 points. They won their 12th regular season conference title in 14 years. Whitmore was Southland player of the year and G Nathesia Wright was freshman of the year.

No. 12

Brigham Young
Mountain West At-large
Record: 22-8 (10-4).
Coach: Trent Shippen.
Top players: C Jill Adams (12.2 ppg, 6.3 rpg), G Erin Thorn (13.1 ppg, 43% 3-pt.), F Cady Williams (10.9 ppg).
Data: The Cougars are making their first appearance since 1993, but have never won an NCAA tournament game. BYU finished second to Utah in the league and lost to the Utes in the conference tournament final. The Cougars average 9.7 steals per game and force opponents into 18.7 turnovers per game. Four players on the team played at the same high school – Mountain View High in Orem, Utah.

No. 13

Dartmouth
Ivy League Champion
Record: 20-7 (12-2).
Coach: Chris Wielgus.
Top players: G Courtney Banghart (17.3 ppg, 3.7 apg, 87 3-pt.), F Katharine Hanks (15.4 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 52% FGs), F Liz Martin (11.3 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 55% FGs).
Data: The Big Green, who had their first 20-win season since 1989-90, are in their second straight NCAA tournament. Banghart holds the Ivy League record for three-pointers in a career (145) and the NCAA record for consecutive games with a three-pointer (57). Hanks was Ivy League rookie of the year. Dartmouth earned the highest seed ever for an Ivy League women's team.

No. 14

14. Liberty
Big South Champion
Record: 23-7 (13-2).
Coach: Carey Green.
Top players: F Elena Kisseleva (11.8 ppg, 6.0 rpg), C Michelle Fricke (11.6 ppg, 7.3 rpg), G Sharon Wilkerson (13.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 3.1 apg, 2.7 spg).
Data: The combination of seniors Kisseleva, Wilkerson and reserve G Sarah Farley has led Liberty to its best three seasons in the program's history. Kisseleva is the Big South's all-time leading scorer, Wilkerson leads the school in steals and Farley is the Lady Flames' all-time assists leader. Liberty is holding opponents to 56.8 points per game.

No. 15

Campbell
Trans America Champion
Record: 22-8 (14-4).
Coach: Wanda Watkins.
Top players: F April Cromartie (17.9 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 59% FGs), G Sara Moore (12.4 ppg, 39% 3-pt.), G Janice Washington (6.5 ppg, 5 apg).
Data: First NCAA tournament appearance. Cromartie, who averaged 16 points and 7.3 rebounds in three TAAC tournament games to earn most valuable player honors, led the Camels to their first league championship since their 1989 Big South title. After losing three games in a row in late January, won 12 of their last 13.

No. 16

Hampton
MEAC Champion
Record: 16-14 (11-7).
Coach: Patricia Bibbs.
Top players: G Lashondra Dixon (14.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg), F Felicia Bryant (11.3 ppg, 9.2 rpg), G Jessica Faust (8.7 ppg, 3.8 apg).
Data: This is the Pirates' first NCAA tournament. They knocked off three of the top four seeds to win the MEAC tournament championship as a fifth seed, giving Bibbs her 300th victory. Hampton will need big production from reserve guards Dixon, Faust and Lineni Noa. Dixon and Noa made last-second shots for tournament victories. The Pirates have little size or depth and have a tough task in front of them.