No. 1

Georgia
SEC At-large
Record: 29-3 (13-1).
Coach: Andy Landers.
Top players: G Kelly Miller (15.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 4.7 apg), G Coco Miller (15.3 ppg., 39% 3-pt.), G-F Deana Nolan (12.3 ppg, 55% FGs), F Tawana McDonald (12.2 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 2.6 bpg).
Data: Georgia has had three trips to Final Four in the past five years. This is a more balanced team, with Nolan and McDonald emerging to support the Miller twins. Georgia shoots 47% from the field and 37% from three-point range. The Bulldogs move the ball well and aren't as reliant on the Millers as the past two years.

No. 2

Rutgers
Big East At-large
Record: 22-7 (12-4).
Coach: C. Vivian Stringer.
Top players: F Shawnetta Stewart (15.1 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.8 spg, 37% 3-pt.), G Tasha Pointer (9.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg), C Tammy Sutton-Brown (9.5 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 55% FGs).
Data: The Scarlet Knights have the nation's fourth-best scoring defense, holding opponents to 53.6 points per game. They have held 13 opponents to 50 points or less. Stewart, a Big East first-team pick, leads team in scoring, rebounding, three-pointers and steals. Stringer has used 11 starting lineups. After reaching the round of eight last year, Rutgers seeks first Final Four berth.

No. 3

Mississippi State
SEC At-large
Record: 23-7 (8-6).
Coach: Sharon Fanning.
Top players: F LaToya Thomas (20.8 ppg, 7.8 rpg), F Nitra Perry (11.6 ppg, 7.9 rpg), G Jennifer Fambrough (13.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg).
Data: The Bulldogs have momentum, with wins over Auburn and Georgia and close loss to Tennessee in the SEC tournament. Mississippi State beat Louisiana Tech in November. The Bulldogs are a transition team led by Thomas, the first freshman to lead the SEC in scoring. If opponents can make it a half-court game, Bulldogs might struggle. This is Mississippi State's first 20-win season.

No. 4

Santa Barbara
Big West Champion
Record: 30-3 (15-0).
Coach: Mark French.
Top players: G Erin Buescher (17.3 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 51% FGs), F Kristi Rohr (13.8 ppg, 6 rpg, 51% FGs), G Stacy Clinesmith (13 ppg, 41% 3-pt., 81% FTs).
Data: The Gauchos, winners of four straight Big West tournaments, hold the nation's longest active winning streak at 26 games. They reached the 30-win mark for the first time in school history. Santa Barbara, which is making its sixth NCAA appearance since 1992, has yet to advance beyond the second round. It will host its first-round game, and it is 16-0 at home this season.

No. 5

North Carolina
ACC At-large
Record: 18-12 (8-8).
Coach: Sylvia Hatchell.
Top players: G Nikki Teasley (14.9 ppg, 6.0 apg), F LaQuanda Barksdale (17.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg), F Jackie Higgins (9.9 ppg, 8.1 rpg).
Data: The Tar Heels survived a January stretch in which they lost six of seven games after Teasley took a leave of absence. Upon her return, they regained their usual high-quality form, dispatching Clemson and Virginia to make the ACC tournament final as the fifth seed before losing to Duke. Teasley presents an almost impossible matchup for most teams, and increases Barksdale's effectiveness.

No. 6

Oregon
Pacific-10 Champion
Record: 23-7 (14-4).
Coach: Jody Runge.
Top players: G Shaquala Williams (17.7 ppg, 4.3 apg, 81% FTs), F Angelina Wolvert (11.8 ppg, 6 rpg), C Jenny Mowe (5.7 ppg, 2.1 bpg).
Data: The Ducks, who have back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time since the mid-1980s, are the first team in Pac-10 history to win a conference title with four losses. Oregon has won nine of 10 games coming into the tournament and has home-court advantage for two rounds. Williams has scored at least 20 points 13 times and scored double figures in all but three games.

No. 7

Texas
Big 12 At-large
Record: 21-12 (9-7).
Coach: Jody Conradt.
Top players: F Edwina Brown (21.4 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 6 apg, 2.9 spg), G Alisha Sare (11 ppg), G JoRuth Woods (10 ppg, 4.7 rpg).
Data: The Longhorns enter the tournament following an impressive run through the Big 12 tournament. Texas knocked off Oklahoma, then upset two-time defending champion Texas Tech before losing in the title game to Iowa State. Brown was selected the tournament's MVP after totaling 88 points, 42 rebounds, 11 steals and 27 assists in four games. Texas's guards account for 71 percent of its offense.

No. 8

Michigan
Big Ten At-large
Record: 22-7 (13-3).
Coach: Sue Guevara.
Top players: G Stacey Thomas (14.6 ppg, 3.4 spg, 7.8 rpg), G Alayne Ingram (12.6 ppg), G Anne Thorius (9.3 ppg, 42% 3-pt.), C LeeAnn Bies (10.1 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 57% FGs).
Data: Played in NCAA tournament in 1998, but this is just its third appearance. Thomas prefers defense, and it shows. She recently set the Big Ten career record for steals. Thorius is the best three-point shooter in school history. If Bies, the Wolverines' only center, can play beyond her experience – she's a freshman – Wolverines have a chance to advance.

No. 9

Stanford
Pacific-10 At-large
Record: 20-8 (13-5).
Coach: Tara VanDerveer.
Top players: F Carolyn Moos (12.4 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 46% 3-pt.), G Milena Flores (11.6 ppg, 6.1 apg), G Jamie Carey (11 ppg, 47% 3-pt.).
Data: Three years ago, the Cardinal went to the Final Four. The last two years, it hasn't made it out of the first round -- and this time it has its lowest seeding ever. Second in the nation in three-point field goal percentage (.408). Four times this season, the Cardinal has rallied from double-digit deficits to win. VanDerveer needs four wins to reach 500 for her career.

No. 10

St. Joseph's
Atlantic 10 At-large
Record: 24-5 (14-2).
Coach: Stephanie Gaitley.
Top players: G Angela Zampella (10.6 ppg, 8 apg), C Jana Lichnerova (14 ppg, 7 rpg), F Susan Moran (16.4 ppg, 7 rpg).
Data: The Hawks are second in nation in scoring defense, holding opponents to 53.1 points per game. Lichnerova was Atlantic 10 player of the year. Zampella, who leads the nation in assists per game, is one of 10 finalists for the inaugural Nancy Lieberman-Cline award, which will be awarded to the top collegiate point guard. St. Joseph's, along with Pennsylvania, is co-hosting the women's Final Four in Philadelphia this year.

No. 11

Ala.-Birmingham
Conference USA At-large
Record: 19-12 (8-8).
Coach: Jeannie Milling.
Top players: C Deanna Jackson (18.6 ppg, 11.9 rpg), F Mia Thrash (11.1 ppg, 4 rpg), G Lisa Jackson (10.4 ppg, 3.2 apg).
Data: The Blazers' incredible run through the conference tournament earned them their second NCAA appearance and first since 1994. Seeded eighth, they knocked off top-seeded Marquette in the quarterfinals and fourth-seeded Southern Mississippi in the semifinals before losing by three in the championship game to Tulane. Jackson led the conference with 22 double-doubles.

No. 12

Maine
America East At-large
Record: 20-10 (14-4).
Coach: Joanne Palombo-McCallie.
Top players: C Jamie Cassidy (21.3 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 2.6 bpg), G Amy Vachon (10.1 ppg, 6.7 apg, 2.5 spg), G Kristen McCormick (8.1 ppg, 35% 3-pt.).
Data: An overtime loss to Georgia and a two-point loss at Southwest Missouri State helped the Black Bears earn their sixth straight NCAA appearance. Vachon is the league's all-time career assists leader. Cassidy is close to becoming only the third Maine player to finish with 2,000 career points and 1,000 career rebounds.

No. 13

Rice
Western Athletic Champion
Record: 21-9 (10-4).
Coach: Cristy McKinney.
Top players: G Marla Brumfield (15.1 ppg, 4.5 apg, 2.9 spg), F Kirra Jordan (13.4 ppg, 6.7 rpg), G Jenny Cafferty (8.8 ppg, 45% 3-pt.).
Data: First NCAA tournament apppearance for the Owls, who were invited to the WNIT the past two seasons. They finished tied for second in the conference during the regular season, then defeated Southern Methodist to gain their first WAC tournament title. Brumfield averaged 20.3 points per game during WAC tournament.

No. 14

St. Peter's
Metro Atlantic Champion
Record: 23-7 (15-4).
Coach: Mike Granelli.
Top players: G-F Lawanda Greene (13.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg), C Mercy Aghedo (9.0 ppg, 11.8 rpg), G-F Courtney Wicks (10.0 ppg).
Data: Peahens have won at least 20 games in 17 of the past 22 seasons. Granelli, who has coached the team for 28 years, is only the fourth coach to win 500 games at the same Division I school and is among the 10 winningest women's coaches. Aghedo is sixth in the nation in rebounding. Greene was first-team all-MAAC. Wicks became eligible at midseason after transferring from Syracuse.

No. 15

Holy Cross
Patriot League Champion
Record: 23-6 (11-1).
Coach: Bill Gibbons.
Top players: G Anna Kinne (13.7 ppg, 5.8 apg, 3.4 spg), G Jeanette Paukert (11.6 ppg), F Monika Rothemich (10.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg).
Data: Kinne, the Patriot League player of the year, led the league in assists and was second in steals. She is the first player in school history to have 1,000 points and 500 assists in a career. The Crusaders enter the tournament on a 12-game winning streak. Four or more players have scored in double figures in 16 games.

No. 16

Montana
Big Sky Champion
Record: 22-7 (13-3).
Coach: Robin Selvig.
Top players: F Lauren Cooper (13.0 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 3.1 apg), F Linda Weyler (12.4 ppg, 7.6 rpg), F Krista Redpath (9.8 ppg, 4.0 rpg).
Data: The Lady Griz are third in the nation in scoring defense, holding their opponents to 53.5 points per game, and are tied for second in field goal percentage defense (34.0 percent). This is Montana's 14th tournament appearance. Weyler was conference player of the year. The Lady Griz took a school-record 32 three-point attempts against Cal State Northridge.