 The Seeds • 1. LSU • 2. Oklahoma • 3. Stanford • 4. DePaul • 5. North Carolina State • 6. Florida State • 7. Brigham Young • 8. Minnesota • 9. Washington • 10. Iowa • 11. Louisiana Tech • 12. Tulsa • 13. Liberty • 14. SE Missouri State • 15. Pepperdine • 16. Florida Atlantic |
The Washington Post
Tuesday, March 14, 2006; Page E6
Record: 27-3, 13-1.
Coach: Pokey Chatman.
Top players: G Seimone Augustus, 6-1, Sr. (23 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 58% FG); C Sylvia Fowles, 6-6, Soph. (16.7 ppg, 11.6 rpg, 62% FG); G Scholanda Hoston, 5-10, Sr. (8.7 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 2.4 apg).
Data: Time is running out for Augustus to win a national championship. It is the one accomplishment that has eluded the reigning national player of the year and leading scorer in Division I. She nearly led LSU to an undefeated season. The Lady Tigers were a combined five points away from an undefeated season. LSU makes 50 percent of its field goals, second best in Division I.
Record: 29-4, 16-0.
Coach: Sherri Coale.
Top players: C Courtney Paris, 6-4, Fr. (20.9 ppg, 14.8 rpg, 3.3 bpg); F Leah Rush, 6-1, Jr. (10.2 ppg, 5 rpg, 1.3 apg); G Chelsi Welch, 5-9, Jr. (9.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 92% FT).
Data: Paris has made a case for being the first freshman to be named national player of the year. She has 22 consecutive double-doubles, leads the nation in rebounding -- setting an NCAA freshman record in the process -- and ranks in the top 10 in scoring, blocked shots and shooting percentage (60.7). Her weakness? Free throws (47.4 percent). Twin sister Ashley also is on the team; their father is former San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Bubba Paris. The Sooners took advantage of a somewhat down year in the Big 12, winning by an average of 15.3 points and becoming the first team to go undefeated in the conference.
Record: 22-6, 15-3.
Coach: Tara VanDerveer
Top players: G Candice Wiggins, 5-11.5, Soph. (21.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 45.2% 3-pt.); C Brooke Smith, 6-3, Jr. (16.5 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 57.8% FG); F Jillian Harmon, 6-1, Fr. (8.9 ppg, 5.6 rpg); G Rosalyn Gold-Onwude, 5-10, Fr. (5.0 ppg, 3.6 apg)
Data: There's not much Wiggins has been unable to do in her first two seasons at Stanford. She ranks third in the country in scoring and sixth in three-point percentage and picked up her second straight conference player of the year award last week. Her career scoring average (19.3) is tops in team history. She also averaged 19.3 points in the team's tournament run to the region final last year. But three senior starters around her last year graduated and she's had to lead a much younger squad this season. Smith has proved to be a steady sidekick, upping her points per game by more than three and rebounds by two.
Record: 25-6, 11-5.
Coach: Doug Bruno.
Top players: F Khara Smith, 6-2, Sr. (17.8 ppg, 11.1 rpg, 58.6% FG); G Allie Quigley, 5-11, Soph. (15.7 ppg, 3.4 apg, 42.6% FG); G Jenna Rubino, 6-0, Jr. (12.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 3.4 apg).
Data: Moving up to the Big East from Conference USA hardly seemed to affect the Blue Demons, who recorded their fourth straight 20-win season and ascended to their highest national ranking (10th in January). Smith is one of the top forwards in the country; she had 20 points and 14 rebounds in the regular season finale against Syracuse, the 73rd double-double of her career. She is the fourth DePaul basketball player, male or female, to score 2,000 career points.
Record: 19-11, 7-7.
Coach: Kay Yow.
Top players: F Tiffany Stansbury, 6-3, Sr. (11.5 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 54% FG); G Ashley Key, 6-0, Jr. (11 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 4 apg); G Billie McDowell, 5-9, Sr. (10.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.7 spg).
Data: North Carolina State's season has gone in fits and starts. The Wolfpack failed to put together a string of more than four wins, but also never lost more than three in a row. They finished strong, winning six of their last eight. One sign of North Carolina State's inconsistency has been the number of starting lineups Yow has used. Nine combinations of starters have begun a game for the Wolfpack this season. Key has played well lately, scoring in double figures in nine of her last 12 games. She finished with 16 points against North Carolina in the ACC tournament semifinals.
Record: 19-9, 10-4.
Coach: Sue Semrau.
Top players: G Alicia Gladden, 5-1, Jr. (12.8 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 46% FG); G Ganiyat Adeduntan, 6-1, Sr. (12.5 ppg, 5.1 rpg); C Britany Miller, 6-4, Fr. (10.9 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 53% FG); G Holly Johnson, 5-8, Sr. (10.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3.4 apg).
Data: In an effort to draw 3,000 fans to senior night, Semrau spent two nights in a tent outside Florida State's arena. Close to 3,800 fans turned out to watch the Seminoles knock off No. 17 Boston College. If Semrau can motivate her players as well as she did the fans, the Seminoles could be a dangerous team. Florida State, which has won eight of its last 10, is making back-to-back NCAA appearances for the first time in 15 years.
Record: 25-5, 12-3.
Coach: Jeff Judkins.
Top players: F Ambrosia Anderson, 6-1, Sr. (18.3 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 2 apg); G Mallary Gillespie, 5-10, Soph. (10.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 3 apg); C Dani Kubik, 6-3, Jr. (10.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 54.6% FG); G-F Melinda Johnsen, 5-10, Jr. (4.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 3.6 apg); G Jennie Keele, 5-10, Jr. (4.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.7 apg).
Data: The Cougars, who scored key nonconference wins over Stony Brook and UCLA early in the season, won the conference regular season title for the first time since the 1992-93 season and are making their first NCAA tournament appearance in three years. Anderson was the team's leading scorer and rebounder after spending her first three seasons as a reserve. Judkins has been mentioned as a candidate for the men's head coaching vacancy at Weber State, which fired coach Joe Cravens on Feb. 27.
Record: 19-9, 11-5.
Coach: Pam Borton.
Top players: G-F Jamie Broback, 6-3, Jr. (14.4 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 2.7 apg); G Kelly Roysland, 5-9, Jr. (8.4 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 46.4% 3-pt.); F Natasha Williams, 6-3, Soph. (8.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 59.5% FG); F-C Liz Podominick, 6-2, Jr. (8.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 78% FT); G Shannon Schonrock, 5-6, Sr. (7.4 ppg, 1.6 apg, 42.1% 3-pt.).
Data: The Gophers suffered through a four-game losing streak late in the season, the longest in Borton's four seasons as coach. Minnesota had problems with defense, rebounding and turnovers during the skid: Three of the losses were by more than 20 points, the Gophers were outrebounded 143-121 and they averaged 17 turnovers a game. Minnesota's top seniors, Schonrock and Shannon Bolden, have played in 11 NCAA tournament games, so experience shouldn't be a problem.
Record: 18-10, 11-7.
Coach: June Daugherty
Top players: G Cameo Hicks, 5-10, Jr. (15.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.5 apg); F Andrea Plouffe, 6-2, Soph. (10.8 ppg, 43.4% FG); F Breanne Watson, 6-1, Jr. (7.9 ppg, 4.9 rpg); G Emily Florence, 5-5, Soph. (5.7 ppg, 3 apg).
Data: The Huskies' seeding took a major hit after three straight losses before the tournament. Washington followed its worst two defeats of the season -- by 31 points at Stanford and 23 points at Cal -- with a three-point loss to USC in the quarterfinals of the Pac 10 tournament, despite Hicks matching her career high with 26 points. Washington rarely starts either of its two seniors and its depth took a hit when reserve senior guard Kayla Burt retired midway through the season because of complications involving a heart condition.
Record: 17-11, 10-6.
Coach: Lisa Bluder.
Top players: G Crystal Smith, 5-6, Sr. (17.5 ppg, 3.4 apg, 84.9% FT); C Megan Skouby, 6-6, Fr. (14.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 1.7 bpg); F Krista VandeVenter, 6-2, Soph. (8.9 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 3 apg); F Tiffany Reedy, 6-0, Sr. (7.5 ppg, 4 rpg, 1.6 apg); G Kristi Smith, 5-6, Fr. (7.2 ppg, 85.4% FT, 2.9 apg).
Data: The Hawkeyes backed in to an at-large berth even though they got clobbered by 21 by Michigan State in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals, a loss that caused Bluder to apologize to the team's fans. Skouby, the Big Ten freshman of the year, ranked fourth in the conference in both scoring and blocks during league play. Smith was named to the conference's first team after ranking third in the Big Ten in scoring. VandeVenter, who has started every game of her college career, ranked third in the league in rebounding.
Record: 26-4, 15-1.
Coach: Chris Long.
Top players: G Aarica Ray-Boyd, 6-0, Sr. (14.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2 spg); G Tasha Williams, 5-7, Sr. (13.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 4.7 apg); F Ty Moore, 6-2, Jr. (10.6 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 51% FG).
Data: Louisiana Tech enters the tournament on a 15-game winning streak. The Lady Techsters are one of two teams -- Tennessee is the other -- to appear in every NCAA tournament. They won the inaugural NCAA championship in 1982. Williams, who changed her name from Crain this season after marrying Minnesota Vikings defensive end Kevin Williams, recorded only the third triple-double in school history with her 10-point, 11-assist, 10-steal performance against Hawaii on March 4. Freshman guard Eboni Mangum tore the ACL in her left knee on Feb. 4, but returned to action Feb. 18 wearing a custom-fitted brace. She will have surgery once the season is over.
Record: 25-5, 13-3.
Coach: Charlene Thomas-Swinson.
Top Players: F Jillian Robbins, 6-1, Jr. (18.1 ppg, 13.0 apg, 56% FG); G-F Megan Moody, 6-2, Sr. (12.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.3 apg); F Emily Jaskowiak, 6-1, Sr. (11.6 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 1.1 spg); G Kara Pongonis, 5-5, Sr. (9.3 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 5.3 apg).
Data: Robbins recorded 20 double-doubles this season, 13 straight at one point, in leading the Golden Hurricane to its first NCAA tournament appearance. Her 13.6 rebounds per game during the regular season ranked second in the nation, especially impressive because she's only 6-1. The third player in conference history to lead the league in scoring and rebounding in the same season also is a single mother with a 17-month-old son. First-year coach Thomas-Swinson got her start as an assistant at Columbia Union.
Record: 25-5, 13-1.
Coach: Carey Green.
Top players: F Moriah Frazee, 6-3, Fr. (8.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 40% FG); G Allyson Fasnacht, 5-8, Soph. (7.4 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.7 apg); F Karolina Piotrkiewicz, 6-3, Jr. (7 ppg, 8 rpg, 39.9% FG); G Courtney Watkins, 5-10, Soph. (6.5 ppg, 2 rpg, 1.2 apg); G Roli-Ann Nikagbatse, 5-9, Soph. (5.7 ppg, 4 rpg, 1.8 apg).
Data: The Flames feature the freshmen Frazee triplets: Moriah, Megan and Molly. Megan led the team in scoring and rebounding and almost averaged a double-double before suffering a season-ending ACL injury on Jan. 16 against Coastal Carolina. Moriah is the team's second-leading scorer, but no player other than Megan Frazee averages in double figures in scoring. Last year, 13th-seeded Liberty upset Penn State and DePaul to advance to the round of 16. The Flames have now been to the NCAA tournament 10 consecutive years.
Record: 22-8, 16-4.
Coach: B.J. Smith.
Top Players: C Tatiana Conceicao, 6-2, Sr. (19.6 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.8 apg); F Natalie Purcell, 6-0, Sr. (11.5 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.4 spg); F Simone Jackson, 5-9, Sr. (11.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.5 apg); G Wanika Owsley, 5-7, Sr. (5.7 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 3.3 apg).
Data: A lineup replete with international players helped the Redhawks win 16 of their last 17 games and earn their first-ever NCAA tournament bid. Conceicao, the OVC's second-leading scorer, is from Sao Paulo, Brazil. She leads an offense that averaged a league-best 71.9 points per game and outrebounded its opponents by an average of six per game. Conceicao, Jackson (Kingston, Jamaica) and Purcell (Auckland, New Zealand) account for 59 percent of the team's scoring.
Record: 14-16, 8-6.
Coach: Julie Rousseau.
Top players: G Daphanie Kennedy, 5-7, Soph. (12 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2 apg); F Jasmane Clarendon, 6-1, Jr. (11.5 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 46% FG); C Teiosha George, 6-4, Soph. (8.4 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 48% FG).
Data: Pepperdine upset top-seeded Santa Clara to win the WCC tournament and earn an NCAA bid despite its losing record. With only one senior and two juniors on their roster, the Waves didn't have much experience to rely on early and lost six of their first seven games. Pepperdine finished strong, however, winning eight of its last 10 games. Kennedy was an all-WCC first-team selection.
Record: 20-10, 16-4.
Coach: Chancellor Dugan.
Top players: G Shontavia Williams, 5-7, Sr. (15.9 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 1.5 apg); G Missy Glaser, 5-7, So. (10.7 ppg, 2.2 apg, 33% 3-pt.); F Demina Anderson, 6-1, Jr. (7.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 49% FG); F Amanda Bulin, 6-0, Sr. (6.9 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 1.2 apg); G Shuteamia Brayboy, 5-8, So. (3.6 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 5.9).
Data: Williams capped off a brilliant senior season by scoring 26 points in the Atlantic Sun tournament title game and leading the Owls to their first appearance in the NCAA tournament. Selected to the all-conference first team this season, Williams reached a pair of milestones by surpassing 1,000 points and 500 rebounds for her career. Two factors that could help the Owls in the NCAAs is their ability to shoot to go along with a deep bench. Florida Atlantic led the league in scoring with 70.2 points per game and have 10 players who saw at least 10 minutes of action each game.
