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| Sunday, March 16 Updated: March 19, 10:48 AM ET Breaking down the bracket By Nancy Lieberman Special to ESPN.com |
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The 2003 NCAA Tournament is as wide open as it has ever been. There is no clear-cut favorite, and everybody thinks they have a chance to win. A look at some of the storylines that emerged as the 64-team bracket was unveiled Sunday:
The coaches also add to the intrigue. Sue Gunter has well over 600 wins. Jody Conradt is at 800-plus. Tara VanDerveer has 500 and counting. Gary Blair has more than 400 wins. Jim Foster also has a ton, and it probably won't take Kurt Bukde too long to get there after inheriting such a rich program at Louisiana Tech. Simply put, this conference features some of the finest coaches in the game. It will be fun to watch these masters go to work, trying to out coach one another and devise game plans.
In addition to Tennessee's 40-0 home record in NCAA Tournament games, the Lady Vols have something else in their favor: The Mideast probably has the least amount of NCAA Tournament-experienced teams.
Beard vs. Thomas It's a long way off, and wouldn't even happen until the Elite Eight. But two of the top three players in the country could square off in the Midwest final if top-seeded Duke and Alana Beard and third-seeded Mississippi State and LaToya Thomas each win their next three games. Beard vs. Thomas would be one of the most marquee matchups ever to clash in the NCAA Tournament. Thomas is virtually unstoppable, and so far, nobody has been able to guard her. But Beard is regarded as the best defensive player in the country, and although she's a little undersized, this matchup between two Kodak All-American and national player of the year candidates could be among the highlights of this year's tournament. Runner-up: Another intriguing Elite Eight battle? That would be No. 1 seed Tennessee vs. second-seeded Villanova in the Mideast final. During the offseason, after seeking advice from several of her peers, Lady Vols coach Pat Summitt implemented a new motion offense. One of the main people Summitt talked to about the new system? Villanova coach Harry Perretta, whose Wildcats snapped UConn's NCAA Division I record 70-game winning streak in the Big East final.
Best first-round game: (8) Virginia vs. (9) Illinois Runner-up: (8) Utah vs. (9) DePaul, Midwest. These are two very different types of teams. DePaul likes to run and gun, push and press and get 100 shots off a game. Utah, meanwhile, is very selective, always looking for the extra pass and the 3-point shot. The Utes, who are led by freshman Kim Smith, focus on playing the game very intelligently; DePaul plays more of a blue-collar style.
Random observations
It also was surprising that Arkansas only got a No. 7 seed, and that Virginia was invited with 13 losses, which are the most by any team that was given an at-large berth.
Final Four predictions Mideast: Iowa State showed us last year that playing on your home court doesn't guarantee a victory. Still, Tennessee is clearly the favorite to advance out of this region. Of course, if the Lady Vols lose in the first two rounds, they might still make an appearance in the Sweet 16 -- as ushers. In 1990, the Final Four was held in Knoxville, Tenn., but the Lady Vols lost in the Elite Eight. Coach Pat Summitt made her team serve as ushers at Thompson-Boling for the national semifinals. Can you just imagine Kara Lawson diving across the aisles after some loose popcorn? Midwest: Duke's going to make it out. The Devils are good, smart, well-coached veterans who have been to the Final Four before and know what it takes to get there. They got a taste of it last season and have some unfinished business. West: No matter which team makes it out of this region, it'll be somebody new or someone who hasn't been to the Final Four in some time. Texas hasn't been to the Final Four in years. Sue Gunter and LSU have never reached the national semifinals. Stanford last went in 1997 and Ohio State hasn't been since '93. Even though Louisiana Tech reached the Final Four in 1999, none of these kids were on the team. The sentimental favorite here is Gunter. She is very beloved by her peers, and like Kay Yow leading N.C. State to the Final Four in 1998, they would be ecstatic to see Gunter get to the Final Four. Nancy Lieberman, an ESPN analyst and Hall of Famer, is a regular contributor to ESPN.com's women's basketball coverage. Contact her at www.nancylieberman.com. |
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Toughest region: West
Path of least resistance: Tennessee in the Mideast
Bridesmaid No Longer
