| Trisha Lucey's Prediction
|
| MORTAL LOCKS |
|
Connecticut (30-1) As a reward for being the best team in the country, the Huskies were placed in the cushiest bracket. Only two teams will be bumps in their road to Philly: Purdue, which is fresh off a victory over a strong Penn State team in the Big Ten championship, has a roster full of players who know what it feels like to hoist a national championship trophy. Duke, which became a giant killer when they knocked off Tennessee last year in the fourth round, won't advance any farther than the Elite Eight if they have to face UConn.
Tennessee's toughest challenge will come from Notre Dame in the Elite Eight. The Lady Vols have been inconsistent this season (witness their 27-point loss to Georgia) and have struggled from the free-throw line. Tamika Catchings (15.5 ppg) is a clutch player. Pat Summitt will have her team ready to play.
|
| UPSET SPECIALS |
|
Andy Landers (Georgia) and C. Vivian Stringer (Rutgers) cannot have been happy to see Mississippi State in their bracket. The Lady Bulldogs were strong all season with a win over Louisiana Tech in November and two more victories over Auburn and Georgia in the SEC tournament. Freshman forward LaToya Thomas is a prime-time talent but she must stay out of foul trouble. I believe Mississippi State can upset Rutgers in the third round. Then they will give Georgia a strong challenge in the regional final, but Georgia is too good to lose to the same team again.
|
| MY WINNER IS |
|
Connecticut. The Huskies biggest asset right now is their confidence, which was bolstered by their strong performance in the Big East tournament. "They have no negative thoughts in their minds right now and that's a great way to go into the NCAA tournament," says Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma, whose biggest problem has been finding minutes for everyone on his all-star squad. "If everybody's playing well it's hard," Auriemma says. "But usually a couple of them will help me out and play lousy so I can take them out."
None of the Huskies have been that lousy. Four starters shoot better than 50 percent from the field and Svetlana Abrosimova, the fifth starter, isn't far behind at 49.5 percent. Sophomore Sue Bird is the best point guard in the country and the Huskies have exceptional depth in the post.
One possible weakness is that this team doesn't have much experience coming from behind. However, Connecticut should be mentally tough enough to withstand any challenge.
|
