The Centers Will Hold

SYLVIA FOWLES has been in Tina Charles's face all season. In November, Charles, Connecticut's sophomore center, affixed a newspaper photo to her locker that showed Fowles in mid-flight, swatting away one of Charles's shot attempts during LSU's 73--50 win in last year's NCAA regional final in Fresno. The accompanying article described Fowles's big night: 23 points, 15 rebounds, six blocks and three steals. Charles, meanwhile, went 0 for 5 and finished with one point, three rebounds and three turnovers. In their Feb. 25 rematch in Baton Rouge, Charles scored 18 points, including a number of clutch baskets over Fowles, as UConn won 74--69. The centers, both Wooden Award finalists, are among an exceptional group of post players who could determine this year's NCAA champion. "Coach [Vivian] Stringer always says that the tournament is when guards rule," says Rutgers junior center Kia Vaughn. "But I feel post players rule this year. Teams [will] go as far as we take them." Here's the skinny on the biggest women (besides Fowles) on campus this March.

Tina Charles
UConn, Soph., 6'3"

As splendid as freshman forward Maya Moore has been, UConn coach Geno Auriemma says the Huskies' postseason fate likely lies with Charles, who averaged 14.8 points and 9.4 rebounds and led the Big East with 1.85 blocks per game. "She has great feet and great hands, and that gives her versatility," says LSU associate head coach Bob Starkey.

Kia Vaughn
Rutgers, Jr., 6'4"

She might not be as big a name as Fowles, but the LSU coaching staff knows all about Vaughn. One of the few players in the country who can match Fowles in strength, Vaughn held the Lady Tigers' center to 13 points in a 45--43 Scarlet Knights win in November. "She'll make you change what you do," says Fowles. "She doesn't get a lot of recognition, but she's a great post player."

Crystal Langhorne
Maryland, Sr., 6'2"

Langhorne (16.7 points and 9.2 rebounds) is the first player in school history to score 2,000 points and grab 1,000 rebounds. She offers a dimension other posts don't—she can put the ball on the floor—and she rarely takes a bad shot. (She's hitting 65% from the field.) "She's undersized," says Vaughn, "but she'll go up against a girl who is 6'5" or 6'6" and still be a force inside."

Courtney Paris
Oklahoma, Jr., 6'4"

The surest thing in women's hoops is that Paris (18.7 points and 15.1 rebounds) will finish with a double double. She has done so 90 straight times and in 95 of 98 career games. "Courtney has the edge over everybody because she is big [240 pounds]," says Vaughn. "She's also one of the most mobile post players I've gone up against. She has great moves around the basket."

Jayne Appel
Stanford, Soph., 6'4"