Maybe the selection committee didn’t like Tennessee women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt’s stint as a cheerleader for the men’s team. For whatever reason – “principals and procedures,” the committee chair said – Tennessee has ended up in the toughest bracket for the second year in a row.
Last year it was as a 2-seed; this year the Vols are a No. 1 along with Duke, North Carolina and Connecticut. But no other bracket is as stacked as the Dayton Regional. Tennessee is joined by 2-seed Maryland, last year’s champion; 3-seed Oklahoma, with dominant double-double queen Courtney Paris; and 4-seed Ohio State, powerful though without injured point guard Brandie Hoskins.
“I thought Oklahoma was a No. 2 seed, I think Maryland’s a No. 2 seed, I think Ohio State’s a No. 3 seed,” Summitt said. “That’s my opinion, and it really doesn’t matter. I can’t imagine the other teams being very thrilled about it, either. If I’m Ohio State, I’m like, ‘A 4-seed?’ Oklahoma, a 3-seed? Both of those surprise me.”
In most of life, I’m not a big fan of surprises, but I’m hoping for a few in the women’s tournament, which gets under way today. Surprises – and competitive games – are good for women’s basketball. There won’t be many surprises in the early rounds, but things will get hopping later. Here are my picks:
Best first-round game: My 8-seed Temple Owls vs. 9-seed Nebraska. Temple wins.
Best potential second-round matchup: I’m torn between 4 NC State vs. 5 Baylor and 4 Ohio State vs. 5 Middle Tennessee. NC State wins; Middle Tennessee wins.
Cinderella: NC State
Final Four: North Carolina, Tennessee, Stanford, Duke
Champion: Duke over North Carolina