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Wednesday, March 28These four have more By Beth Mowins Special to ESPN.com You already know about the prime time players at the Final Four. Some of the biggest names in the game will be present, like Ruth Riley and Jackie Stiles, Katie Douglas and Sue Bird. But there are some other players who have played vital roles in getting their teams to the top of Arch Madness. These players have what I like to call "Final Four-titude," an inner strength and an iron will that carry their teams through tough times. One of them will be instrumental in helping their team win national championship. Kelly Komara, Purdue
Don't bother looking at the stat sheet for impressive numbers from Campbell because you probably won't find any. All she does is help her teammates put up numbers -- and prevent opponents from doing the same. With all due respect to Jackie Stiles, Campbell is the heart and soul of this team. Watch her leadership on the court and in the huddle. She is the one calling plays, directing traffic and making sure everyone knows where to go and what to do. She is often the one to find Stiles in a position where she can do her damage. Late in the West Regional final, Campbell took charge during timeouts when the Lady Bears were trying to fight off Washington. It was Campbell, not Stiles, who was vocal and inspirational as well as practical, telling her teammates what specifically needed to be done. On the defensive end, Campbell was invaluable against Duke and Washington. SMS contained two potent offenses with Campbell leading the way. She held ACC Player of the Year Georgia Schweitzer to 3-for-10 shooting from the field, and then held UW sharpshooter Megan Franza to just 2-for-11. Campbell doesn't care about getting attention or playing in the WNBA. She cares about doing her job and playing the role she has on this team. And she cares about winning a national championship. She is proof that this team is more than just a one-woman wrecking crew. Niele Ivey, Notre Dame Prior to the season, Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw told me that Ivey would be the best point guard in the country this season. Ivey has delivered on the prediction. All season, she has been the player who has gotten the ball inside to Ruth Riley or out beyond the arc to Alicia Ratay. Ivey has been spectacular in the postseason with 31 assists, 9 steals and just 8 turnovers in four games. In two regular season meetings with Connecticut, Ivey did not miss a minute of action and registered a double-double in their regular season win. Her confidence, decision making and court awareness will be vital when the Irish play UConn in the national semifinals. The best part of her storybook season is that she gets to go home to play in the Final Four. Ivey has overcome two ACL injuries to return for a fifth season and a shot at the title. She spent hours rehabbing back home with her mom, Theresa, supporting her every day. She leaned on her four older brothers to push her hard and get her back in the game better than ever. Friday night the four guys with the biggest smiles in the country will be Thomas, Cedric, Nick and Phillip, watching their baby sister go for it all. Swin Cash, Connecticut The Huskies are the Who's Who of college basketball. Names like Abrosimova, Ralph, Bird and Taurasi are mentioned whenever the talk turns to the nation's elite. But for Connecticut to win it all, Swin Cash has to be Money. Cash has produced under pressure in the absence of Abrosimova and Ralph. She does a bit of everything for the Huskies and would undoubtedly be All-America material if she were playing anywhere else. She rebounds, she runs the floor and she defends. In the NCAA Tournament, Cash has three double-doubles in four games. You'll have to forgive her for not getting one in the East Regional final victory over Louisiana Tech. She and teammates Tamika Williams and Ashja Jones were busy putting the clamps on Tech star Takeisha Lewis, holding her to just seven points and taking away the Techsters chance to win. Cash should play an active role again Friday night in trying to contain Notre Dame's potent inside game. She didn't score much against the Fighting Irish in the regular season. Perhaps she's just been waiting for the right moment? ESPN's Beth Mowins is a regular contributor to ESPN.com's women's college basketball coverage.  Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories
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