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Tuesday, March 13
Summing up Selection Sunday
By Nancy Lieberman-Cline
Special to ESPN.com
Now that the 64-team field is set for the 2001 NCAA Tournament, here are some early impressions of the bracket:
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BREAKING DOWN THE BRACKET
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TOUGHEST REGION:
The East is clearly the most difficult region. You not only have three of the country's top six ranked teams (Connecticut, Georgia and Louisiana Tech), you have some of the greatest coaches in the game. Geno Auriemma, Kay Yow, Rene Portland, Leon Barmore and Andy Landers have each taken a team to the Final Four and won at least 400 games in their career.
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Michelle Snow
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AN EASIER DRAW:
The Mideast is probably the most forgiving region, and top-seeded Tennessee looks to be in good shape. Of course, Texas Tech and Purdue, the No. 2 and 3 seeds, respectively, are tough teams, but this region as a whole doesn't have as many upper-echelon teams as the others. Barring a major collapse, it gives Tennessee a good chance at getting back to the Final Four.
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BEST FIRST-ROUND MATCHUP:
Jeff Mittie has done an incredible job at TCU, and Saturday's game between the 11th-seeded Horned Frogs and No. 6 seed Penn State should be a great game, especially since it'll be played on a neutral court. TCU prefers to run, is good in the half court with tremendous 3-point shooting and the Frogs' posts run the floor well. Penn State, a Final Four team a year ago, is seasoned and playing very well, especially freshman Kelly Mazzante.
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Ruth Riley
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GAME TO HOPE FOR:
Things shouldn't get tough for Notre Dame in the Midwest until the regional final. Then it's either third-seeded Vanderbilt or No. 2 seed Iowa State. Either way, we're looking at a great matchup inside. Ruth Riley vs. either Chantelle Anderson or Angie Welle would be incredible to watch.
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CONFERENCE CALL:
Usually, it's the SEC making waves on Selection Sunday, but the Big 12 is sending a league-high seven teams -- including three No. 2 seeds -- to the tournament. From Oklahoma's great turnaround to Iowa State's steady success since Bill Fennelly arrived in Ames, Iowa, this conference is moving in the right direction. Big 12 teams boasted great nonconference schedules this season, too, which no doubt caught the eye of the selection committee. And, as Texas earned an invite to the NCAA Tournament, it marks the first time that a conference other than the SEC sent a team to the tourney with a losing conference record. Texas was just 7-10 in Big 12 play this season.
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ESPN analyst Nancy Lieberman-Cline, a Hall of Famer, will break down the women's college basketball world throughout the 2000-2001 season. Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories
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 ESPN's Nancy Lieberman-Cline looks at the Big 12's presence in the tournament.
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