Women's Final Set

NYTimes: Candice Wiggins (11), the ebullient guard who was named national player of the year by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association, delivered 25 points, 13 rebounds and 5 assists for Stanford.
Photo: Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images


Stanford will play Tennessee for the national championship on Tuesday night. Ice v. Ace, that is, Candice Wiggins of Stanford, the Wade Trophy player of the year winner, v. Candace Parker of Tennessee, AP Player of the Year. And for the fourth year in a row, both coaches in the final are women. No male coach has gotten his team into the final since Geno did it last with Taurasi in 2004. (This isn't an issue in the men's game as men's basketball is still segregated by gender on the coaching side.)

Stanford did a great job on Connecticut (box score), in an exciting and watchable semi last night. (Except for the ever-annoying announcers, the self-important Doris Roberts and half-dead Mike Patrick. Anyone else, please, ESPN.) Connecticut didn't get much from its frontcourt (Hunter 0, McClaren 2, Charles 9, Houston 10) and that was that. Stanford played an outstanding game, got assists on over 75% of its baskets (28 baskets, 20 assists), outrebounded Connecticut 43-37, and shot lights out down the stretch. Wiggins had 25 points and 13 rebounds from the guard position.

The second game was a dreary affair of missed shots and free throws (box score). The end was exciting, but a great final 10 seconds didn't make up for the tediousness of the whole game. The leading scorers were Parker for Tennessee (who shot 6 for 27 from the floor) and Fowles for LSU (a blistering 10 for 24). Ugly.

I'll be rooting for Stanford to knock Tennessee off its perch as national champions.

Harvey Araton, NYTImes: At Peace With Memory of Father’s Fall

Harvey Araton, NYTimes: The Top 10 Reasons to Cover the Women’s Final Four

Tennessee Are National Champions - Again

University of Tennessee Lady Volunteers' Alexis Hornbuckle (R) celebrates with teammate Candace Parker (L) after they defeated Rutgers University Scarlet Knights in the NCAA women's championship basketball game in Cleveland, Ohio April 3, 2007. REUTERS/Ron Kuntz (UNITED STATES)
Ho Hum. I mean it. Really boring game. Lots of defense, lots of bad shooting, the taller team won. Tennessee had 8 million offensive rebounds, well, that's how it seemed (OK, only 23); since they missed 38 shots, there were rebounds to be had. So often the final is anticlimactic (as the men's final was last night) compared to the excitement of the earlier rounds. Despite all the shouting by the ESPN announcers (isn't it time for Mike Patrick to retire?) there wasn't much excitement on the floor. Candace Parker was named the MVP and she shot 5 for 15 from the floor. Ouch.

Congratulation to Pat Summit on her 7th national title. Only three more to tie John Wooden. She'll have Candace Parker for two more years. Why did the ESPN crew keep giving credence to the ridiculous rumor that Parker would leave school for the WNBA? Don't they realize that the WNBA limits salaries? As a rookie Parker would get paid $43,000 a year. What's that to jump at?

One reason many women elect to remain in college is that WNBA salaries are puny by pro athlete standards: $43,200 for rookies such as Parker and Fowles. The No. 1 NBA draft pick, by comparison, can expect to earn $3.6 million during his first season.

And congratulations to C. Vivian Stringer for taking her very young Rutgers team to the final. Kia Vaughn (only a sophmore) had a fine game, finishing with 20 points on 9 for 15 shooting, with 10 rebounds (7 offensive). She didn't get much help from her teammates. Epiphany Prince didn't take a shot. Prince, Carson and Ajavon combined for 18 points; against LSU the three totaled 38 points. But they're a young team, and this experience should prove invaluable next year.

Box Score

USAToady: Tennessee trumps Rutgers, nabs first title since 1998

WABC (NY): Rutgers fall short in championship game

Tennessee Will Play Tuesday Night

North Carolina's Camille Little, foreground, and Tennessee's Nicky Anosike wait for the ball to fall during the first half of the women's semifinal basketball game at the Final Four Sunday, April 1, 2007, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)
Tennessee over North Carolina in the second semi-final, 56-50.

Not a pretty game, beginning with terrible officiating by the usual suspect refs, Dee Kantner, Eric Brewton, and Mary Day. Only 14 fouls called on Tennessee the entire game, while two of North Carolina's starters fouled out. Tennessee took 26 fouls shots; North Carolina took 8. Nobody came to the arena to watch the striped shirts, but they had a big negative impact.

The first half was an emotional roller-coaster. Both teams were over-pumped and out of control. Missed shots, turnovers, clashes. Early in the first half Tennessee was 1 for 12 and North Carolina was 1 for 13 (or vice versa). Both Parker and Latta sat out due to foul trouble. I must say, it's hard to root for Candace Parker. She reminds me of Reggie Miller, all snideness and attitude. When Latta got her third foul, Parker celebrated on the bench by holding up three fingers and dancing. Not classy.

North Carolina stormed back in the second half behind Latta and McCants and great defense; but when they got up by 10 they tightened up and stopped shooting. Then they lost two starters to fouls. Tennessee scored 20 of the last 22 points of the game. Ouch.

I'll be rooting for Rutgers in the final just so I don't have to hear that damned song Rocky Top any more this season.