Women Set For NCAA 'Hoops Hysteria'

Copyright © 2009 National Public Radio®. For personal, noncommercial use only. See Terms of Use. For other uses, prior permission required.

MICHELE NORRIS, host:

The time has run out to complete those NCAA brackets for men's basketball. That tournament starts today. But there's still time to fill out the big sheet for the women's basketball tournament.

The men call it March Madness, the women call it Hoops Hysteria, and for a preview of the games, we turn to Michelle Smith. She covers women's basketball for the San Francisco Chronicle. Welcome to the program.

Ms. MICHELLE SMITH (San Francisco Chronicle): Thank you for having me.

NORRIS: Let's begin with the lineup in the team that's expected to dominate this tournament, and I want to quote a story from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and here's what that story says.

There are 63 teams playing for second place, and then there are the Connecticut Huskies. That pretty much sums it up, doesn't it?

Ms. SMITH: It does. This is - we've all wondered if this tournament is an exercise in inevitability.

(Soundbite of laughter)

Ms. SMITH: But Connecticut is very good. They are 33-0. No team has come closer than 10 points to them all year. They've rolled through this season, and they're going to roll into the tournament, and I don't think there's anybody who doesn't think that they're the overwhelming favorite to win.

NORRIS: Okay, so if they're the overwhelming favorite to win, what other teams will at least make them work for that title or might even have a shot at knocking them out altogether?

Ms. SMITH: Well you know, and that's the thing about being an overwhelming favorite. I think a little pressure comes with that. So I would say it's not out of the realm that either maybe a team like Maryland, who has a couple of veteran players who played in the national championship and won the title as freshmen in 2006; or Stanford, who knocked Connecticut out of the NCAA final four last year; or Auburn, which is sort of an up-and-coming program with their coach, Nell Fortner, who coached the Olympic team.

It doesn't seem terribly wide-open. There seems to be a big gap between Connecticut and everyone else, but you know, let's play some games.

NORRIS: Now you mention Auburn, an up-and-coming team. Are there other underrated teams?

Ms. SMITH: Well there are - I mean, I think there are sort of some sleeper teams out there. Oddly enough, I think Tennessee is a bit of a sleeper team, which is so strange about a Pat Summitt coached team, but they've had a rough year. And yet, you know, it's almost reflex to say Pat Summitt could take her team back to the final four, even when they have 10 losses already this season.

You know, they could be an underdog team. I mean, I think Auburn just because not a lot of people know a lot about them. I think that there are just a few other teams that lurk out there, maybe a team like Ohio State, comes out of a conference that isn't as strong, but they've got some great players; Texas A&M. You know, there are some number-two and -three seeds out there that lurk.

NORRIS: Sacred Heart.

Ms. SMITH: Sacred Heart would be a Cinderella story. Let's say that.

(Soundbite of laughter)

Ms. SMITH: And Cinderella doesn't come to the women's tournament that often, oddly enough. You get those teams that make a run in the men's tournament that nobody had on their bracket, but in the women's game, more often than not, the team that's supposed to win, win, and Sacred Heart would definitely be a surprise.

NORRIS: Let's talk about standout players.

Ms. SMITH: Sure. Connecticut has Maya More. She's a sophomore and widely regarded as the best player in the country. Out here on the West Coast, Stanford's center, Jayne Appel. She's a junior, and she can score with both hands, is an effective passer, very nice player.

Courtney Paris at Oklahoma, Courtney has gained a little notoriety in the last couple of weeks because she basically said if she doesn't win a national title, she will give back her scholarship at Oklahoma.

NORRIS: Pardon me for doing this, but some of these players have outstanding names, also: Epiphany Prince.

Ms. SMITH: You like that one?

NORRIS: Special Jennings, Jantel Lavender.

(Soundbite of laughter)

Ms. SMITH: Yes. These are good names. They look beautiful on a box score.

NORRIS: This year, the NCAA made some changes to try to expand participation, at least among the people who watch the tournament, and to expand the television viewership. Is it likely to make a big difference?

Ms. SMITH: They've made some structural changes to try and separate the women's game a little bit, and I think it still remains to be seen how well those changes are working out.

There is a school of thought that maybe by separating the women, the women are being viewed a bit as a second-class partner in all of this. But I think, you know, ratings for the final four have been up, and they've been good, and I think people are excited about the game who are excited about the game.

NORRIS: Your thoughts on the moniker, Hoops Hysteria?

Ms. SMITH: I don't know if I buy it, but I think it's good to give it a go.

NORRIS: Good, good. Michelle Smith, thanks so much.

Ms. SMITH: Thank you.

NORRIS: Michelle Smith covers women's basketball for the San Francisco Chronicle.

(Soundbite of music)

Copyright ©2009 National Public Radio®. All rights reserved. No quotes from the materials contained herein may be used in any media without attribution to National Public Radio. This transcript is provided for personal, noncommercial use only, pursuant to our Terms of Use. Any other use requires NPR's prior permission. Visit our permissions page for further information.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by a contractor for NPR, and accuracy and availability may vary. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Please be aware that the authoritative record of NPR's programming is the audio.