Georgia-UConn: Speak Out

Hi all. As a final post here on the Hawks 2006 NCAA Tournament blog, let's have some fun. Reply here and predict the winner and score of the Georgia-UConn game on Sunday night. Will the Lady Bulldogs send consecutive Connecticut teams home or will the Huskies join the elite eight? Offer your opinion here. Thanks for participating and reading during the past 10 days. It has been a special time for the entire University of Hartford community.

Nice Story on Host From Trentonian of 3/20

Linda Weise watched Hartford knock off Temple yesterday in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championships then talked about her new athletic inheritance.

"I’ve gotta go talk to my team," said Weise, after No. 11 Hartford defeated No. 6 Temple, 64-58.

Weise, the Allentown High girls head basketball coach, now boasts a collegiate allegiance with the Hartford Hawks.

The Hawks yesterday displayed a Trentonian-liketenacity in a victory over Temple.

Weise is one of eight area residents playing a host role for teams in competition at the Sovereign Bank Arena.

"I woke up and had butterflies this morning. It was like I was playing basketball again. How do you not get excited about this,’’ said Weise, a former star player at McCorristin High and the University of Delaware.

"My first three years at Delaware we won our conference championship. But back then the NCAA championship had just 32 teams so we never had this opportunity.’’

Weise is making up for missed NCAA championship opportunities as a den mother and booster for Hawks players.

"You know I’m a Hawks fan for life now,’’ she said.

Weise added her voice to a Hartford crowd that may have mistaken Sovereign Bank Arena for the Hawks’ Chase Arena.

Temple could never match the heartfelt Hartford passion, highlighted by the lip-locked congratulations Joe Caruso laid on his fiancee, Hawks associate coach Kristin Lamb.

"This was like we were playing at home,’’ said Hawks star Ikea Witt who scored 17 points.

Danielle Hood added a game-high 20 points and followed Witt’s fan assessment with her own critique.

"We have the most loyal fans. They come to every game,’’ Hood beamed.

The Hartford victory means that Hawks fans and players will spend another two nights in metropolitan Trenton.

The City and Mercer County showcased an SBA that in the past has highlighted acts like Cher, Elton John and most recently Bruce Springsteen.

Hartford faithful did everything but light an encore candle after the Hawks posted its first win over a ranked opponent and first NCAA tournament victory.

Thoughts from the Boston Globe

But Hartford (27-4) left a lasting impression in its third NCAA appearance after upsetting sixth-seeded Temple in the first round and giving 12th-ranked Georgia all it could handle for the first 25 minutes.

"Congratulations to Hartford," Georgia coach Andy Landers said. "We had a great respect for them coming into this game and we leave the game with even greater respect for the way they play and the season they had."

NCAA Chronicles 9: Bringing History Home

Tied in the second half of a game with the winner going to the Sweet 16. Even the last chapter in this storybook season was thrilling. The team had one final dinner last night at TGI Fridays, if you can call a meal close to midnight dinner. The bus departed this morning just after 10 and arrived back at the Sports Center at 1:30. Ready to greet the bus were the same dedicated group of fans that have played a part in this special season.

What a few days it has been. However, this is far from the last post. Check back during the next week for more reflections and news. Of course, feel free to keep your comments coming. The diversity and number of comments posted over the past six days has helped all of us realize what we have here.

Stay tuned.

NCAA Chronicles 9

Well, game time is nearing and the excitement is building. The team had a shoot around at Sovereign Arena at 11 a.m., will have the traditional pre-game meal at the hotel at 3 o'clock and then head off to the arena once more at about 4:45 p.m. The game will once again be televised in and around the Hartford area on ESPN2. Those living in other states will see some of the game as the coverage whips around between different contests. However, those living in the immediate areas of other teams playing will be seeing their local schools' games in their entirety. Most notably, St. John's is playing Maryland at the same time, so any of you in the New York City and D.C. regions will be seeing that game from buzzer to buzzer. But, wherever you are in the world, you can log on to wwuh.org and listen to the live radio broadcast beginning at 6:30 p.m. Locally, the game airs on 91.3 FM.

Thanks to all of you who are reading and submitting comments to the Hawks Hoop-Blog. We are hearing from so many different people from all parts of the world. We will now hand this over to all of you until the Hawks return to campus mid-day Wednesday. So, feel free to reply to this post and share your thoughts tonight.

In the meantime, I can tell you that the comments you posted after the Temple game have been printed out and given to the coaching staff.

Enjoy the game. Whether you are in your living room or in the Sovereign Bank Arena, be loud and proud. Your voice can rest tomorrow.

Mayor Perez Issues Statement

MAYOR PEREZ WISHES UHART HAWKS
“NOTHIN’ BUT NET” AGAINST GEORGIA TONIGHT

---MEDIA RELEASE---

(March 21, 2006)--- Mayor Eddie Perez congratulates the University of Hartford’s Women’s Basketball team on their first NCAA Tournament victory. The 11th-seed Hawks stunned the Temple Owls 64-58 on Sunday.

Mayor Perez says, “The Temple team was highly touted, but Hartford played with the heart of a champion. I wish them ‘nothin’ but net’ as they take on Georgia in tonight’s contest.”

Under the leadership of Head Coach Jennifer Rizzotti, Hartford is making its third trip to the NCAA Tournament in four years. Sunday’s win is winning accolades from fans all across the state and boosting team and school spirit going into tonight’s game at Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, New Jersey.

NCAA Chronicles 8

Today was a quieter day in between games. Right after breakfast, the team headed off for part one of practice at Rider University and then headed back to Sovereign Bank Arena for another short practice and press conference. It's getting to be old hat now. The team did have a few hours to relax upon returning to the hotel before heading out to dinner at Erika Messam's home in Pemberton. It is always nice to meet the players' families and see where they grew up. Wherever we go, the food is always delicious and the atmosphere enjoyable. The feeling of "home" certainly beats the restaurant scene. It was especially nice to see several of Erika's trophies on display in the living room, including the America East Conference Player of the Year hardware she just received less than two weeks ago (even though with all that's transpired since then, it seems like two months ago). The half-hour bus ride back to the hotel concluded the day. With Tuesday's breakfast scheduled for nine o'clock, the Hawks will have the chance to get a good night's rest. Let's hope all the fans can do the same.

ESPN.com: Hawks are "Rising Star"

The city of Hartford likes to market itself with the dubious moniker of "New England's Rising Star," but the slogan finally appears to accurately describe at least one thing in the colorless capital.

By scoring a 64-58 win against No. 6 seed Temple in Trenton, N.J., on Sunday, the 11th-seeded Hartford Hawks became just the second America East team to advance to the second round (following Maine in 1999). Jennifer Rizzotti's team is also one more upset away from moving on to Bridgeport, Conn., where the local Cinderellas would draw the kind of media attention usually reserved for the academic neighbors to the east at the University of Connecticut.

The Hawks have some NCAA Tournament experience of their own, but a lot of it shows up for games dressed in the coach's designer duds. Senior guards Danielle Wexler and Erika Messam, who were around for both of Hartford's first two trips to the NCAA Tournament, were instrumental in Sunday's upset, but a freshman, sophomore and junior led the way down the stretch.

Sophomore Danielle Hood led the Hawks with 18 points, just as she led a balanced attack in scoring during the regular season. And it was freshman Erica Beverly and junior Ikea Witt repeatedly stepping up in the final minutes, quelling a Temple rally that seemed destined to overcome the upstarts.

Rizzotti knows firsthand that building a program into a postseason juggernaut is a gradual process, but that's one piece of experience she might choose not to share with her young team.

Howie Makes Network TV Debut

The national exposure continued on Monday morning when the University's pep band, cheerleaders, and Howie the Hawk were invited to attend the the CBS Morning Show in New York City. Yes, the University of Hartford was mentioned on network television and Howie was able to flap his wings for all of America to see. The bus came rolling back into the Westin just before 11 a.m., and sleep was the main goal of many of the students, who had risen well before dawn to be part of this memorable experience.

Good Morning Faculty and Staff

Welcome back after a very exciting weekend in the history of the University of Hartford. Feel free to reply to this post if you wish to share your thoughts. We'll print them out and let the coaching staff and players know what all of you are feeling back on Bloomfield Avenue. In the meantime, it's Hartford and third-seeded Georgia Tuesday night at 7 p.m. in Trenton. Howie's flapping his wings. The Hawks are one win away from the Sweet 16.

Feature on ESPN.com

Auriemma hopes Hawks, Rizzotti enjoy moment
By Mechelle Voepel
Special to ESPN.com

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Geno Auriemma grinned when asked the question. It was a smile of pride and happiness and maybe even just a little bit of wistfulness.

His former point guard Jen Rizzotti led her Hartford team to a 64-58 victory over Temple on Sunday, which was the program's first NCAA Tournament victory and just the second in America East history.

He was asked about his team and Rizzotti's team being a game away from facing each other in Bridgeport, Conn., in the Sweet 16.

"Oh, I don't even want to think about it," he said, chuckling, knowing what a madhouse that would be. "I watched some of the game today, and they showed her a couple of times on the sideline … it was pretty neat. I remember our first NCAA win and what it felt like to know you get to stay another night, you get to prepare for another night. Her kids get to go to another press conference, which is really cool when you're first there."

Late Sunday, UConn beat a good Coppin State team (which should be proud of its season) in the Huskies' first-round game here at the Bryce Jordan Center. It gave UConn its 30th victory this season, which is -- ho-hum -- just the 11th time in the past 13 years that the Huskies have won 30 or more.

Auriemma joked about how it is being UConn. The question he expects to hear isn't, "How mind-boggling is it to hit 30 that many times?" but rather, "Why didn't you get 30 the other two years?"

Still, he loves this. Auriemma might complain at times about the demands of UConn's fans and the unreasonable expectations, but nobody actually expects more from this program than he does.

So I wondered … could he really remember what it was like to just be flat-out overjoyed, jumping-up-and-down happy to win an NCAA Tournament game, the way the players and staff at Hartford felt Sunday?

"Yeah, I do," he said. "When I think back to when we beat Toledo -- we had lost two years in a row in the first or second round, they had byes back then. So you almost get the sense, 'If we don't win this one … how long are you going to go without winning?' "

It is funny now to think about that, isn't it -- that UConn folks once were worried about whether they would ever win an NCAA Tournament game. The losses he referred to were in 1989, when as a No. 8 seed UConn fell to No. 9 LaSalle, and in 1990, when the Huskies were a No. 4 seed (with a first-round bye) and lost in the second round to No. 5 Clemson.

Of course, the third try was the charm -- in 1991, the No. 3 seed Huskies made it all the way to their first Final Four, where they fell in the semifinals to Virginia. All told now, through Sunday, UConn is 56-12 in NCAA Tournament action, with five national championships.

For Hartford, Sunday was also its third attempt at winning an NCAA Tournament game. Unless we see a run of miracles, the Hawks aren't going to the Final Four. But getting that one victory meant a lot to the program.

"I know they've got a tough one coming up Tuesday night," Auriemma said of Hartford's game against No. 3 seed Georgia. "But Jen's used to being the underdog. I wouldn't be surprised …"

Then, he just had to smile again.

"Could you see that, though, if it was us and them in the regionals?" he said. "I really don't want to think about it. I just want to think about Virginia Tech."

That's who the Huskies have next, as they take the next step in trying to pursue yet another national championship. But Auriemma can still go back in time to March 16, 1991, and a nail-biter -- UConn won 81-80 over a Toledo team led then by current Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly -- that was his first taste of NCAA Tournament success.

"I remember the emotions of that night and how incredible everyone felt," Auriemma said. "And I would hope that players and coaches and fans would never lose that … but it's only natural now that it's, 'OK, when you get to the Final Four, we'll get excited.' "

Game Time Set For 7 P.M.

Well, never try to figure out the NCAA. The game time, according to ESPN.com, has been set for 7 p.m. on Tuesday night. So our alumna who has been writing in from England may just be able to hear some of the game prior to retiring for the night.

One Win Away From Sweet 16

The Hawks will face third-seeded Georgia on Tuesday night at Sovereign Bank Arena. The game time will be announced after the completion of all games this evening, although with Rutgers winning vs. Dartmouth in Trenton, the Hawks game may well be the second game of the doubleheader Tuesday night, beginning at approximately 9:30 p.m. The NCAA often has the local draw (in this case Rutgers) take the more fan-friendly 7 p.m. time slot.

From CBS Sportsline.com

TRENTON, N.J. -- When the buzzer sounded, Hartford's players might as well have been celebrating a national title instead of an opening-round win. First-time Women's NCAA Tournament victories can have that effect -- especially for a No. 11 seed.

Danielle Hood scored 20 points and outplayed Atlantic 10 Player of the Year Candice Dupree as Hartford upset sixth-seeded Temple 64-58 in the first round of the Bridgeport Regional on Sunday.

NCAA Chronicles 7: Victory

Thanks to all who have written in this afternoon and evening to share your thoughts on this remarkable day in the history of the University of Hartford. We are all back inside the Westin now. The players are drained and will get a very good night's sleep indeed.

The scene at the hotel as we departed this morning was memorable. A New Jersey sheriff arrived to personally escort the team bus. Meanwhile, the pep band and cheerleaders lined the entrance. As the players made their way to the bus, the University of Hartford Fight Song filled the air. Howie the Hawk was present too. Basically, the University of Hartford took over the Westin for an hour.

Laurie Fasciano is managing all our travel during the trip and saw two positive signs leading up to the game. She noticed three hawks flying above the hotel yesterday. Then, when we arrived at the Sovereign Bank Arena, one of the pretzel snacks they were offering was called "Hawksters."

Well, Laurie was right. The Hawks let the nation see what we have all season, beating the nation's 18-th ranked team, 64-58. Temple All-American Candace Dupree was held in check by a ferocious Hartford defense. Danielle Hood continues to look better with each game. Ikea Witt played one of her best games as a Hawk in front of her family and friends in the area.

I might also say that the Hawk contingent that came down to Trenton was impressive, and Temple was surprised, being that they considered this almost a home game. When the Hawks took the floor for warm-ups and a loud ovation ensued, I noticed a couple of the Temple players, who were already on the floor, looking at each other with a sense of disbelief. The Hartford fans would get no quieter on this day.

The team and coaches stayed around to watch Georgia defeat Marist before heading back to the hotel for an hour and then on to dinner at Ruby Tuesday's.

The University of Hartford's name is all over screens, newspapers, and Web sites nationwide tonight. This remarkable season has extended well beyond the seats at Chase Arena, Reich Family Pavilion.

NCAA Chronicles 6: Game Day

Well, the time has arrived. The bus pulls out from the Westin hotel at 10 a.m. We should arrive at Sovereign Bank Arena about 10:30 a.m. Breakfast was at 8 a.m. and the team seems in good spirits. Holden (Coach Rizzotti's son) entertained all of us as usual. He loves the spotlight. But even he realizes that the center of attention moves to a group of confident and talented young women in just a few hours. To the Hawks, good luck. Be sure to tune in at 11:30 a.m. on WWUH (91.3 FM, wwuh.org).

NCAA Chronicles 5

I think everyone is ready to get a good night's sleep as we must be up at 8 o'clock tomorrow morning for breakfast. We had a grand Italian dinner tonight, served family style. It was almost like we were in Italy again. Thanks to Tom and Suzy Reich for this special evening. They were not able to join us but did write in to a previous post here letting us know their hearts are with the team. They plan on celebrating in the living room of their Florida home tomorrow afternoon, in the same place where the team sang carols during its Miami trip last December. Also thanks to those of you who submitted questions for Coach Rizzotti that we'll ask during tomorrow's broadcast. We heard on this blog from an alumna in England who wanted to know if she could tune in and hear the game on the Web. The answer is a resounding yes. Just adjust for the time change with air time at 11:30 Eastern U.S. time. Visit www.hartford.edu. Thanks to all who have posted comments.

I saw a Rutgers player in the elevator this evening. But Hartford is more than represented here at the Westin with the band, cheerleaders, and administrators now here along with the team traveling party. President Walter Harrison was in the lobby this afternoon.

Game day is almost here.

Fans: Speak Out Here

Hawk fans, here is a reminder to comment on this message with either a question or comment that may be used on the WWUH pregame show that begins at 11:30 a.m Sunday. Have a question for Coach Jen Rizzotti? About the Hawks' travels in Trenton? Want to comment on what the Hawks have done to warm up your winter. Please post your thoughts here and listen tomorrow morning to WWUH for our "The Fans Speak" segment. Also included will be an interview with Temple head coach Dawn Staley.

NCAA Chronicles 4

A sunny and cool day in Princeton/Trenton as the Hawks get to sleep in a bit this morning. Breakfast is at 9:30 a.m. followed by our first look at the Sovereign Bank Arena. The team arrives with a formal press conference beginning at 11:20. Head coach Jen Rizzotti moves into the media interview room with players Erika Messam, Ikea Witt, and Danielle Hood. After a brief statement by Coach Rizzotti, the attendees are invited to ask questions of the student-athletes. Then they are excused leaving Hartford head's coach alone to field questions. It is nice to see familiar faces from the Connecticut media already on hand in Trenton. Lori Riley of the Hartford Courant is already at work in the back media area. Following the press conference, the Hawks conduct a 50-minute practice on the very floor they will play on in 24 hours. Per NCAA rules, the practice is open to the public. Channel 8 television arrives on the scene at this time, one of media outlets in the state having the same crew cover the UConn men in Philadelphia and the Hartford women in Trenton. The team next boards the bus for part two of today's practice, back at Rider University. Speaking of Rider, it has done a great job, along with the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, of hosting this weekend's opening rounds. Representatives staff a table in the hotel lobby area to help teams and fans find what they need and the set-up at the arena is very efficient and orderly.

NCAA Chronicles 3

Lucy and Linus weren't present, but we enjoyed Charlie Brown tonight. Okay, it was Charlie Brown's Steakhouse. The team returned from practice just after 5 p.m., had about an hour to get ready for dinner, and the traveling party headed about 10 minutes down the road to the restaurant. We were back at the hotel just in time to see the second half of the UConn-Albany men's game. The hotel where we are staying is in the middle of a small shopping village that includes a limited assortment of outlets, stores, and eateries. There is also plenty of free space for walking and jogging. We are just off Route 1, which is a commercial strip resembling the Berlin Turnpike in many ways. The administrators, including AD Pat Meiser McKnett, arrived this afternoon. Well, enough random thoughts for one day. Tommorrow we really get going with a press conference and practice at the Sovereign Bank Arena.

TV, Radio for Sunday

Hope you're in Trenton Sunday to cheer on the Hawks but if not, here's the info you need. WWUH (91.3 FM or wwuh.org) wil begin its coverage with an expanded pre-game show at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday morning. On the TV side, it's a little more complex. ESPN2 will have the game air in its entirety through most of Connecticut and portions of Southern New Jersey and Southeastern Pennsylvania. However, all other areas will be part of the ESPN family's "whiparound" coverage with portions of all four games going on at that time being shown. So, if you live in Massachusetts or Northern New Jersey, you will not see the entire Hartford-Temple game live. ESPNU will carry the game live, but it is not available to most of you reading this. Just a little info to help you prepare for Sunday.

NCAA Chronicles 2

Well, we have arrived in Princeton, N.J. What a scene it was at 9:30 when dozens of fans, faculty, and staff saw us off at the Sports Center. Certainly, it was a much different atmosphere than usual. However, once the bus made its departure, it was pretty much back to normal. A long Harry Potter movie played during the three-hour ride down here. We checked into the hotel, a Westin, and grabbed a quick sandwich. The team then headed to Rider University for practice. In an ironic twist, Rutgers, the team we played in the first round of the NCAA tournament, is staying at the same hotel we are. Our bus driver from Dattco is Phil, who never misses a big game or nice trip but somehow seems as of late to "be on a tour" when the trips to Orono, Maine, and Binghamton come up. Oh well, when you have more than three decades of service to a company, you are in a position to choose, and Phil has been with Dattco for that length of time, and has been driving for Hartford women's basketball for 20 years. The weather is sunny and it is cool down here but certainly not as cold as it was in Hartford when we departed a few hours ago.

NCAA Chronicles 1

Well, the packing is done and I have a little heavier load than previous NCAA Tourney journeys. In 2002, when we played at Oklahoma, I might have thrown in a few token extra pieces of clothing. But, in honesty, I would have been going clothes shopping if the Hawks had staged one of the greatest upsets in women's basketball history that year and remained down South. This time around, though, I am well prepared if the Hawks are winners Sunday and get to stay around for a few more days. Ready for departure at 10 a.m. this morning. Let the fun begin...

Questions Welcome

Have a question as the Hawks hit the road and prepare for Sunday's game? Ask away. It will be replied to here and the best of the questions, including those for head coach Jen Rizzotti, will be answered during the radio pre-game show Sunday, which begins at 11:30 a.m. on WWUH (91.3 FM and wwuh.org). Reply to this message to ask your question or make a comment. Then listen to "The Fans Speak" segment on Sunday's pre-game show.

"Best First-Round Game" from ESPN.COM

Staley vs. Rizzotti in the spotlight in first round

By Nancy Lieberman
Special to ESPN.com

What is the best first-round game?

Of the many highly anticipated first-round games, sixth-seeded Temple vs. 11th-seeded Hartford ranks right near the top. Technically, despite Temple's budding success the past two seasons, it's two mid-majors. But the real story is that this game pits two of the best, feistiest point guards-turned-coaches in college history against each other: the Owls' Dawn Staley and the Hawks' Jen Rizzotti. Staley -- who led Virginia to three Final Four appearances -- has led Temple to her fourth NCAA appearance and a No. 18 ranking this season. The Owls are 1-3 in the NCAA Tournament in the Staley era, reaching the second round last season. Hartford, however, is trying to net just the second NCAA Tournament win in America East history (the league is 1-15 in NCAA play). This is the Hawks' third NCAA appearance, all under Rizzotti, who led UConn to the 1995 national title.

Both former national players of the year have turned around programs that hadn't really achieved any legitimate success in the women's game before. And both programs reflect their coaches' personalities -- which bodes well and means they have the competitiveness to keep making progress and win at the next level.

Two Coaches on TV

From today's Hartford Courant:

(Hartford coach Jen) Rizzotti and Temple coach Dawn Staley will be on "4 Quarters Live" at 7:10 tonight on ESPNews. At one time, Rizzotti and Staley were the only two WNBA players who were Division I head coaches. Rizzotti retired from the WNBA after her team, the Cleveland Rockers, folded in December 2003. This summer, Staley will play for the Houston Comets, which was Rizzotti's team for two years.

NCAA Chronicles Premieres Tomorrow

Beginning tomorrow, the "NCAA Chronicles," a daily log of the Hawks' journey in the NCAA Tournamnet will premiere right here. Throughout the series of reports from the road, learn how the team is spending its time readying for its Sunday showdown with Temple. Until the bus rolls out...

Time-Sensitive Ticket News/Student Motor Coach

The following was issued this morning by KAT and SGA:

As you may know, the Kampus Activities Team and Student Government Association have organized a student bus to Trenton and purchased tickets for Sunday’s Hartford vs. Temple NCAA women’s basketball game, so that students could travel to the game and attend for free.

Today (Thursday) after 3 p.m., any game tickets and bus seats that have not been reserved by students will be made available at the Campus Concierge in GSU, on a first-come, first-served basis, as follows:

Tickets that are left over will be available, free of charge, to students who want to drive to Trenton on their own (instead of taking the bus from campus). There will be a limit of one ticket per student. When you come to the Campus Concierge to pick up a ticket, you must bring your University of Hartford student ID.

Leftover tickets will also be made available to faculty, staff, and alumni at a discounted price of $25 (cash only, exact change required), with a limit of four tickets per person. Free bus space will be available for those who register with the Campus Concierge (but it’s not required for the ticket purchase).

The student motor coach bus will leave the Sports Center promptly at 6:30 a.m. on Sunday and will head back to campus immediately after the Hartford vs. Temple game.

If you would like to claim any of the leftover tickets, go to the Campus Concierge in Gengras Student Union between 3 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. today (Thursday), or between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Friday. Tickets cannot be held, and there are no refunds.

Learning About Temple

from ESPN's Beth Mowins
ESPN.COM

Temple bounced back from an inconsistent regular season to capture its third consecutive Atlantic 10 Tournament championship and reach the NCAA Tournament. It's the first threepeat at the A-10 tourney since Penn State pulled off the feat 20 years ago.

If the Owls are at their best in the NCAA Tournament, we'll see the same team that looked impressive in a home overtime win over Georgia and a road win at Rutgers. But remember this is the same team capable of an inexplicable loss to Stony Brook and a narrow win over Maryland-Eastern Shore early in the season.

Temple appeared to be back on track in the A-10 Tournament, though, avenging two regular-season losses to George Washington in the final.

Senior forward Candice Dupree is an all-American candidate who averages a team-high 17.6 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. Coach Dawn Staley says Dupree's skill set is close to those of a young Tim Duncan or Lisa Leslie. Dupree can score on the block or step away for a mid-range jumper. She is also the two-time A-10 defensive player of the year with tremendous shot-blocking abilities.

Forward Kamesha Hairston was a member of the all-conference first team this season and joined Dupree on the all-defensive team as well. Hairston has led Temple in steals the last two seasons.

The Owls defend well. They rate in the top 20 in the NCAA in both scoring defense (54 points per game) and field goal percentage defense (.360). The offense is deliberate and Temple could run into trouble if Dupree isn't scoring. The style of play is similar to Rutgers, a team Temple beat in January 48-47.

Khadija Bowens, a senior from Philly who ranks third in scoring at 9.7 points per game, has overcome a lot of adversity to play for Temple. Bowens couldn't cut it academically and had to leave school a few years ago. But she went to junior college and worked her way back into good academic standing and back into Temple, and repays her coach for her loyalty by wearing Staley's No. 5 jersey.

From Danbury News-Times

Rizzotti has Hawks flying high so far

By Doris Yon

During coach Jen Rizzotti’s seventh season at Hartford, the Hawks set program records in wins (26-3), best start (21-2) and winning streak (15 games). A banner season is starting off a banner postseason for the Hartford women's basketball team.

During coach Jen Rizzotti's seventh season, the Hawks set program records in wins (26-3), best start (21-2) and winning streak (15 games). Hartford set another program record Monday when it was awarded the No. 11 seed in the Bridgeport Regional in the NCAA tournament.

"Certainly we felt like it was a reward for a great season we've had," said Rizzotti, a former New Fairfield High and UConn star. "And our goal this year was to have a great season so we could get a higher seed because last year we felt completely overwhelmed with a 3-14 match-up. We wanted to have a better chance to get a (win) in the first round of the tournament, so we were certainly happy with our placement."

The Hawks, who face sixth-seeded Temple in the first round Sunday in Trenton, N.J., showed throughout the season they were deserving of a better seed than they received last year. They had a final RPI of 29 in the NCAA's official ranking and their 26 wins entering the NCAA tournament are tied for 11th-best among the 64 teams in the field.

The main aspect working against Hartford's seeding was its strength of schedule, ranked 113th according to CollegeRPI.com, which resulted in a first-round game against Temple, ranked 19th in this week's AP Top 25.

Facing a Top 25 team in the first round is nothing new for the Hawks. Their first trip to the NCAA tournament in 2002, they were a No. 16 seed and lost to top-seeded Oklahoma 84-52 in the first round. Last year, they dropped a 62-37 decision to third-seeded Rutgers as the No. 14 seed.

Even though Hartford again is the underdog in Sunday's game, Rizzotti said she likes the team's chances of getting past the first round more so than in previous years.

"We felt like if we continued to win and we win our conference tournament we would probably put ourselves in a much better position than we were the first two times we made trips to the NCAA tournament," said Rizzotti, the America East Coach of the Year. "This is the direction we wanted our program to head in and we wanted to build upon last year's tournament appearance. We felt like we did that with a great season this year with four more wins so far than we had last year and sitting in a much better position this year in the postseason."

If the Hawks pull off the upset Sunday, they likely will face third-seeded Georgia in the second round on Tuesday. Another upset in the second round means they return to their home state and have a potential match up against second-seeded UConn in the Bridgeport Regional semifinal.

Before worrying about playing the Huskies again this season, Rizzotti is just concerned about trying to win the first NCAA tournament game in Hartford history.

"Now for us to win a game against a Top 25 program, it would change the program," Rizzotti said. "It would bring it to the next level and it would bring us some notoriety like we've never seen. Certainly it means a lot to us. I know what Temple's playing for and I know they're going to be a tough team to beat, but I do think on our end we could gain a lot from this game."

Rizzotti has turned the Hartford program completely around since she took over the team in 1999, and the Hawks enjoyed their most success this season.

One of the highlights of the season was a record-setting 15-game winning streak, surpassing the previous best mark of 12 games. The Hawks upheld their preseason pick to win the America East and won the regular-season title with a 15-1 league record. They almost swept the postseason awards, as guard Erika Messam was named the America East Player of the Year and forward Erica Beverly was the league's rookie of the year. They were the first players in program history to win their respective awards.

Hartford then had an impressive showing in the America East tournament.

The Hawks swept through the tournament and won all three rounds by an average of 17.7 points. They won all three games by double digits and defended their tournament title with a 76-56 win against Boston University.

"I feel like we're playing our best basketball of the year," Rizzotti said. "Last year we won the (America East) tournament, but I wouldn't say we played better than we had during other stretches. Right now, I feel like they're playing the best that they've played all year."

Send-Off Celebration

Come dressed in your red and white attire and send off the Hawks in style on Friday at 9:30 a.m. in front of the Sports Center

The send-off will last about 30 minutes. If you have any questions, please email Scott Dolch at dolch@hartford.edu.

Free Student Bus To Tournament

Kampus Activities Team and the Student Government Association are sponsoring a bus to take students to and from the game in Trenton. Seats will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. To sign up, go to the Campus Concierge in Gengras Student Union. There is no cost for the game or the bus trip, thanks to KAT and SGA, but you will need to pay a $20 deposit and present your University of Hartford ID when you register. The deposit will be returned when you board the bus.

The student bus will depart campus from the Sports Center at 6:30 a.m. Sunday for the 4 ½ hour trip to Trenton and will return immediately after the game.

Joe Creme on ESPN.COM

The selection committee proved a couple of things with the 2006 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament bracket. First, this bracket illustrates that the RPI is, in fact, just a tool. If Tennessee is the lowest No. 2 seed when the Lady Vols are second in the RPI, if Cal gets into the field with an RPI in the mid-60s and if New Mexico is seeded 11th despite an RPI of 31, then the committee is not using the RPI for anything more than has been stated in the past couple of years.

The other theme that rings loud and clear: Forget the little guy. How can that not be the case with Iowa, Cal and Missouri getting selected and Western Kentucky and Indiana State getting overlooked? The committee must have put a bunch of stock in the day-to-day grind of playing in a major conference. Other than the three berths given to the Mountain West and George Washington, no at-large bids came out of the non-major conferences.

Furthermore, teams like Old Dominion, Louisiana Tech, Hartford and Bowling Green were given high seeds. This is all a very bad message. The committee is essentially telling commissioners and coaches from non-major leagues not to bother with a season. Apparently, they should just play a league tournament and the committee will take the winner only because it has to.

Fan Bus News

The University of Hartford will provide a fan bus to the Hawks' NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament game against Temple Sunday at Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, N.J. The game begins at 12 noon.

The bus will leave promptly at 6:30 a.m. from the Sports Center, and will cost $25 per person. Cash and checks for payment of the bus trip will be accepted upon departure. Tickets for the game will NOT be provided, but can be purchased by calling (888) SBA-TIXX.

If you would like to make a reservation for the fan bus, contact Ann Barthel at 768-4638 or barthel@hartford.edu. The deadline to make reservations is the end of the business day on Thursday.

From Home News Tribune (New Brunswick, N.J.)

4 UPSET SPECIALS

# Hartford over Temple — The Hawks were in this last season before Rutgers took them out, but lost only one game in the America East Conference. They're improved over a year ago, and while Temple has been ranked most of the year and is playing closer to home, this is an early round upset waiting to happen.

# Tulsa over N.C. State — N.C. State comes out of the powerful ACC, but are very overrated as a No. 5 seed. They played .500 in the ACC but are up against a Tulsa team that finished 25-5 in Conference USA and is in a perfect position for a shocker.

# New Mexico over Florida — Lobos were ranked 21st last week even though they finished third in the Mountain West behind BYU and Utah. Although No. 5 seed Florida comes from a tougher conference, the Lobos are good enough to catch them off guard early.

# New Mexico over Florida State — The Seminoles, a No. 6 seed, finished fourth in the tough ACC behind only Carolina, Duke and Maryland, but in New Mexico they're facing an 11 seed that played in a very underrated Mountain West Conference.

Region Preview: Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, TX)

Bridgeport region

It seems the road to the Final Four always goes through some town in Connecticut, and the UConn Huskies are always playing there. Connecticut is a No. 2 seed this season, but it potentially will have the chance to play in the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight in Bridgeport. If it progresses, No. 1 Duke would have the task of facing Connecticut for a trip to the Final Four.

"We may be a little more prepared to face whatever might happen in this tournament than we maybe were last year," said UConn coach Geno Auriemma, whose team lost to Stanford in the Sweet 16 last season.

No. 9 South Florida against No. 8 USC looks like a great game, too, with the Bulls playing in their first NCAA Tournament.

Star-Telegram pick: Connecticut. The Huskies don't lose too often that close to home, and Duke has been underachieving in the tournament for years.

Final Four dark horse: Georgia. The Lady Bulldogs are a hard matchup with their speed. Georgia has a great inside-out game with Tasha Humphrey being complemented by several guards. Five of Georgia's eight losses were to Tennessee and LSU.

First-round upset: No. 11 Hartford over No. 6 Temple. You never know which Temple team is going to show up. Temple has beaten Georgia and Rutgers this year, but it also lost to Stony Brook.

Best coach: Geno Auriemma, Connecticut. It wasn't that long ago that Auriemma and the Huskies won three consecutive titles, and the seniors on this squad already have title rings.

Best scorer: Jessica Dickson, South Florida. Dickson has been the catalyst for the Bulls' success this season. She's averaging 22.1 points per game, which is third-best in NCAA Division I this year.

Best defender: Sherill Baker, Georgia. Baker, a 5-foot-8 guard with quick feet, led NCAA Division I with 4.6 steals per game. She's Georgia's all-time career steals leader.

Best rebounder: Traci Edwards, Wisconsin-Milwaukee. A freshman, Edwards had more than 300 rebounds this season and averaged 10.1 per game. She's 11 shy of the school record.

Best 3-point shooter: Cori Chambers, Georgia. Chambers, a junior, has quite a range and shot 43.8 percent from beyond the arc this season. She made 74 3-pointers.

From Michelle Smith, San Francisco Chronicle

Bridgeport Regional

Choice matchup: Temple vs. Hartford, first round. It's a matchup between Dawn Staley and Jennifer Rizzotti, both outstanding point guards, both national players of the year, both proving to be effective college coaches. This one has the fun factor.

From the Experts: Beth Mowins of ESPN

In addition to Boston College-Notre Dame in Albuquerque, one of the best first-round games is Temple vs. Hartford in Bridgeport.

Guard play is extremely critical during the tournament, but how about point-guard coaching? Both Temple coach Dawn Staley and Hartford coach Jen Rizzotti took their teams to Final Fours as players. It will be very interesting to see how they read the game as coaches. This head-to-head matchup might be the best first-round storyline.

Beth Mowins of ESPN on ESPN.com

Hawks Will Play Sunday in Trenton

The Hartford women’s basketball team has earned a No. 11 seed in the upcoming NCAA tournament, its best ever, and will play No. 6 Temple on Sunday, March 19, at the Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, N.J.

The game is scheduled to tip off at noon and will be broadcast live on ESPN2.

The best way to secure tickets to the game is to log on to www.sovereignbankarena.com or call 888-SBA-TIXX. Single session tickets are $30.

Efforts are under way to organize a student bus and a fan bus to Trenton on Sunday. Details will be posted in UNotes Daily as soon as they become available.

The winner of Sunday's game between Hartford and Temple will advance to face No. 3 Georgia or No. 14 Marist in Trenton on Tuesday, March 21. From there, winning teams will advance to the regionals in Bridgeport, Conn.

The Hawks earned an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament by winning their second straight America East Women’s Basketball Championship on Sunday.

This will be the Hawks’ second consecutive appearance in the NCAA tournament, and their third in five years. Their tournament ranking has steadily improved with each appearance. In 2002, the Hartford women were a No. 16 seed; in 2005 they earned a No. 14 seed, and this year they moved up to No. 11.

The Hawks and their fans, still exuberant from Sunday’s America East Championship win over Boston University, filled the Intramural Gym in the Sports Center Monday evening to watch the NCAA Tournament Selection Show on ESPN.

Before the show began, Hartford Head Coach Jennifer Rizzotti and her team received a call from Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell, who said she is “thrilled” by the Hawks’ success. “All of you are great role models, both on and off the court,” Rell said.

Rizzotti thanked all the fans who have supported the Hawks, and said she and her players were especially delighted by the large and enthusiastic student turnout at the America East tournament. Rizzotti also noted the difference in mood between last year’s NCAA Selection Show – when her players were thrilled just to get an invitation to the “Big Dance” – and this year’s, when the team is entering the tournament in its strongest position ever.

“We’re waiting for our name to be up there,” Rizzotti said just before Monday evening’s Selection Show. “But this year, we’re waiting for it to be up there so we can see who we’re going to beat.”

Hawks Headed to NCAA Tournament

The University of Hartford women’s basketball team captured its second straight America East championship Sunday, defeating Boston University 75-56 before a spirited crowd at the Chase Arena, Reich Family Pavilion.

The Hawks are now headed to the NCAA women’s basketball tournament for the second year in a row, and the third time in five years.

Students, faculty, staff, alumni, and all Hartford fans are invited to join the team tonight (Monday) to watch the NCAA Selection Show on ESPN, and find out whom and where the Hawks will play in the upcoming tournament.

A FREE Selection Show party will begin at 6 p.m. in the Intramural Gym at the Sports Center. Beginning at 7 p.m., watch the Selection Show on a large screen in the Intramural Gym, together with the Hawks players and coaches.

The Hawks are now 26-3 for the season, the best record in school history, and they are expected to earn their highest seed ever in the NCAA tournament. Join them as they find out their ranking for the Big Dance!

The Hawks won the 2006 Friendship Cottage Cheese America East Women’s Basketball Championship with three decisive wins over the weekend. Hartford beat Maine 58-35 in the quarterfinal round on Friday; topped Binghamton 57-46 in semifinal action on Saturday; and then defeated Boston University by 19 points in Sunday’s final.

For coverage of Sunday’s championship game, visit www.hartfordhawks.com or www.americaeast.com