"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.