March 20, 2003
Tournament Central | Pre-Game Quotes | Get Your Lady Monarchs Gear
GAME: No. 12 Old Dominion (21-10) vs. No. 5 Boston College (20-8).
REGIONAL: East, first round.
TIME: Saturday, 11:10 a.m. EST.
SITE: Constant Convocation Center; Norfolk, Va.
Boston College hopes to avoid a second straight first-round loss to aNo. 12 seed when it faces Old Dominion in the East Regional.
The Eagles are in the NCAA women's tournament for the fourth time infive years, including second consecutive year as a No. 5 seed. Lastseason, they were upset by Mississippi State 65-59 in their openinggame.
While Old Dominion probably isn't as strong as Mississippi State was,the Lady Monarchs have one advantage - Old Dominion was among the teamsthat benefited from the change in the women's tournament topredetermined sites for the first two rounds this year.
With Norfolk being one of those sites, the Lady Monarchs were awarded ahome game they wouldn't have received under the old format.
If this game was played last year, it would have been at the site of theEast's fourth-seeded team. Instead, the Lady Monarchs have a chance toimprove their 15-3 home record. They were only 1-2 at neutral sites.
The Lady Monarchs have won 11 straight NCAA tournament games at Norfolk.They didn't have home-court advantage for any round last year, but stillreached the regional finals before losing to eventual championConnecticut.
Old Dominion qualified for the tournament by winning its NCAA-record12th straight Colonial Athletic Association tournament title. The LadyMonarchs, who lost three times in conference play this season, beatDelaware 66-58 to win the tourney title.
"We had to battle for this one. We had to compete," Old Dominion coachWendy Larry said. "We had people rise to the top and we had people taketheir roles."
Boston College went 12-4 in the Big East, its second-best record inconference play. The Eagles have three players averaging double figuresand are a strong offensive team, ranking in the Big East's top three inscoring, field-goal percentage, 3-point percentage and free-throwpercentage.
The winner will face either Vanderbilt or Liberty in the second round onMonday.
PROBABLE STARTERS: Old Dominion - F Monique Coker, F Kim Giddens, CCorrina Turner, G Okeisha Howard, G Shareese Grant. Boston College - FJessalyn Deveny, F Becky Gottstein, C Kim Mackie, G Brianne Stepherson,G Amber Jacobs.
TEAM LEADERS: Old Dominion - Howard, 14.8 ppg and 4.6 apg; Giddens, 6.7rpg. Boston College - Deveny, 17.4 ppg; Gottstein, 8.4 rpg; Stepherson,5.1 apg.
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Old Dominion - Automatic bid, Colonial AthleticAssociation tournament champion. Boston College - At-large berth, BigEast.
ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT RECORD: Old Dominion - 32-18, 19 years. BostonCollege - 2-3, 3 years.