Dec. 6, 2005
NORFOLK, Va. -- Beginning Monday, Jan. 9, through the National Championship game on April 4, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU will count down the 25 most memorable moments from the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament's 25-year history. A 30-second vignette will air during 25 women's basketball telecasts in ranking order, starting with #25 on January 9 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Among top moments is the Old Dominion women's basketball team's thrilling come-from-behind overtime victory over Stanford in the national semifinals.
Moments ranked 24-11 will continue to be announced during regular-season women's basketball coverage through Selection Monday on March 13. The start of the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship on Saturday, March 18 will commence the top 10, concluding with the #2 and #1 moment to be unveiled during coverage of the Women's National Semifinals and National Championship game on Sunday, April 2 and Tuesday, April 4, respectively. Each ESPNU prime-time women's basketball telecast will re-air the vignettes as they are revealed.
The moments and rankings were determined by an industry-wide blue ribbon panel consisting of notable players, coaches, journalists and executives from the NCAA and WBCA. Each vignette will be voiced by a commentator covering the game. Listed below in chronological order are the featured moments that will be ranked 25 -11, along with the corresponding game schedule. The exact rankings of the moments and the remaining top 10 will be announced in the coming weeks.
"These vignettes will allow sports fans to relive some of the greatest performances and unforgettable scenarios in NCAA Tournament history," said Carol Stiff, ESPN senior director of programming and acquisitions. "This initiative allows us to further our commitment to women's basketball and celebrate its spectacular moments."
Most Memorable Moments 25-11 (rankings and top 10 to be announced in the coming weeks):
1982
West Regional Final (Stanford, Calif.) - Drake's Lori Bauman scored 50 of her team's 78 points in an 89-78 loss to Maryland, which still stands as the NCAA Tournament single-game scoring record.
Final Four (Norfolk, Va.) - The Lady Techsters win the first-ever NCAA title, beating Cheyney, 76-62. Janice Lawrence is named first-ever Most Outstanding Player as a sophomore.
1987
Final Four (Austin, Texas) - In the first Final Four sellout, #2 Tennessee won its first National Championship over Louisiana Tech.
1992
Final Four (Los Angeles, Calif.) - Stanford beats Virginia, 66-65, to win their second National Championship.
1995
East Regional Second Round (Storrs, Conn.) - Alabama and Duke compete in the longest game in tournament history. The Crimson Tide eventually defeated the Blue Devils, 121-120, in four overtimes.
Final Four (Minneapolis, Minn.) - Connecticut capped off an undefeated season, with a win over Tennessee, 70-64.
1996
Final Four (Charlotte, N.C.) - Tennessee defeated Connecticut, 88-83, in an overtime semifinal game.
1997
Final Four (Cincinnati, Ohio) - Old Dominion overcame a 15-point deficit to beat Stanford, 83-82, in an overtime national semifinal match-up.
1999
East Regional Final (Greensboro, N.C.) -Duke pulled off an upset victory over three-time defending champion Tennessee, 69-63.
2000
West Regional Final (Portland, Ore.) - Rutgers defeated Georgia, 59-51, making C. Vivian Stringer the first coach in NCAA history (men or women) to lead three different schools to the Final Four.
2001
West Regional Semifinals (Spokane, Wash.) - NCAA all-time scoring leader, Jackie Stiles, poured in 41 points for Southwest Missouri State to upset Duke, 81-71, in the Sweet 16.
2004
Midwest Regional Semifinals (Norman, Okla.) - Perhaps the most controversial call in Tournament history, Tennessee is awarded free throws shot by Tasha Butts in a tied Sweet 16 game after a loose-ball foul was called on Baylor with two-tenths of a second remaining. The Lady Vols advanced to the Elite Eight off the two made free throws.
Final Four (New Orleans, La.) - Tennessee's LaToya Davis stole the ball off a turnover by Tameka Johnson with 1.6 seconds remaining and eliminated LSU, 52-50.
2005
Philadelphia Regional (Second Round) - Pat Summitt recorded win No. 880 against Purdue, giving her the most victories in NCAA Division I basketball history, which passed UNC's Dean Smith.
Final Four (Indianapolis, Ind.) - Michigan State trailed by 16 with 16 minutes remaining and came back to defeat Tennessee, 68-64.