By Mel Greenberg
Well, the anything-but-terrible 2s prevailed Monday night when LSU beat top-seeded North Carolina in New Orleans and Stanford downed top-seeded Maryland in Spokane.
The results left the Atlantic Coast Conference, two years removed from its Boston trifecta, reduced to zero in representatives in the Women's Final Four.
While the Stanford coverage focused on the Cardinal's shock and outrage over not getting a No. 1 seed, the reality is both games could have easily occurred no matter who held which seed.
Rutgers, meanwhile, hasn't had as much problem with its No. 2, understanding what knocked the Scarlet Knights off the season-long projected top line in the bracket, It's just where they happened to be placed.
Coach C. Vivian Stringer's group against overall No. 1 seed Connecticut Tuesday night in Greensboro will be on the under-side of the "should-have-been" been Big East title game of several weeks ago. That went by the wayside, courtesy of the quarterfinal upset loss to Louisville, which went on to cause a slight stir against the Huskies in Hartford and challenged North Carolina in the New Orleans semifinals.
But given how two No. 2s are already on their way to Tampa, or is it Tampa Bay, in sunny Florida, perhaps the Scarlet Knights could easily adapt a battle cry of why not us?
Normally, in a matchup such as the Greensboro showdown, the postgame media interviews involving the Huskies and Scarlet Knights have as much anticipation as the actual game itself, considering who's involved and the sizeable number reporters who cover both schools.
However, because of the late hour start and deadlines, most of the after-commentary will probably light up a day or two after the sun rises on Tobacco Road.
The other Tuesday night game before the anticipated Big East superpower battle, which should draw huge TV ratings despite the 9-ish start, will be in Oklahoma City, where Texas A&M will try to bring down Tennessee, the defending champs.
But if the Vols make good on their favorites role, one piece of the Final Four will feature a Southeastern Conference title encore between Tennessee and LSU.
Whatever the completed Final Four field becomes late Tuesday night, not much money will need to be spent on scouting tapes.
Rutgers has played both Stanford, LSU and Tennessee, but not Texas A&M, in terms of familiarity from this season while Connecticut has played LSU, and Stanford, but not Texas A&M.
Oh, yeah, the Vols and Huskies didn't meet for the first time in 14 years so UConn coach Geno Auriemma's success record against Tennessee in second-chance opportunities the same season won't be tested.
Don't laugh. In some circles it has been suggested, besides her displeasure over UConn's recruiting of freshman sensation Maya Moore, that Tennessee's Pat Summitt canceled the series to prevent Auriemma from gaining an "extra" advantage in a tournament second meeting.
Meanwhile, schools still alive in the field have seen their share of droughts in their geographical locations. But drought relief occurred twice on Monday night and could happen again on Tuesday.
Stanford, the oasis in a primary women's basket desert West of the Rockies, has returned to the Women's Final Four for the first time since 1997, ending a series of frustration, especially in recent regional play.
Ironically, the Cardinal are actually heading South still alive, instead of a recent tradition of going south, as they say in fandom.
Although LSU is heading for its fifth straight Final Four, it's the first time for new Tigers coach Van Chancellor, who missed several times years ago with Mississippi before moving on to the WNBA in 1997 when he went on to take Houston to the pro league's first four titles.
"Sometimes it's even hard to win with great talent," Chancellor quipped from the team bus to a caller while returning from New Orleans to LSU's nearby campus in Baton Rouge.
Meanwhile, unless Rutgers can make it two straight Final Four appearances, the UConn seniors will earn their first Final Four appearances, snapping the longest Huskies drought from the national semifinals since they won their first title in 1995.
Texas A&M has never been that far, so the Aggies couldn't technically qualify as drought stricken. But one could hang the tag on coach Gary Blair, who took Arkansas to the finals in 1998.
The Razorbacks emerged from the West regional that began with No. 1 Stanford .. , well, let's not bring up unpleasant memories while the Cardinal finally has cause to celebrate.
-- Mel
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