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FLORIDA WOMEN VS. WASHINGTON

 
Published March 18, 2001|Updated Sept. 9, 2005

WHEN/WHERE: 8:30 tonight; O'Connell Center, Gainesville.

RECORDS: Washington 20-9; UF 24-5.

COACHES: Washington _ June Daugherty (79-65, fourth season; 202-139 overall). UF _ Carol Ross (229-109, 11th season).

KEY PLAYERS: UW _ Loree Payne, G, 6-0 So. (10.4 ppg, 1.6 apg); Megan Franza, G, 5-11 Sr. (16.4 ppg, 3.5 apg); Giuliana Mendiola, G, 5-6 Fr. (10.8 ppg, 4.0 apg). UF _ Brandi McCain, G, 5-3 Jr. (19.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg); Naomi Mobley, F, 6-2 Jr. (10.9 ppg, 9.9 rpg); Tombi Bell, G, 5-5 Sr. (12.4 ppg, 4.9 apg).

NOTES: The Huskies won their first-round game against Old Dominion on a last-second shot. The Gators defeated Holy Cross by 32. In addition, Florida has the home-court advantage, while Washington is playing three time zones from its home floor. The Huskies are making their 13th appearance in the NCAA Tournament, the Gators their eighth.

_ Compiled by Debi Jones.

FSU WOMEN VS. IOWA STATE WHEN/WHERE: 2 p.m. today; James H. Hilton Coliseum, Ames, Iowa.

TV: ESPN2.

RECORDS: Florida State 19-11, Iowa State 26-5.

COACHES: Florida State _ Sue Semrau (47-66, fourth season). Iowa State _ Bill Fennelly (137-49, sixth season; 303-102 overall).

KEY PLAYERS: Florida State _ Brooke Wyckoff, F, 6-1 Sr. (14.8 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.0 bpg); April Traylor, G, 5-10 Jr. (15.2 ppg, 3.8 apg); Levys Torres, C, 6-4 Sr. (10.9 ppg, 9.9 rpg); Katelyn Vujas, F, 6-3 So. (10.8 ppg, 6.2 rpg). Iowa State _ Angie Welle, C, 6-4 Jr. (18.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg); Lindsey Wilson, G, 5-9 So. (14.7 ppg, 5.1 apg); Megan Taylor, G, 5-10 Sr. (14.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg); Tracy Gahan, G, 6-0 Jr. (12.6 ppg, 7.6 rpg).

NOTES: The No. 7-seeded Seminoles, in the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time, look to advance past the second round for the first time. With a shot at the Sweet 16 in 1991, their last NCAA appearance, they lost to Western Kentucky 72-69 in Tallahassee. FSU beat Tulane despite a five-point performance from All-ACC Wyckoff, who was hampered by fouls. Traylor responded with a career-best 30-point game. The No. 2-seeded and No. 8-ranked Cyclones have become a perennial national power under Fennelly. After having never reached the NCAA Tournament, they have gone five straight seasons, including a run to the Elite Eight in 1999 and Sweet 16 last season. FSU has a distinct height advantage. But ISU's strength is that it plays off Welle, a third-team All-American, so well. Taylor, Wilson, Gahan and senior G Erica Haugen are 232-of-574 from three-point range (40 percent). FSU and ISU, which have never met, played the No. 4-ranked Blue Devils. (The only other common opponent this season was North Carolina State.) ISU lost in Durham 81-63, and FSU upset Duke at home 71-69. The Cyclones are 15-0 at home, including Friday's opening-round win against Howard. A big reason is the sixth man: the crowd. ISU averages 11,345 at James H. Hilton Coliseum.

_ Compiled by Brian Landman.