Women's College Basketball: Top-seeded UConn revved for opener

Geno Auriemma and the Connecticut Huskies are raring to go after being off for 10 days.

The top-seeded Huskies open up their NCAA tournament Saturday in Bridgeport, Conn., against No. 16 Prairie View A&M. Eighth-seeded Kansas State will face No. 9 Princeton in the first game of the doubleheader.

After struggling through the latter part of the regular season with losses in their final two home games, UConn rallied to win the Big East tournament. The Huskies topped Notre Dame in the championship game, earning Geno Auriemma his 800th career victory. The Hall of Fame coach became the fastest to reach that milestone.

The time off allowed senior guard Tiffany Hayes to rest a stress reaction in her right foot. She wasn't able to practice the first few days but returned Thursday.

Watching Summitt. Another women's NCAA basketball tournament approaches, and Tennessee is seeking to hang a ninth championship banner in the rafters. But the usual postseason excitement is tinged with somber uncertainty, given that this year's tournament might be more about departure than arrival.

The Vols open play Saturday against Tennessee-Martin, the alma mater of their legendary coach, Pat Summitt. The unavoidable question is whether Summitt's next defeat will be her last, whether an unsurpassed career will end prematurely at age 59 against an inexorable opponent - early onset dementia. The answer is, no one yet knows.

"It's heartbreaking," said Alberta Auguste, a guard on Tennessee's last championship team, in 2008.

Stanford travels. Stanford might have the most interesting situation for a top seed in the women's NCAA tournament.

The Cardinal had to travel across country to Norfolk to face a Hampton team that felt disrespected when it was made a No. 16 seed and will be playing in its backyard. The Cardinal (31-1) and Pirates (26-4) meet Saturday at the Constant Center - about 11 miles from Hampton's campus.

West Virginia takes on Texas in Saturday's first game, both looking to rebound from disappointing conference tournaments.

 Rutgers on the road. Rutgers coach C. Vivian Stringer had nothing but good things to say about facing Gonzaga on its home floor to open the NCAA women's basketball tournament. The sixth-seeded Scarlet Knights play 11th-seed Gonzaga on Saturday.

One reason is that famous Gonzaga men's basketball alumnus John Stockton is one of her heroes.

"He's the best point guard there ever was and the most humble, beautiful person I know," said Stringer.