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Likely Rivals Fume Unc, Florida International Feel Victimized By Pairings

Associated Press

Don’t look for that “happy to be here” line from North Carolina and Florida International.

Oh sure, they welcome the chance to play in the NCAA women’s tournament, just like the 62 others in the field. But they’re not especially enamored with where they are.

North Carolina is the No. 2 seed in the Mideast Regional, where Tennessee is seeded No. 1. For the Tar Heels to reach the Final Four, they’d probably have to beat Tennessee in the regional finals in Nashville, the next-best thing to a home game for the top-ranked and unbeaten Lady Vols.

“I don’t understand why it was done the way it was,” North Carolina coach Sylvia Hatchell said. “I’ve had a couple of other coaches call me and tell me it would have been better if we hadn’t won the ACC tournament.

“But the cards are dealt. I don’t understand why they put the ACC champions and SEC champions together, but they did.”

North Carolina (24-6) won the ACC tournament after finishing third in the regular season while Tennessee won the regular-season and SEC tournament championships. The SEC and ACC were the two highest-ranked leagues in the country.

Florida International of the Trans America Conference is the No. 7 seed in the Mideast and will play Marquette in the subregional at North Carolina on Friday. The Golden Panthers felt they deserved a No. 4 seed, which would have put them at home for the first two rounds, because of their 28-1 record and No. 13 RPI ranking, one spot behind North Carolina.

Florida International has won 17 straight since a 69-67 loss at Campbell on Jan. 5 and beat five NCAA Tournament teams early in the season: Michigan, Purdue, Georgia, Miami and Louisville.

The Golden Panthers are second nationally in defense, giving up 55.5 points a game, and have two marquee players in guard Dalma Ivanyi and 6-foot-4 center Gergana Branzova.

North Carolina, led by All-American Tracy Reid, meets Howard in the first round Friday, immediately after the Florida International-Marquette game.

Tennessee (33-0) begins its quest for a third consecutive national title in Knoxville on Saturday against Liberty (28-0), the nation’s only other unbeaten team.