Fear factor on the rise in women’s tournament

PHILADELPHIA – No matter where teams are seeded, the fear factor is on the rise in the NCAA women’s basketball tournament.

No. 1 Duke isn’t the only team to dread in the field of 64. Even some of the No. 2 seeds are high hurdles to overcome. But more contenders believe they can advance deep in the tournament bracket.

Conversely, that confidence means the No. 1 seeds must be prepared for teams hoping to spring major upsets.

The 26th annual tournament gets under way with first-round games today and Sunday in eight cities. It will conclude in Cleveland with the Women’s Final Four on April 1 and the championship game on April 3.

This year, the increase in quality programs has pushed perennial contenders of the past into lower seeds or even out of the tournament.

Louisiana Tech, winner of the first NCAA crown, in 1982, missed the cut for the first time.

No one wanted to deal with Southern Cal and Cheryl Miller in 1983 and 1984. The Trojans, however, will be spectators when they host rounds in Los Angeles this weekend.

The same is true in Austin, Texas, where the host Longhorns, the power of the mid-1980s, learned on Selection Monday that they can leave their uniforms home.

Minutes later, longtime Texas coach Jody Conradt retired, leaving a plumb position to be filled.

Stanford, which is hosting games, will be in uniform as a No. 2 seed in Northern California. Despite the lofty placement, the Cardinal aren’t as daunting as the team that Jennifer Azzi led to NCAA titles in 1990 and 1992.

Back then, Virginia, with North Philadelphia’s Dawn Staley at point guard, was advancing to three consecutive Final Fours.

The Cavaliers didn’t make this year’s field.

Staley, however, is still around, as Temple’s coach. The former national player of the year is taking the Owls to their fourth straight NCAA tournament and fifth trip overall in her seven years with the program.

Temple, seeded eighth, opens against No. 9 Nebraska in Raleigh, N.C.

In other notable changes, Notre Dame, the 2001 champion, is starting as a No. 9 seed.

Penn State, a past force, is absent with a losing record for the second straight year.

Some No. 1 seeds have easier roads than others, but each path has obstacles that could keep the top seeds from reaching Cleveland.

Tennessee is expected to run into an eventual challenge from defending champion Maryland, seeded second, or Oklahoma, seeded third, in the Dayton Regional.

North Carolina could be threatened by No. 3 Georgia in the Dallas Regional.

Duke, the No. 1 seed in the Greensboro Regional, could face a revenge-minded Rutgers squad. The No. 4 Scarlet Knights, who upset Connecticut in the Big East title game, were routed at home by the Blue Devils in December.

No. 2 Vanderbilt also could be a threat after grabbing the Southeastern Conference tournament title.

No. 1 Connecticut could have an easy time in the Fresno Regional, but two other teams in that draw are riding emotional waves that may result in an upset.

No. 4 North Carolina State has been on a roll since coach Kay Yow returned from a two-month absence while battling breast cancer.

No. 3 LSU has had to deal with the sudden departure of coach Pokey Chatman, who resigned after school officials told her they had evidence she was involved in an improper relationship with a former player.

Openers of note

Today’s top matchups:

No. 5 George Washington vs. No. 12 Boise State: Could this be the start of a deep run by GW, the Atlantic Ten regular-season champ? … No. 10 DePaul vs. No. 7 Georgia Tech: The Blue Demons are healthy again and may be underseeded. … No. 12 Delaware vs. No. 5 Michigan State: Can the Blue Hens eliminate the Spartans’ home-court advantage in East Lansing?

Sunday’s top matchups:

No. 8 Pittsburgh vs. No. 9 James Madison: The host Panthers make their NCAA debut at home against the Colonial Athletic Association runner-up; Another 8-9 matchup in Pittsburgh has No. 8 California against No. 9 Notre Dame.