Focus on the stars
TAMPA, Fla. – Ice and Ace.
That’s the star watch for tonight’s NCAA women’s basketball championship game between Stanford and Tennessee.
All eyes are going to be on All-Americans Candice Wiggins of Stanford and Candace Parker of Tennessee.
That means the pressure is on Tennessee’s Alberta Auguste and Stanford’s Kayla Pedersen, who will start with the defensive assignments on the superstars when the game tips off at the St. Pete Times Forum.
Tennessee (34-2) is trying to defend its title and pick up its eighth overall by avenging an early season 73-69 overtime loss at Stanford. The Cardinal (35-3) is trying to win its third championship, but first since 1992.
Auguste was inserted into Tennessee’s starting lineup six games back for defensive purposes, replacing freshman Angie Bjorklund, the long-distance threat from Spokane. Auguste is ready for the challenge of stopping Wiggins in a battle of 5-foot-11 seniors.
“I’m going to show her everything,” Auguste said of her defensive strategy. “I’m going to do whatever it takes. If I have to follow her to the restroom, I’ll follow her. If I have to follow her to a timeout, I will follow her.”
Wiggins, who is averaging 27.4 points in the tournament, said, “You can’t be intimidated or back down from it. You have to attack their pressure.”
The plan for Pedersen, a freshman, is a little different against the senior Parker in a battle of 6-4 forwards, partly because of Parker’s injured left shoulder.
“I think we’re going to force her more to the left, and I think I’m going to have a lot of help,” Pedersen said. “As long as we can stay physical with her and make her use that left hand, I think she’ll miss more shots than usual.”
Parker said the shoulder she dislocated last Tuesday was stiff after Sunday’s semifinal.
“One more game,” she added, “just get through it and worry about it later. I’m glad I got some insight on what they’re planning on doing. I’m just going to continue to try to play my game and, obviously, if I step out on the floor, then all’s fair.”
The coaches don’t expect any changes to the plan that got them here – an 82-73 win over top-ranked Connecticut for Stanford, a 47-46 thriller over league rival Louisiana State for Tennessee.
“It’s going to take a tremendous defensive effort,” Lady Vols’ coach Pat Summitt said. “It’s going to take control on the boards better than we have. They’re such a great passing team. And they’ve got people that can make plays, create. We have a great challenge but I have a lot of confidence in this team. … We’ve got to make shots.”
Cardinal coach Tara VanDerveer said, “I asked (assistant) Kate Paye, who scouts them, what do we have to do against Tennessee? She said it’s the same stuff you have to do against Connecticut. To beat great teams you have to execute offensively, you have to rebound and you have to defend.”
Bjorklund expects one thing to change from the first meeting.
“We did not play Tennessee basketball. That was not the Tennessee way,” she said. “As coach says, when we play our game no one can stop us. … That was a hard game, we talked about it. The two teams we lost to this year we get to play in the Final Four. We’re pretty excited. Isn’t it crazy how that worked?”
However, her personal plan is the same.
“I still need to look for my shots, work my hardest on defense and hopefully get some boards,” she said. “We’ve got to keep doing what we’re doing. It’s been working. We’ve won this far.”
Bjorklund only took four shots against LSU’s intense defense, hitting one.
“They’re a great defensive team. It’s going to be just as hard,” she said. “Tara’s got her scouting report; she’s always known for her scouting report, film breakdown, knowing a team so well. I’m going to be face-guarded for sure.
“It’s like pick your poison,” she added. “That opens things up for Candace when they’re guarding me so close.”