UConn, Vols on a collision course

Connecticut’s path to a third straight national championship could include a renewal of the most heated rivalry in women’s college basketball.

The Huskies earned the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament Monday night.

For Geno Auriemma to match Tennessee coach Pat Summitt with an eighth national championship he might have to go through her Lady Vols, who earned the top seed in the Dayton region. If both come through their regions, UConn and Tennessee could meet in the national semifinals at Indianapolis.

Auriemma’s Huskies didn’t have to face Tennessee during their record 90-game winning streak that was ended by Stanford on Dec. 30. The two pre-eminent teams in the sport broke off their annual matchup in a testy 2007 split.

The most emotional matchup of the tourney, however, likely will be in the Dallas region with No. 6 Georgia vs. No. 11 Middle Tennessee State, which is still dealing with the death of teammate Tina Stewart.

“The tragedy was most unspeakable and our full committee shared our thoughts and condolences,” selection committee chairwoman Marilyn McNeil said. “However, what we want to assure everyone is they were considered like everyone in the field. We looked at their body of work and what they had done on the floor over the entire season.”

First up for UConn is former star Jen Rizzotti and her Hartford Hawks, who won the America East title. The two teams have played each other over the last six years but didn’t meet this season. Hartford is winless in 11 meetings against UConn.

Baylor and Stanford were the other two No. 1 seeds. It was the second straight No. 1 seed for the Cardinal, who fell to UConn in the title game last season.

Huskies’ Jackson resigns

Tia Jackson is out as coach at Washington after four lackluster seasons where she failed to turn around a lagging program. She announced her resignation on Monday after meeting with athletic director Scott Woodward.

In her first head coaching job, Jackson was hired by former athletic director Todd Turner in 2007 hoping to add what Turner called a “spark” to the program after June Daugherty was fired.

Instead, UW went 45-75 overall and saw massive roster turnover. Jackson’s teams never won more than 13 games a season.