Illinois (6) vs. Utah (11)
Nickname Fighting Illini UtesOverall record 22-10 23-7
Conference Big 10 MWC
Conf. record 10-5 11-3
Last 10 games 7-3 8-2
RPI 26 47
AP Ranking -- --
SCOUTING REPORT: Illinois, which finished fourth in the Big 10, has made the Sweet Sixteen twice in the past three seasons . . .Fighting Illini players Tauja Catchings (15.8 ppg, 8.1 reb) and Allison Curtin (17.6 ppg, 2.6 spg) were named First-Team All Big 10 . . . Illinois coach Theresa Grentz is the sixth winningest women's basketball coach in NCAA history with more than 550 victories in her 26-year career . . . Utah has been to the NCAA Tournamentfive of the last six year, but head coach Elaine Elliott is only 1-9 in her NCAA trips . . . The Utes are ranked first nationally in scoring defense, giving up a little more than 51 points a contest . . . None of the Utes made the All-MWC First Team, though three players made the second team . . . Lauren Beckman (10.8 ppg) is the only Ute to average in double figures.
Oklahoma (5) vs. BYU (12)
Nickname Sooners Cougars
Overall record 25-7 22-8
Conference Big 12 MWC
Conf. record 12-4 10-4
Last 10 games 6-4 8-2
RPI 17 56
AP Ranking 18 --
SCOUTING REPORT: Senior forward Phylesha Whaley (22.2 ppg, 8.2 rpg) was named the Big 12 Player of the Year. She led the league in scoring and scored in double figures in every game this season . . . The Sooners rank 11th nationally in scoring, hitting for nearly 80 points a contest . . . The Sooners also rank 16th in the nation in rebound marging, outboarding people by 7.5 a game . . . Ten years ago, Oklahoma eliminated the women's basketball program but, under heavy pressure, reinstated it eight days later . . . BYU is returning to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1993 and is going for the first time under head coach Trent Shippen . . . The Cougars are 0-3 in their previous NCAA trips . . . Jill Adams (14.4 ppg) and freshman (Erin Thorn 12.7 ppg) lead a Cougar team which won six straight before losing to Utah in the MWC Tournament final to end the season.
W O M E N ' S M A T C H U P S