Stanford usually gets a little TV exposure, but it's too bad the nation doesn't see more of guard Candice Wiggins (19.3 ppg). This 5-11 senior has everything you'd want in a point guard. .

Wiggins and her Cardinal teammates may have to crush a few Texas teams to get to the Final Four.

UTEP, which won 23 straight games this season, is one of the nation's breakout teams. Guard Jareica Hughes (14.7 ppg) was named Conference USA's player of the year. If Stanford reaches the Sweet 16, Baylor and coach Kim Mulkey's durable seven players will be there waiting.

Nebraska got in as a No. 8 seed, thereby giving the Big 12 a record eight NCAA bids. But Maryland appears to have smooth sailing. Kristy Tolliver (16.8 ppg) and Crystal Langhorne (16.7 ppg) have had few problems this season while coach Brenda Frese adjusted to being the mother of twins.

And the winner is ... Maryland: Any team that blows through the ACC like Maryland did must be considered Final Four worthy.

This is an incredible bracket for women's basketball fans in this region. There's a ton of local ties and lots of drama.

Everyone has longed to see Tennessee's Candace Parker (21.3 ppg) go head to head with Oklahoma's Courtney Paris (18.7 ppg) in a meaningful postseason game. We may finally get it in the Sweet 16 round at Ford Center. But not if SMU gets its way first.

Coach Rhonda Rompola's Mustangs have their hands full in the first round against No. 5 seed Notre Dame. Should SMU advance, it sets up an intriguing second-round individual matchup – Paris vs. Janielle Dodds. SMU's Jillian Samuels (.382 3-point FG%) can shoot over OU's guards, too.

All the stars are aligned once again for Texas A&M, though. Takia Starks and Co. can bully their way through the first two rounds. Drawing Duke in the region semifinals is a winnable game. But then comes Tennessee.

And the winner is ... Tennessee: This is Parker's last season with the Lady Vols. She wants to go out with another national title.

The selection committee did the Cowgirls no favors. OSU got bumped out of the Oklahoma City Region and didn't get a favorable draw.

But let's face facts, OSU hasn't been on the NCAA Tournament radar long enough to warrant any favors.

A second-round matchup with Ohio State won't be easy. Jantel Lavender (17.5 ppg) was named the Big Ten player of the year. LSU's Sylvia Fowles will be waiting on the Cowgirls in the Sweet 16.

The selection committee dropped Kansas State a few slots because of Kimberly Dietz' knee injury. A No. 5 seed is no reward for a team that won the Big 12 regular-season title.

If Louisville doesn't get K-State, then No. 1 seed North Carolina sure will.

And the winner is ... LSU: Fowles will carry LSU to the regional final. But she can't beat the Tar Heels all by herself.

Two potential second-round matchups leap off the page simply because of their locations. It's exactly why some coaches favor neutral sites, something the women's tournament tried with little success.

Texas could play No. 1 seed Connecticut in Bridgeport, Conn. The Huskies are a top seed for a reason. They beat people by an average of 30.5 points per game. Maya Moore (17.7 ppg) is a dynamic playmaker, and Tina Charles (9.4 rpg) is solid in the paint. However, UConn will give up some points, too.

Rutgers could also meet Iowa State in Des Moines, Iowa. The last thing Rutgers coach C. Vivian Stringer wants to see is ISU's Heather Ezell (.338 3-point FG%) sitting on the perimeter firing away while the Cyclones fans scream at a fever pitch.

California should be motivated after slipping to a No. 3 seed with an awful showing in the Pac-10 tournament final. Two quick wins over San Diego and George Washington should get Cal going again.

And the winner is ... UConn: Coach Geno Auriemma's club can do it all except hit free throws. Will that be UConn's undoing?