ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, March 14, 1997 TAG: 9703140036
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY THE ROANOKE TIMES
Virginia has been virtually unbeatable at home in the women's NCAA Tournament, but will have to beat Troy State without Tiffany Bower.
One sure way to arouse the ire of Virginia women's basketball coach Debbie Ryan is to suggest there has been a ``changing of the guard'' in the ACC.
Never mind that North Carolina won the 1995 NCAA championship and recently captured the ACC Tournament for the second time in three years.
``Where were they last year?'' Ryan asked earlier this week. ``Were they even in the [NCAA] Tournament? We've been in this tournament for, like, 55 straight years.
``So, what is [the] problem? I don't even get that. Changing of the guard? What guard's changed? We're still playing. We're playing for a national championship.''
The Cavaliers, participating in the NCAA Tournament for the 14th straight year, were awarded the fourth seed in the West Region and will meet Troy (Ala.) State tonight at approximately 8:30 at University Hall.
Utah and Iowa State will meet at 6:06 p.m. in the first game of a doubleheader, with the winners to meet Sunday at 7:08 p.m. for the right to advance to the region semifinals in Missoula, Mont.
If UVa (21-7) is to advance in this tournament, it will have to do it without sophomore guard Tiffany Bower, who suffered a torn right Achilles tendon in practice Thursday and is lost for the year.
Bower, the team's best defender, averaged 13.3 points and 6.7 rebounds over the last three games as a starter in place of the injured Monick Foote. Bower, who averaged 7.1 points and 4.5 rebounds overall, had a career-high 21 points and 11 rebounds in a Feb.23 loss to the Tar Heels.
Foote has recovered from a severely sprained right ankle and will start against Troy State.
UVa has had a first-round home game every year since 1986 and had won 16 consecutive NCAA Tournament games at University Hall before falling to Tennessee in last year's East Region final, 52-46.
``It's great to be home because, for one thing, you don't have to go anywhere,'' Ryan said. ``It gives you more time to prepare. That's what you play for all season.''
It has been difficult for Virginia to prepare for Troy State, however, because the Lady Trojans (23-6) were seldom on television and did not have any common non-conference opponents with the Cavaliers.
What Ryan does know is that Troy State ranks among the Division I leaders in scoring offense and has a pair of productive post players in 6-3 Australian Samantha Tomlinson, averaging 21.5 points and 8.3 rebounds, and 6-2 Mandee Amstrong, averaging 19.0 and 7.6.
Some rebuilding was in order after UVa lost two-time ACC player of the year Wendy Palmer from last year's team, but the Cavaliers' fourth seed was only one spot removed from the No.3 seed they have enjoyed the past three years.
Top-seeded Stanford looms as a potential semifinal opponent if the Cavaliers get to Missoula, but Ryan said her team isn't so young that it can't dream of an NCAA title.
``I think it's a goal from the time you sign here and you know it,'' Ryan said. ``Schools recruit against us that way, [but] who wouldn't want to play at a school where you're supposed to win?''
LENGTH: Medium: 65 linesby CNB