East Region
(1) UConn vs. (5) Oklahoma
2 p.m. ET Saturday, ESPN
The Huskies have to be ready for a balanced Sooner attack that shocked Purdue in the second round. Connecticut should have Swin Cash available after she suffered a concussion in Sunday's win over Clemson.

Key matchup: Point guards Sue Bird (UConn) and Stacy Dales (Oklahoma) control their teams' fate. Both can shoot the jumper and score off the dribble. At 6-foot, Dales creates matchup problems. She was able to control Purdue All-American Katie Douglas (who went 1-for-11 from the floor) Monday night. Bird has had an MVP-like season -- and if she can get the Huskies in transition, they could run away with it.

Marquee matchup: UConn's Shea Ralph loves this time of year and saves some of her best for last. She's a hustler and the master of drawing fouls and getting to the free-throw line. The same can be said for Oklahoma's Phylesha Whaley, who at 5-10, will have to find some space among the taller Huskies inside. She was triple-teamed against Purdue and will see more of the same Saturday.

	Sooner LaNeishea Caufield, left, is a player to watch in Saturday's UConn-Oklahoma matchup in the East.

Noteworthy: UConn beat Oklahoma during the regular season and go into battle with Oklahoma natives Stacy Hansmeyer and Paige Sauer in the lineup. Hansmeyer played at Norman High School for Sherri Coale, now the Sooners' head coach.

OU rallied from a 17-point deficit at Mackey Arena to upset defending national champion Purdue in the second round for their first Sweet 16 appearance.

Keep your eye on: Sooner shooting guard LaNieshea Caufield, who kept OU in the game against Purdue, is capable of scoring points in bunches. Just a sophomore, she's brash and confident and will need to come up big.

(2) Duke vs. (3) LSU
11:30 a.m. Saturday, ESPN2
Both teams have had little trouble getting to the Sweet 16, so this is the first real test the Tigers and Blue Devils will have in the Big Dance.

Key matchup: Duke's defense meets LSU's offense. The Blue Devils allowed the fewest points in the ACC this year, and their ability to defend is among the nation's best. They'll use several different looks to try to keep the Tigers off balance.

LSU, on the other hand, has multiple weapons and has been scoring effectively inside. The Tigers want to use their quickness to get by the Dukies.

Marquee matchup: Georgia Schweitzer (Duke) and Katrina Hibbert (LSU). Schweitzer was the ACC Player of the Year and comes equipped with 3-point range and a good running jumper. Hibbert has been All-SEC three years running and she leads a balanced Tiger attack.

Noteworthy: LSU has lost in the Sweet 16 two of the last three years, but has a good shot at breaking through this season. LSU is one of five schools with men's and women's teams still alive in Bracketville.

Keep your eye on: Duke rookie Sheana Mosch. She came up big in the second round with 25 points in the win over Western Kentucky. The more scoring threats the Blue Devils come up with, the better their chances of shooting down the Tigers.

Midwest Region
(1) Louisiana Tech vs. (4) Old Dominion
8 p.m. ET Saturday, ESPN
The Lady Techsters survived a second-round scare in against a tough Vanderbilt team Monday night. La. Tech is playing with a lot of emotion due to the impending retirement of longtime coach Leon Barmore.

Key matchup: ODU's guards have to find a way to contain Tech's All-American backcourt of Betty Lennox and Tamicha Jackson. Both are exceptionally quick and love to defend, force turnovers and go coast to coast. Natalie Diaz and Okeisha Howard have to control the tempo and keep these two in check or it could be a very long night.

Marquee matchup: ODU's strength is inside, and La. Tech will have to counter. A healthy Lucienne Berthieu, along with the strength of Hamchetou Maiga, gives the Monarchs the size to do damage on the low block. The Techsters also have the talent down low, however, with Ayana Walker and Shaka Massey.

Still, for the big people to thrive, the guards have to let them get involved. Tech is much more dangerous with balanced scoring.

Noteworthy: This game is dripping with rich tradition and these two programs have been at the top of the women's game for decades. Barmore will retire with the best winning percentage in college basketball, men or women. ODU coach Wendy Larry had a hand in the Monarchs' two AIAW championships in the late '70s.

Keep an eye on: Louisiana Tech freshman post Catrina Frierson has steadily improved this season under Barmore's tutelage. She came up big in Tech's close call against Vanderbilt, hitting the game-winning free throws in the final seconds.

(2) Penn State vs. (3) Iowa State
10:30 p.m. ET Saturday, ESPN2
Penn State is old school with a tradition of success. Iowa State is leading a new regime of quality programs emerging around the country. The similarity: both are seeking that elusive first trip to the Final Four.

Key matchup: A monster showdown of diminutive point guards -- Penn State's Helen Darling and Iowa State's Stacy Frese. Their teams go as they go. Darling likes to drive and dish, Frese can knock down a jumper from anywhere in the gym. These two set the tone for how this one turns out.

Marquee matchup: 'Dre Garner (Penn State) and Angie Welle (Iowa State). They will battle for supremacy inside in a game where rebounds will be a key factor. Garner is sleek and long-limbed with a penchant for altering the shots of her opponents. Welle doesn't mind the contact near the basket and creates space for herself.

Noteworthy: The game features a handful of the top 3-point threats in the country. Iowa State has the aforementioned Frese and spot-up shooting guard Megan Taylor. Penn State counters with Lisa Shepherd, the school's all-time 3-point shooter, and streaky Chrissy Falcone. Don't be surprised to see either team have a big night from beyond the arc.

Keep an eye on: Maren Walseth of the Lady Lions is one of the most improved players in the country. Coupled with Garner, they present an athletic and versatile front line. The 6-4 Walseth is bothersome at the top of Penn State's press, and sometimes stays on the court when forward Rashana Barnes comes into the game, allowing Penn State to play with three posts at a time.

Mideast Region
(1) Tennessee vs. (4) Virginia
Noon ET Saturday, ESPN
A potential pitfall for the Lady Vols appears in the form of an old nemesis. Tennessee and Virginia have battled before in the tournament and this season is no different than before -- they both bring talent at every position on the floor.

	Virginia's Schuye LaRue helps give the Cavs a presence in the paint.

Key matchup: One of the best one-on-one battles of the postseason is here with 2-guards Semeka Randall (Tennessee) and Telisha Quarles (Virginia). Both are quick, athletic, run the floor well and can score points in bunches. Quarles has been having a terrific tournament and Randall will have to call upon her caché of defensive skills to shut her down.

Marquee matchup: Two of the top young post players in the game square off for ownership of the paint. Michelle Snow (Tennessee) and Schuye LaRue (Virginia) play around the rim on offense and can be disruptive near the basket on defense. Controlling the boards will be crucial in this game.

Noteworthy: Some of the best games in NCAA Tournament history involved these two teams in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Tennessee grabbed titles in '89 and '91; Virginia had to settle for "close but no cigar" despite the efforts of Dawn Staley.

Keep an eye on: Virginia forward Lisa Hosac doesn't show up in the stat sheet, but if the Cavs pull off the upset, she'll have played a pivotal role. Hosac usually draws the toughest defensive assignment ("Lisa, meet Tamika Catchings"), grabs a handful of rebounds and sets screens to open up jump shooters. She and the rest of the team need to be perfect to advance.

(2) Notre Dame vs. (3) Texas Tech
2:30 p.m. ET Saturday, ESPN2
Notre Dame has had some success in the Lone Star state in recent years, knocking off both Texas Tech and Texas on the road. To continue the good fortune, Irish center Ruth Riley has to stay out of foul trouble.

Tech counters with a very athletic interior that will put some muscle on Riley in the paint.

Key matchup: Riley (6-5) against Tech's three-headed center of Aleah Johnson, Plenette Pierson and Keitha Dickerson, although none of the Raiders are really a center. They'll have to help each other defend Riley. If Riley gets established, she's tough to stop from five feet away and can also open up the outside game.

Marquee matchup: Tech's defensive whiz Kat O'Neal contained Tulane's amazing Grace Daley in the second round. Now, O'Neal has the job of shutting down Notre Dame sharpshooter Alicia Ratay. Ratay is a deadly 3-point specialist, and the Lady Raiders have to keep the ball away from her. If she wins this battle, forget about it.

Noteworthy: The Big East and Big 12 fought back and forth all year for bragging rights to the label of "second-best conference in the country" (behind the SEC). This game, along with the UConn-Oklahoma, should settle the issue.

Keep an eye on: Tech forward Plenette Pierson was the Big 12 freshman of the year. She has range, a wide wingspan, can rebound on both ends of the floor -- and her agility could cause Riley some problems. If she gets out in transition and the Raiders can run, it's a positive sign.

West Region
(1) Georgia vs. (5) North Carolina
10 p.m. ET Saturday, ESPN
Ladies, start your engines! That smell in Portland on Saturday could be burning rubber courtesy of the 'Dogs and Heels. This one promises to be fast and furious as both teams that love to play with the pedal to the metal.

Key matchup: Tweety Nolan (Georgia) and LaQuanda Barksdale (North Carolina). They have to provide scoring punch and, most importantly, finish on the break. They should have ample opportunity in the open court to display their talents, but they also have to knock down the easy looks.

Marquee matchup: Everyone knows the names -- Georgia's Kelly Miller and North Carolina's Nikki Teasley. They control tempo, direct traffic and keep defenses guessing where the ball is going next. They are the best at penetrating and creating for themselves -- and their teammates.

Noteworthy: While the flashy style of play and high-scoring offenses grab the headlines, both teams win because of their pressure defense. Don't be fooled into thinking Georgia and Carolina only put forth the effort at one end of the floor. They get in your grill for 94 feet and this game could be decided by one big defensive stop down the stretch.

Keep your eye on: Carolina forward Jackie Higgins is a force on the boards and her rebounding is essential to starting the Heels' transition game. She's capable of a double-double any night. North Carolina will need her physical presence in the paint to stop Georgia's penetrating perimeter players.

(2) Rutgers vs. (11) UAB
12:30 a.m. Sunday, ESPN
As much as I try to avoid it, the pun is just too tempting. The Lady Blazers are on fire! OK, now that that's over, UAB has to get back to business and deal with Rutgers.

Marquee matchup: Deanna Jackson (UAB) became an overnight sensation by scoring 32 points in a first-round upset of Oregon. But points don't come easy in the paint against the Scarlet Knights' Tammy Sutton-Brown and Linda Miles. Jackson leads the nation with 24 double-doubles and can expect a double-teaming effort from the Rutgers forwards.

Key matchup: Deanna's big sister, Lisa Jackson, has the unenviable task of battling Rutgers point guard Tasha Pointer. Jackson has to handle the pressure that the Knights apply all over the court and limit her turnovers. Pointer wants to disrupt the Blazers and get Rutgers' transition game in high gear.

Noteworthy: By the time this game gets on the air, it could be up to Rutgers coach Vivian Stringer to keep the homecoming party intact for the Final Four. Stringer has coaching ties to Philadelphia, site of the Final Four. Also hoping to make it a homecoming are Geno Auriemma, Rene Portland, Debbie Ryan and Muffett McGraw. It's still possible the Final Four could have four Philly coaches.

Keep your eye on: The wing. Rutgers' Shawnetta Stewart and UAB's Holly Holland can light it up. Both teams need the outside threat to take pressure of the scorers inside.