Feb. 26, 2002

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Providence College women's basketball team finished the 2001-02 regular-season schedule, with a 91-77 victory over Pittsburgh on Tuesday night, in Providence, R.I. With a 13-14 overall record and a 7-9 finish in the BIG EAST Conference, Providence will enter the 12-team BIG EAST Conference Championship Tournament as the No. 8 seed. The Friars were originally picked to finish 11th in the 2001-02 BIG EAST Conference Coaches' Preseason Poll, released on October 25, 2001.

In the first round of tournament action, Providence will face No. 9 seed Seton Hall (14-13, 6-10) at the Louis Brown Athletic Center in Piscataway, N.J., at 2:00 p.m.

The University of Connecticut will be the No. 1 seed in the tournament. The Huskies have been ranked No. 1 in the national polls the entire season and are the only undefeated team in the nation, at 30-0. The Huskies have won or shared the regular-season title each of the last nine years. Notre Dame (19-8, 13-3), the 2001 defending national champion, will enter the tournament as the No. 2 seed. Boston College (21-6, 12-4) is No. 3, and Villanova (18-9, 12-4) enters play as the No. 4 seed. Each of the top-four teams in the championship receive a bye in the first round.

Miami (17-10) compiled a 10-6 BIG EAST record to take the No. 5 seed, and will face No. 12 Georgetown (12-15, 4-12) at 12:00 p.m. on March 2. Virginia Tech (18-9, 9-7) earned the No. 6 seed and will face No. 11 Rutgers (8-19, 5-11). Syracuse (16-11, 9-7) holds the No. 7 seed in the tournament, and will face No. 10 West Virginia (14-13, 6-10). The Orangewomen of Syracuse and the Mountaineers of West Virginia will play at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, followed by the Hokies and the Scarlet Knights at 8:00 p.m.

The tournament champion will earn the BIG EAST's automatic berth into the 64-team NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship. Last year the BIG EAST became the first conference to have different teams win the NCAA title in consecutive years as Notre Dame followed UConn's 2000 title. Three other teams - Rutgers, Villanova and Virginia Tech - participated in the 2001 NCAA Tournament.

2002 BIG EAST WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
March 2-5 -- Louis Brown Athletic Center (Rutgers University) - Piscataway, N.J.


FIRST ROUND - Saturday, March 2
Noon 	#5 Miami (10-6) vs. #12 Georgetown (4-12)
2:00 p.m.	#8 Providence (7-9) vs. #9 Seton Hall (6-10)
6:00 p.m.	#7 Syracuse (9-7) vs. #10 West Virginia (6-10)
8:00 p.m.	#6 Virginia Tech (9-7) vs. #11 Rutgers (5-11)


QUARTERFINALS - Sunday, March 3
Noon	#4 Villanova (12-4) vs. #5 UM/#12 GU winner
2:00 p.m.	#1 Connecticut (16-0) vs. #8 PC/#9 SHU winner
6:00 p.m.	#2 Notre Dame (13-3) vs. #7 SU/#10 WVU winner
8:00 p.m.	#3 Boston College (12-4) vs. #6 VT/#11 RU winner


SEMIFINALS - Monday March 4
6:00 p.m.	Quarterfinal afternoon winners
8:00 p.m.	Quarterfinal evening winners


FINAL - Tuesday, March 5
7:30 p.m.	Championship game (ESPN2)