Baylor-Pittsburgh Preview

3/24/2008 3:08 PM

By DAN PIERINGER
STATS Writer

Baylor is young and short-handed. Thanks to the team's lone senior, however, the Bears are also confident as ever.

After helping end Baylor's longest losing streak in more than seven years with a strong performance in the opening round of the NCAA tournament, senior guard Angela Tisdale hopes to lead the third-seeded Bears to their fourth regional semifinals appearance in five years as they meet sixth-seeded Pittsburgh in the second round on Monday.

Baylor (25-6) limped into the tournament with three straight losses - its first three-game skid since the 2000-01 season. The Bears' struggles were largely due to inexperience and a lack of healthy bodies. They have just one senior on the roster and haven't played more than seven players in any game since beating Oklahoma on Feb. 17.

That one senior, however, made a big difference on Saturday, when Tisdale had 26 points and six assists in Baylor's 88-67 first-round victory over Fresno State.

"She's the key to our offense," junior forward Rachel Allison said of Tisdale, averaging 24.4 points in her last five games.

Allison added 21 points in Saturday's win, but gave credit to Tisdale for getting her teammates open.

"She can shoot the 3s and they have to get out and guard her, but she is quick off the bounce too, so they have to stay down," Allison said. "She's got both options available to her and when she does get to the paint, it opens up everybody else."

The Bears are hoping Tisdale can continue to spark their offense as they try to make it back to the round of 16 after a one-year absence. They were eliminated in the second round last season after three straight appearances in the regional semifinals, including during their national championship run in 2005.

Baylor is 13-5 all-time in the tournament - a record that has helped restore confidence in the Bears despite their struggles at the end of the regular season.

"That's half of it," Tisdale said of the team's confidence in postseason play. "The other half is scouting reports and our players making plays."

Pittsburgh (23-10) made just enough plays in its first-round game to beat Wyoming 63-58. The contest featured 12 ties and 10 lead changes, but senior guard Mallorie Winn helped put away the game by connecting on a 3-pointer with 2:27 remaining. It was the first 3-pointer in five attempts for Winn, a 34.4 percent shooter from behind the arc.

"They always say if you're a shooter you keep putting it up," said Winn, who finished with seven points.

That's a trait Pitt coach Agnus Berenato admires.

"Mallorie really has a lot of confidence, and the team has a lot of confidence in her," Berenato said. "She could miss 10 in a row and I guarantee you that if she's open, she's still going to shoot the next one."

While Winn's shot may have been the most important for the Panthers, Shavonte Zellous kept them close with 21 points and five rebounds. Zellous, the team's leading scorer with 18.0 points per contest, had averaged just 11.0 in her previous five games this month.

Zellous hopes to keep the Panthers perfect against the Bears as they seek their first regional semifinals appearance. Pittsburgh won its only previous meeting with Baylor 101-81 on Feb. 27, 1981.