The 2003 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament began on March 22, 2003, and concluded on April 8, 2003, when the Connecticut Huskies (UConn) won their second straight national title. The Final Four was held at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia on April 6–8, 2003. UConn, coached by Geno Auriemma, defeated archrival Tennessee, coached by Pat Summitt, 73–68 in the championship game. UConn's Diana Taurasi was named Most Outstanding Player.
This was the first year of a new format, in which the final game is held on the Tuesday following the men's championship, in contrast to prior years, when it was held on Sunday evening, between the men's semi-final and final. The game now is the final game of the Division 1 collegiate basketball season.
Tournament records Rebounds – Connecticut recorded 22 rebounds in the Championship game against Tennessee, setting the record for fewest rebounds in an NCAA tournament Championship game. Free throws – Villanova attempted zero free throws in the Mideast Regional final game against Tennessee, one of only two times a team has attempted zero free throws in an NCAA Regional game Three-point field goals made – Diana Taurasi made 20 three-point field goals, tying the record for most three-point field goals in an NCAA tournament Free throws – Tennessee completed 128 free throws, setting the record for made free throws in an NCAA tournament
Qualifying teams – automatic Sixty-four teams were selected to participate in the 2003 NCAA Tournament. Thirty-one conferences were eligible for an automatic bid to the 2003 NCAA tournament.
Automatic bids Record Qualifying school Conference Regular Season Conference Seed Alabama State University SWAC 16 Austin Peay State University Ohio Valley Conference 14 Boston University America East 16 University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Southern Conference 12 Duke University ACC 1 The George Washington University Atlantic 10 7 Georgia State University Atlantic Sun Conference 16 University of Wisconsin–Green Bay Horizon League 8 Hampton University MEAC 15 Harvard University Ivy League 14 College of the Holy Cross Patriot League 13 Liberty University Big South Conference 13 Louisiana Tech University WAC 5 Louisiana State University SEC 1 Manhattan College MAAC 14 Missouri State University Missouri Valley Conference 15 University of New Mexico Mountain West 6 Old Dominion University Colonial 12 Pepperdine University West Coast Conference 12 Purdue University Big Ten 2 St. Francis (PA) Northeast Conference 15 Stanford University Pac-10 3 Texas Christian University Conference USA 9 University of Texas at Austin Big 12 2 Texas State University Southland 16 University of California, Santa Barbara Big West Conference 7 Valparaiso University Mid-Continent 15 Villanova University Big East 2 Weber State University Big Sky Conference 13 Western Kentucky University Sun Belt Conference 13 Western Michigan University MAC 14
Qualifying teams – at-large Thirty-three additional teams were selected to complete the sixty-four invitations.
At-large Bids Record Qualifying school Conference Regular season Conference Seed University of Arizona Pacific-10 6 University of Arkansas Southeastern 7 Boston College Big East 5 Brigham Young University Mountain West 11 University of North Carolina at Charlotte Conference USA 12 University of Cincinnati Conference USA 10 University of Colorado at Boulder Big 12 6 University of Connecticut Big East 1 DePaul University Conference USA 9 University of Georgia Southeastern 5 Georgia Institute of Technology Atlantic Coast 10 University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign Big Ten 9 Kansas State University Big 12 3 University of Miami Big East 11 Michigan State University Big Ten 8 University of Minnesota Big Ten 6 Mississippi State University Southeastern 3 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Atlantic Coast 3 University of Notre Dame Big East 11 Ohio State University Big Ten 4 University of Oklahoma Big 12 10 Pennsylvania State University Big Ten 4 Rutgers University Big East 4 University of South Carolina Southeastern 5 University of Tennessee Southeastern 1 Texas Tech University Big 12 2 Tulane University Conference USA 11 University of Utah Mountain West 8 Vanderbilt University Southeastern 4 University of Virginia Atlantic Coast 8 Virginia Tech Big East 7 University of Washington Pacific-10 9 Xavier University Atlantic 10 10
Bids by conference Thirty-one conferences earned an automatic bid. In twenty-two cases, the automatic bid was the only representative from the conference. Thirty-three additional at-large teams were selected from nine of the conferences.
Bids Conference Teams 7 Big East Villanova, Boston College, Connecticut, Miami Fla., Notre Dame, Rutgers, Virginia Tech 7 Southeastern LSU, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi St., South Carolina, Tennessee, Vanderbilt 6 Big Ten Purdue, Illinois, Michigan St., Minnesota, Ohio St., Penn St. 5 Big 12 Texas, Colorado, Kansas St., Oklahoma, Texas Tech 5 Conference USA TCU, Charlotte, Cincinnati, DePaul, Tulane 4 Atlantic Coast Duke, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Virginia 3 Mountain West New Mexico, BYU, Utah 3 Pacific-10 Stanford, Arizona, Washington 2 Atlantic 10 George Washington, Xavier 1 America East Boston U. 1 Atlantic Sun Georgia St. 1 Big Sky Weber St. 1 Big South Liberty 1 Big West UC Santa Barb. 1 Colonial Old Dominion 1 Horizon Green Bay 1 Ivy Harvard 1 Metro Atlantic Manhattan 1 Mid-American Western Mich. 1 Mid-Continent Valparaiso 1 Mid-Eastern Hampton 1 Missouri Valley Missouri St. 1 Northeast St. Francis Pa. 1 Ohio Valley Austin Peay 1 Patriot Holy Cross 1 Southern Chattanooga 1 Southland Texas St. 1 Southwestern Alabama St. 1 Sun Belt Western Ky. 1 West Coast Pepperdine 1 Western Athletic Louisiana Tech
2003 NCAA tournament schedule and venues
In 2003, the field remained at 64 teams. The teams were seeded, and assigned to four geographic regions, with seeds 1–16 in each region. In Round 1, seeds 1 and 16 faced each other, as well as seeds 2 and 15, seeds 3 and 14, seeds 4 and 13, seeds 5 and 12, seeds 6 and 11, seeds 7 and 10, and seeds 8 and 9. In 2003, a change was implemented in the way first and second round sites were determined. From 1982 (the year of the first NCAA women's basketball tournament) through 2002, the first rounds sites were offered to the top seeds. Starting in 2003, sixteen sites for the first two rounds were determined approximately a year before the team selections and seedings were completed.
First and Second rounds
The following lists the region, host school, venue and the sixteen first and second round locations: March 22 and 24 East Region Mackey Arena, West Lafayette, Indiana (Host: Purdue University) Ted Constant Convocation Center, Norfolk, Virginia (Host: Old Dominion University) Mideast Region Thompson–Boling Arena, Knoxville, Tennessee (Host: University of Tennessee) CU Events Center, Boulder, Colorado (Host: University of Colorado Boulder) Midwest Region Stegeman Coliseum, Athens, Georgia (Host: University of Georgia) The Pit, Albuquerque, New Mexico (Host: University of New Mexico) West Region McArthur Court, Eugene, Oregon (Host: University of Oregon) Maples Pavilion, Stanford, California (Host: Stanford University) March 23 and 25 East Region Harry A. Gampel Pavilion, Storrs, Connecticut (Host: University of Connecticut) Bramlage Coliseum, Manhattan, Kansas (Host: Kansas State University) Mideast Region Lloyd Noble Center, Norman, Oklahoma (Host: University of Oklahoma) Bryce Jordan Center, State College, Pennsylvania (Host: Pennsylvania State University) Midwest Region Reynolds Coliseum, Raleigh, North Carolina (Host: North Carolina State University) United Spirit Arena, Lubbock, Texas (Host: Texas Tech University) West Region Shoemaker Center, Cincinnati, Ohio (Host: University of Cincinnati) Thomas Assembly Center, Ruston, Louisiana (Host: Louisiana Tech University)
Regional semifinals and finals
The Regionals, named for the general location, were held from March 29 to April 1 at these sites: March 29 and 31 Mideast Regional, Thompson–Boling Arena, Knoxville, Tennessee (Host: University of Tennessee) Midwest Regional, The Pit, Albuquerque, New Mexico (Host: University of New Mexico) March 30 and April 1 East Regional, University of Dayton Arena, Dayton, Ohio (Host: University of Dayton) West Regional, Maples Pavilion, Stanford, California (Host: Stanford University)
Each regional winner advanced to the Final Four held April 6 and April 8 in Atlanta, Georgia at the Georgia Dome, (Host: Georgia Institute of Technology)
Bids by state The sixty-four teams came from thirty-two states, plus Washington, D.C. Virginia had the most teams with five bids. Eighteen states did not have any teams receiving bids.
Bids State Teams 5 Virginia Hampton, Liberty, Old Dominion, Virginia, Virginia Tech 4 Massachusetts Boston U., Harvard, Holy Cross, Boston College 4 Tennessee Austin Peay, Chattanooga, Tennessee, Vanderbilt 4 Texas TCU, Texas, Texas St., Texas Tech 3 California Pepperdine, Stanford, UC Santa Barb. 3 Georgia Georgia St., Georgia, Georgia Tech 3 Indiana Purdue, Valparaiso, Notre Dame 3 Louisiana Louisiana Tech, LSU, Tulane 3 North Carolina Duke, Charlotte, North Carolina 3 Ohio Cincinnati, Ohio St., Xavier 3 Utah Weber St., BYU, Utah 2 Illinois DePaul, Illinois 2 Michigan Western Mich., Michigan St. 2 New York Manhattan, St. Francis Pa. 2 Pennsylvania Villanova, Penn St. 1 Alabama Alabama St. 1 Arizona Arizona 1 Arkansas Arkansas 1 Colorado Colorado 1 Connecticut Connecticut 1 District of Columbia George Washington 1 Florida Miami Fla. 1 Kansas Kansas St. 1 Kentucky Western Ky. 1 Minnesota Minnesota 1 Mississippi Mississippi St. 1 Missouri Missouri St. 1 New Jersey Rutgers 1 New Mexico New Mexico 1 Oklahoma Oklahoma 1 South Carolina South Carolina 1 Washington Washington 1 Wisconsin Green Bay
Brackets Data Source
Mideast Region – Knoxville, Tennessee
Midwest Region – Albuquerque, New Mexico
East Region – Dayton, Ohio
West Region – Stanford, California
Final Four – Atlanta, Georgia
E-East; ME-Mideast; MW-Midwest; W-West.
Record by conference
Conference# of BidsRecordWin %Round of 32Sweet SixteenElite EightFinal FourChampionship Game Big East L 15–6 .714 L L 2 1 1 Southeastern 7 14–7 .667 7 3 2 1 1 Big Ten 6 8–6 .571 4 3 1 0 0 Big 12 5 10–5 .667 4 3 2 1 0 Conference USA 5 1–5 .167 1 0 0 0 0 Atlantic Coast 4 6–4 .600 3 1 1 1 0 Mountain West 3 3–3 .500 2 1 0 0 0 Pacific-10 3 1–3 .250 1 0 0 0 0 Atlantic 10 2 1–2 .333 1 0 0 0 0 Western Athletic 1 2–1 .667 1 1 0 0 0 Big West 1 1–1 .500 1 0 0 0 0 Horizon 1 1–1 .500 1 0 0 0 0
Nineteen conferences went 0–1: America East, Atlantic Sun Conference, Big Sky Conference, Big South Conference, Colonial, Ivy League, MAAC, MAC, Mid-Continent, MEAC, Missouri Valley Conference, Northeast Conference, Ohio Valley Conference, Patriot League, Southern Conference, Southland, SWAC, Sun Belt Conference, and West Coast Conference
All-Tournament team Diana Taurasi, Connecticut Ann Strother, Connecticut Alana Beard, Duke Gwen Jackson, Tennessee Kara Lawson, Tennessee
Game officials Scott Yarbrough (semifinal) Joe Cunningham (semifinal) June Courteau (semifinal) Sally Bell (semifinal) Dee Kantner (semifinal) Eric Larson (semifinal) Wesley Dean (final) Melissa Barlow (final) Lisa Mattingly (final)
See also NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship 2003 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament 2003 NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament
Notes