Final problems

Candace Parker is a can- do-anything 6-4 red shirt freshman for Tennessee. So multidimensional is she that the Volunteers' roster in the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight game notes lists her as a F-C-G -- forward-center-guard.

Ivory Latta is -- supposedly -- a 5-6 point guard for North Carolina, the driving force behind the Tar Heels' frantic transition game and trapping defense.

Although completely different, the two women's basketball players are fantastically talented and perfect examples of the size and quickness that are the strong suits of Tennessee and North Carolina.

The question is: Which of the two is harder to defend?

Tennessee coach Pat Summitt, the NCAA's all-time winningest coach, thought for a minute and then smiled.

"I think the ideal would be to have two players like that on your team," she said. "Wouldn't that be fun?"

Well, yes. The problem is one plays for Tennessee and one plays for North Carolina. Whichever team solves that tricky matchup likely will win tonight's NCAA Tournament regional final at The Q and advance to the Final Four on Sunday in Boston.

"I think quickness in the open floor is a big, big challenge for us," Summitt said, referring to Latta, who probably will be guarded by 6-4 Nicky Anosike to start the game. "Latta's a tough player to defend because of her explosiveness. She's constantly on the move, does a great job of pushing tempo. We just have to play the best defense that we can.

"We understand that we have to take control of the basketball so that we're not on our heels all the time," Summitt said.

"I like the opportunity for us to set our defense in the half court instead of being in a chase scene all day. . . . I'm not opposed to us running the basketball. We've been pushing the tempo. We're not going to change that. You can run at people or run with them. I'd much prefer to run at them."

Said North Carolina coach Sylvia Hatchell, who probably will start with Camille Little on Parker: "Candace taking that ball inside, she's tough, now, especially if you let her go to the right. . . . Candace Parker is a great player, but she's not the entire Tennessee team. They've got a lot of great players on their team. A lot of what they do goes through her. But they have a lot of talent on that team.

"You've just got to have a good game plan against them, give them some different looks. We've got several players who take pride in their defense. We'll see how the game starts and see as far as different players guarding her and giving her some different looks. Our overall game plan will be for the Tennessee team and not just Candace Parker."

While the coaches were diplomatic, former Connecticut star Rebecca Lobo did not hesitate when asked which matchup she thought would be tougher.

"You can get a 6-5 guy to come into practice and simulate Candace and what she can do," said Lobo, who is working the game for ESPN. "It would be very difficult to get a 5-foot-nothing guy to simulate what Ivory can do. They're both phenomenal players, but I don't know how you'd simulate what Ivory can do."

Latta refused to take the bait and giggled when asked whether she or Parker presented the tougher defensive assignment.

Parker said the game would be bigger than either player.

"I don't think it's for me to judge," she said. "We're both tough matchups, but it's not about Ivory or me. It's about our teams and who has the tougher team matchup. Who's going to have the one-two punch? Who's going to have the third scoring threat? I think that's going to be key.

"Who's going to make stops? Who's going to make runs? That's going to be the key. I don't think it will be in any one player's hands."

Four things I think about ....

1. Tennessee has a number of shot blockers guarding the hoop and will need to protect the paint. In the semifinal vs. Purdue, North Caro lina scored 50 of its 70 points in the paint, thanks to 6-1 Erlana Larkins, 6-2 Camille Little and 6-3 LaToya Pringle. The top priority for Tennessee should be keeping Larkins off the block and off the boards.

2. Guard pressure will be important. The Tar Heels didn't apply enough pressure to exploit Purdue's weaknesses on the perimeter. They have another opportunity with Tennessee, which is searching for ball handlers. On the flip side, Tennessee would be wise to keep Ivory Latta from middle penetration. They could sag off and hope that she has a repeat of her 0-for-4 3-point performance, but that's a gamble. She is a 42 percent shooter from long range and has hit 81 3s this year.

3. If Shanna Zolman can keep up her hot shooting and put up numbers like she did against Rutgers (10-of-14 field goals, five 3s, 29 points), then Tennessee is in business. If her numbers are down, Tennessee must have offensive production from Sidney Spencer.

4. The stars must be stars. Latta and Larkins (UNC) vs. Candace Parker and Zolman (UT). If one of the stars doesn't show up, her team will be heading home to prepare for next season.