March 16, 2002

By CHUCK SCHOFFNER
AP Sports Writer

Only half the first round is complete, and already the NCAA women's basketball tournament has an unusual look.

Louisiana Tech is gone.

UC Santa Barbara, a No. 12 seed, sent Louisiana Tech to its earliest exit in 10 years, beating the fifth-seeded Lady Techsters 57-56 Friday night in an East Regional game at Austin, Texas. The Gauchos won it on Jess Hansen's leaning 16-foot shot with 1.1 seconds left.

It was a startling loss for a program that has 10 Final Four appearances and two national championships, and has played in all 20 NCAA tournaments. Only two other times, in 1991 and 1992, has Tech lost in the first round.

"Whoever put them as a 12 seed didn't do their homework," Tech coach Leon Barmore said. "They were the toughest opening-round opponent we've ever had. Even if we would have played this game at home, this would have been our toughest draw."

There was one other upset Friday night as the tournament got under way with 16 games, 12th-seeded Mississippi State knocking off fifth-seeded Boston College 65-59 in the West Regional at Lubbock, Texas.

Duke, the only No. 1 seed playing on opening night, cruised to a 95-48 victory over Norfolk State, Tennessee won easily and defending national champion Notre Dame got by stubborn New Mexico but now has to play Tennessee.

The first round will be completed Saturday.

No. 1-ranked Connecticut, an overwhelming favorite to win the national championship, opens against St. Francis in a Mideast Regional game in Storrs, Conn. Vanderbilt, No. 1 in the Midwest, plays Oakland and Oklahoma, the top seed in the West, meets Hartford.