Southwest Missouri State likes to be called SMS as in "Scoring Machine Stiles."
Jackie Stiles has scored more points than any woman in NCAA Div. I history. After her 41-point performance in the Lady Bears' upset of top-seeded Duke Saturday night, she has her team one victory away from the Final Four.
Standing in the way is the tournament's biggest surprise, Washington. The sixth-seeded Huskies, who shocked No. 2 seed Oklahoma 84-67 Saturday night, play fifth-seeded Southwest Missouri State in the West final tonight.
In the stacked-deck format of the NCAA women's tournament, these two survivors defied the odds.
They are the only two of the eight teams still alive that did not play their first two tournament games at home. The Lady Bears from Springfield, Mo., beat fourth-seeded Rutgers in Piscataway, sixth-seeded Washington knocked off No. 3 seed Florida in Gainesville.
"They're a lot like us in that they had to fight to get where they are right now," SMS point guard Melody Campbell said of the Huskies. "It's going to be a great ball game."
Featuring a great player.
In constant motion, with a dizzying array of fadeaway jumpers, spin moves, high-arching three-pointers and bold drives to the hoop, the 5-foot-8 Stiles has shown that no matter the level of competition, she can't be stopped.
Her 41 in the 81-71 victory over Duke was the fourth-most ever in NCAA women's tournament play.
"Something makes that motor run in there that she is just an unbelievable competitor," Washington coach June Daugherty said. "She takes that team and definitely puts it on her back and is skilled enough to put up unbelievable numbers. I don't know that I've seen anyone who scores like that Sheryl Swoopes come to mind."
The Huskies (22-9) play a tough zone defense that held Oklahoma to 35 percent shooting. But with Stiles, and several other sharpshooters, the Lady Bears (28-5) looked forward to facing a zone.
"I hope my shot is going to be there," said Tara Mitchem, who scored 40 in Southwest Missouri State's first-round victory over Toledo. "I know Carly (Deer) will step up. Erica Vicente is a great outside shooter. Melody is a shooter, and Jackie is just incredible. So we're excited that they're playing a zone."
It's as difficult to persuade Stiles to talk about herself as it is to stop her on the court.
"I can't really look at it from an individual standpoint, because I wouldn't score points if it wasn't for my teammates and my coaches giving me opportunities by calling plays," Stiles said. "I just love my teammates, love my coaches and love my community. I have so much pride. I just want to do whatever it takes to help this team win."
Washington will throw players at the Lady Bears in waves.
"Everybody contributes, not only in the starting lineup but also off the bench," Daugherty said. "We've had the opportunity to wear people down this year. That's something that's been tough for other people to match up with. We'll go 12 deep if we have to. We'll play everybody."
And most of them can shoot from long-range.
"The number of 3-point shots that they take and have taken for the season (690) is absolutely incredible," Lady Bears coach Cheryl Burnett said.
Washington was 8-for-24 from three-point range against Oklahoma. Andrea Lalum, a 6-4 freshman, was 3-for-4. Megan Franza missed her first five, then made three of four, including two in a row that ignited the late rally that buried the Sooners.
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