Utes not looking past upset-minded MTSU Blue Raiders

TUCSON, Ariz. — Playing at the McKale Center, the Utah women's basketball team is hoping to find the same magic the Utah men's team found exactly a year ago in the NCAA Tournament in the same arena.

Last year, the Utah men beat UTEP in a first-round game at McKale, then upset Oklahoma in the second round to advance to the Sweet 16 in Austin.

The Ute women play their first-round NCAA game today at 11 a.m. at the McKale Center against Middle Tennessee State. With a win, the Utes advance to a Monday night game against the winner of the Arizona State-Stephen F. Austin game.

The Ute women, led by seniors Kim Smith and Shona Thorburn, would love to get to next week's Sweet 16 in Albuquerque, but first things first.

Today it's Middle Tennessee, a team that won upsets the past two years against North Carolina and North

Carolina State, with a similar seed as this year. The Utes aren't looking ahead to Monday night.

"We're not known to overlook anyone," said Utah coach Elaine Elliott. "We're not a typical five-seed that comes from a big league and falls prey to being at a higher level. We understand that everyone is a good team. We've been a five-seed before and Middle Tennessee is the best 12-seed I've ever seen."

The Blue Raiders come into the game with a 20-10 record as champions of the Sun Belt Conference. They are led by junior guard Chrissy Givens, who averages 21.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game.

Thorburn, who is coming off a triple-double in her last game against BYU in the MWC championship game, would seem to be the logical choice to cover Givens, but Heidi Carlsen may get the assignment. Carlsen started on BYU's Ambrosia Anderson and helped hold her to 11 points, 10 below her average.

Rick Insell is in his first year as Middle Tennessee coach and says his team is excited to play the Utes. He's wary of Utah's seniors, Thorburn, Smith and Julie Larsen, who combined for 53 points in Utah's MWC title game win over BYU.

"Their three seniors are hungry, and they've been here before," he said. "They do a good job off the ball."

"We have to come down and push the ball and be aggressive," added Givens. "They play a lot of international ball, and they play a lot of pressure defense."