Keyboard Quarterbacks

By Karen Bailis

Everyone loves an underdog -- especially in March. But I take it a step farther. Being vertically challenged myself, I love the undersized. So when the smallest player on the court comes up huge, it must be noted in a big way. Or, at least, here.

Jazzmin Walters -- all 5-foot-2 of her -- made a monster three-pointer with 4.8 seconds left in overtime, the shot-clock running out and a defender in her face to give Old Dominion (5) an 88-85 win over in-state rival Virginia (4). ODU advanced to the Sweet 16 Tuesday night, for the first time since 2002.

"Once I got the ball, I just let it fly," Walters said of her third 3-pointer of the game. "That play wasn't set up for me to score, but it ended up that way."

The shot wasn't all the mighty mite point guard did for her Monarchs. She scored 17 points, dished 10 assists and committed just one turnover. The junior is averaging 7 points, 5 assists and 2 steals on the season.

Another Littles player had a big game in the contest: Virginia's Lyndra Littles tallied 29 points and took the final shots in an attempt to force a second overtime. Truth be told, Littles doesn't live down to her name; she's 6-foot-2.

"I thought Littles during the last five minutes of the game was phenomenal," Old Dominion coach Wendy Larry said. "She played with a different passion and energy. But this little engine that could was relentless, too," she added, meaning Walters.

Another little engine tried but couldn't get past Notre Dame. Oklahoma's point guard, Jenna Plumley, was the Sooners' second-leading scorer with 18 in a 75-79 OT loss. She also picked 3 steals and doled out 5 assists. Generously listed at 5-foot-4, Plumley had been averaging 7.5 points this season, down from double figures last year, her freshman season. Still, the plucky guard, one of few American Indians in the game, is a fan favorite.

Here's why, says 6-4 Courtney Paris, the owner of a 92-game streak of double-doubles:

"She's such a little thing, but she does all these big things."

Shannon Bobbitt of Tennessee is known to come up big in Tournament time. Coach Pat Summitt has said she wouldn't have won her seventh national championship without her 5-foot-2 point guard, a junior college transfer last year. The feisty, trash-talker from Manhattan came up a little, uh, short against Purdue, with only 5 points, 4 assists and 2 steals. But her team didn't need her in its 78-52 rout. In last year's championship run, she saved her best performances for the biggest games.