Michigan State University

So you wanted to see those plucky Gonzaga kids hustle, scramble and scrap their way into the Final Four? Blame Michigan State. Or maybe you were pulling for John Chaney, who coached his 11th-seeded Temple Owls to within one victory of the first Final Four of his legendary career. Same culprit. "Gonzaga is America's team, and John Chaney is America's coach," Michigan State Coach Tom Izzo said Friday.

* How they got there: Defeated Alabama State, 69-35, and Fresno State, 81-65, in the first two rounds of the South Regional at Memphis, Tenn.; defeated Gonzaga, 77-62, in the regional semifinals and Temple, 69-62, in regional final at Atlanta. * Leading tournament scorers: Andre Hutson 14.3 points a game; Charlie Bell, 13.8; Jason Richardson 11.5; Zach Randolph 9.0. * Leading tournament rebounders: Hutson 9.8; David Thomas 7.0; Randolph 6.8.

For nearly two years, Baylor basketball has been known more for the shooting death of men's player Patrick Dennehy -- allegedly by a teammate -- than success on the court. And the good citizens of Waco, Texas, have been desperate for something else to talk about. On Tuesday night, the Baylor women's team gave Waco, and the rest of the country, a refreshingly different subject to discuss. A national championship.

Looking for a "team of destiny" in this 2005 women's NCAA tournament? There still are two choices. Both Michigan State (33-3) and Baylor (32-3) are playing tonight in their first title games. Neither team has lost since January, the Bears having won 19 in a row, the Spartans 17. Both have green as the dominant color in their uniforms. And they are teams that, until their current coaches arrived five years ago, were never part of the national picture in women's basketball.

When a little known Maine team, then coached by Joanne P. McCallie, upset Stanford in the 1999 NCAA women's basketball tournament, Cardinal faithful considered it an unplanned misstep. The win on Tuesday by McCallie's new team, Michigan State, had a deeper impact.

For a single-elimination event, the NCAA tournament sure offers a multitude of chances. Sunday's Austin Regional final kept producing numerous opportunities for Michigan State or Kentucky to grab the last Final Four berth. And finally, after a long afternoon of mistakes and redemption, enough time for goats to become heroes and then afterthoughts, and the plot to change course several times, Michigan State managed to leave the Frank Erwin Center with a 94-88 victory in double overtime.

* How they match up: Just because Michigan State was lulled to sleep by turn-back-the-clock Wisconsin in the semifinals, don't think the Spartans can't get revved up for life-in-the-fast-lane Florida. Michigan State can wing it in transition and defend on the wings, where Florida's Teddy Dupay and Mike Miller took a break from what had been a spring fling by missing all 12 of their three-point shots in the semifinals.

After a pell-mell performance that left you gasping merely to watch it, Florida is in the NCAA championship game for the first time after a 71-59 victory over North Carolina in front of 43,116 Saturday at the RCA Dome. Swarms of Florida players sometimes made it seem as if there were 10 of them on the floor at once. At least it must have felt that way to the Tar Heels: Florida's bench outscored North Carolina's, 37-2.