Since everyone loves the pictures so much, I have more for you from today's press conferences.

I'M FREE!

Coke is here and I can live again. Yes, the world is good.

Like most people, I need caffeine to get my day going. Even when the day doesn't start until 1 p.m., it's still a need of mine. Maybe even a craving.

Getting to the coliseum for today's press sessions with UConn and Rutgers I find there is no coke, diet coke, etc. Have some coffee? I hate it. I like the cold, carbonated stuff.

The lady overseeing the snack table told me that one of the tournament's sponsors, Coke, decided that its supply for Saturday and Sunday was more than enough.

Hey, NCAA, maybe you should rethink your sponsors.

Who would have thunk it? All season long, the talk was whether UConn could avenge its loss to Rutgers in last season's Big East Tournament finals. Then in February, the Scarlet Knights dealt the Huskies their only defeat of the season. Sure, the Huskies avenged the defeat to close out the regular season, but everyone waited to see what would happen in the conference tournament.

But something funny happened on the way to Hartford. Rutgers lost to Louisville, ending any hope and hype of a rematch.

Just when both sides thought they were clear of each other, the NCAA selection committee played a cruel joke on both teams by placing them as teams 1 and 2 in the Greensboro region. Now that each team has won three games, they are set to meet again Tuesday with the winner advancing to the Final Four.

For everything these squads have gone tbrough this year, it's only fitting that they need to go through each other to make it to Tampa next weekend.

Who wants more photos? That's what I thought, so here you go...

Tina Charles just fell to the ground holding her left shoulder. She is in pain and has now left the game.

It might have been the best -- and most important -- four and half minutes of her career. The lift Brittany Hunter gave the Huskies in the opening moments of the second half with a 6-0 run to open up the game cannot be understated.

Also, Maya Moore needs two more points to set the new single-season Big East freshman scoring record.

Just a tad under five minutes to play and the Huskies are in a battle with the Lady Monarchs. It hasn't helped that both Tina Charles and Renee Montgomery haven't looked good.

I've been impressed with ODU's Tiffany Green. She's displayed some nice moves in the paint keeping UConn defenders off balance.

Since the last post, Charde Houston entered the game and the Huskies have opened up the game to a nine-point advantage. It's a 9-3 UConn run since Houston subbed in.

At the first time out, the Huskies are clinging to a one-point lead, 8-7, over the Lady Monarchs. Tina Charles entered the game moments ago, and with that in mind, Charles, Maya Moore and Renee Montgomery are 0-for-2 from the floor. UConn's approach right now is to get baskets in transition or to pound the ball inside with Brittany Hunter or Kaili McLaren. Both of have been active on the boards, but it hasn't proven a difference maker just yet, as ODU looks like a confident team that isn't affraid of the big, bad Huskies.

Tip-off is just minutes away at the Greensboro Coliseum. The crowd is sparse, maybe a couple thousand. And in what may be a surprise, the crowd -- based on noise level -- is pro Old Dominion. It doesn't hurt that the Rutgers fans are also cheering on the Lady Monarchs.

For those who have wondered who will start at center, Tina Charles or Brittany Hunter. It's official: Brittany gets the nod for the third consecutive game. After all, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Husky fans rejoice! Lorin Dixon may actually play tomorrow. She's needed to get her academics in order before Geno Auriemma would let her suit up.

He said this of the freshman who turned 19 today:
“Today is her birthday, so she’s a year older, she’s much wiser than she was yesterday, has a lot more experience, sees things a lot clearer, so she’s grown up a lot in the last 24 hours,” he said. “So I’m inclined to give her an opportunity this coming weekend. How much of the piece of cake she gets though remains to be seen.”

As for Dixon, she feels she let her teammates down.

“It’s just something I had to go through,” Dixon said. “It’s just something I hadn’t learned in previous years that I needed to go through before moving on to any other thing in college. The fact that it happened now, I’m glad that it happened sooner rather than later. I wish it never happened at all.”

Fill in the blank.

Rutgers coach C. Vivian Stringer is _________

Here are some more pics from today: We have a glimpse of Rutgers' practice today, Scarlet Knights Heather Zurich and Essence Carson, part of the 18 fans watching Rutgers practice and Matee Ajavon, Essence Carson and Kia Vaughn at the team's press conference.

Here are some pictures from rainy and cold Greensboro

We have the scoreboard that in the media work room. It shows us how much time is left in a team's practice session. Next are three of Old Dominion's players speaking to the press about tomorrow's game, and finally one of several framed sections of the wall signed by visitors of the coliseum. This segment includes Stevie Nicks, Coach K, Brett Michaels of Poison and Little Steven.

For all you Husky fans in Greensboro, there is an official UConn fan headquarters:
Natty Green's Pub and Brewery
345 S. Elm St.
336-274-1373

And in case you were wondering, Rutgers' official fan headquarters is the bar next door to Natty Green's. It's called Grey's Tavern.

Tuesday's game was exactly what I expected from Texas. Its post players couldn't finish -- even on layups -- and Maya Moore, Renee Montgomery and Ketia Swanier were so suffocating on defense that the Longhorns just ran out of options. All night, Texas kept trying to force plays against UConn, and when that fails and the Huskies score on the other end, that's what you get -- a 44 point loss.

Moore was simply amazing. It wasn't her best game, but it was the game she controlled the most, which is the next step in her evolution. When she begins doing this nightly -- not just every other night, she will win every major award in the country and the Huskies will be viewed as favorites hands down until she graduates.

Talk about making a statement! The Huskies are on a 21-6 run to start the second half, slamming the door on the Longhorns. UConn leads 69-36 with 10:07 left in the game.

Maya, Maya, Maya...she's got 14 points to 13 for Texas. It's that kind fo night as UConn already has a 16-point lead and the arena is rocking.

Tina Charles, showing some determination, got the ball on the lower right block, faked her defender into the air by going left and went right for the layup and the foul. After missing the free throw, UConn has a 29-13 lead with 11:35 to play in the half.