NCAA WOMEN’S FINAL FOUR Sunday at New Orleans Arena A FIRST LOOK

TENNESSEE vs. LOUISIANA STATE

Time: 4 p.m. PDT. TV: ESPN.

Story line: This will be a typical Southeastern Conference contest -- intensified. Louisiana State is making its first Final Four appearance and does so in its home state. But don’t expect Tennessee to be intimidated. The Lady Vols are in their 15th Final Four and have won six NCAA titles. Tennessee has a 31-7 all-time record against the Tigers, including this season’s 82-65 victory. Last year LSU knocked off Tennessee in the SEC tournament championship game.

How they advanced: Midwest Regional champion Tennessee is the only top-seeded team to reach the Final Four. The Lady Vols cruised past Colgate and DePaul but needed a questionable foul call with two-tenths of a second to play to beat Baylor, and a last-second shot by Tasha Butts to subdue Stanford. West Regional champion LSU had easy victories over Austin Peay, Maryland and top-seeded Texas, then outlasted Georgia in the regional final.

Common opponents: Besides their conference schedules, both teams beat Rutgers.

Style of play: Turn off the 30-second clock; both teams average in the 70s. Seimone Augustus, LSU’s sensational sophomore guard, leads the tournament in scoring (26.3) and gets plenty of support from fellow guards Doneeka Hodges and Temeka Johnson. Tennessee was supposedly vulnerable without injured point guard Loree Moore, but Shyra Ely (15.0) and Butts (10.4) have more than picked up the slack.

X factors: Can LSU overcome any feelings of inferiority against Tennessee with, essentially, a home crowd behind the Tigers? And did the Lady Vols use up all their luck in those close wins over Baylor and Stanford?

What to expect: The Tigers will come out emotionally high, especially if Coach Sue Gunther -- who has missed parts of the season because of a bronchial infection -- can join them on the bench. The Lady Vols must weather that emotion early, be close at halftime, and expect LSU to remember in the second half that it shouldn’t beat Tennessee.

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CONNECTICUT vs. MINNESOTA

Time: 6:30 p.m. PDT. TV: ESPN.

Story line: Minnesota isn’t an average Cinderella team. The Golden Gophers won their first 15 games and were ranked in the top 10 before a few things went wrong, none worse than floor leader Lindsey Whalen sitting out for five weeks because of a broken hand. Since her return, Minnesota has been unstoppable. Connecticut is the two-time defending champion, with the best big-game player in Diana Taurasi.

How they advanced: Mideast Regional champion Minnesota, seeded seventh, held off a stubborn UCLA squad in its first-round game, then proceeded to knock out second-seeded Kansas State, third-seeded Boston College, and top-seeded Duke. East Regional champion Connecticut had no trouble blowing past Pennsylvania, Auburn, UC Santa Barbara and top-seeded Penn State.

Common opponents: Both teams beat USC.

Style of play: Minnesota doesn’t look that comfortable in the running game, but the Gophers have a solid inside-outside attack with Whalen and center Janel McCarville, who is having a huge tournament. The Huskies can play any style but excel in the half-court game because they are the nation’s best passing team. And, as Connecticut Coach Geno Auriemma says, “We have Diana and you don’t.”

X factors: Connecticut’s problems (and losses) this season have been against athletic, physical teams. The Gophers are not an athletic team as Duke is, but they are as physical as anyone. And they are incredibly confident right now.

What to expect: A closer game than people think. The Huskies are within range of equaling Tennessee’s record of three consecutive titles. But they are also out of their comfort zone, having played their other tournament games in their home state. The Gophers are the lowest-seeded team to reach the Final Four since ninth-seeded Arkansas in 1998. But they are afraid of no team and have nothing to lose.

--Mike Terry

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME, TUESDAY, 5:30 P.M. PDT, ESPN