Michael Conroy/AP Photo

Tennessee forward Candace Parker, left, blocks the shot of Purdue forward Keshia Mosley in the first half of a second-round women's NCAA basketball tournament game in West Lafayette, Ind., Tuesday, March 25, 2008.

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Cinderella isn't coming to this ball.

The Midwest Regional is playing out pretty much according to seeding so far. For top-seed Tennessee, the NCAA women's basketball tournament gathering in Oklahoma City this weekend scarcely resembles last season's Dayton (Ohio) Regional.

A year ago, the Lady Vols were grasping the underdog spirit of a No. 13 seed, Marist.

This season they are bracing for something more tangible, namely the guard play and senior leadership of No. 5 seed Notre Dame.

The Lady Vols (32-2) and Fighting Irish (25-8) play at approximately 9:30 p.m. Sunday (TV: ESPN2). The game will follow No. 2 seed Texas A&M versus No. 3 Duke at 7.

The winners meet Tuesday night for a trip to the Women's Final Four in Tampa, Fla.

"You have really what I'd call some athletic teams,'' UT coach Pat Summitt said. "A lot tougher matchups than what we faced in the regional last year. It's going to be physically challenging."

Despite the difference, UT's preparations shouldn't be drastically different. The Lady Vols' primary objective remains playing up to their potential. They've reached this point on a familiar bridgehead.

After a slow start in the opener against Oral Roberts, the Lady Vols built some solid defensive momentum in Tuesday's 78-52 second-round victory over Purdue. They gathered 15 steals, held the Boilermakers without a basket for a stretch of eight minutes, 10 seconds in the first half and scored nearly one-third of their points (25) off Purdue turnovers.

"I liked our defensive intensity, in particular what we did to disrupt and create a lot of opportunities,'' Summitt said.

If they weren't taking the basketball away from the Boilermakers, the Lady Vols were retrieving it off the backboard. UT controlled both the offensive and defensive boards in building a 41-28 rebounding advantage.

Add a 45-22 domination of Oral Roberts and UT was plus-18 on average for the first two tournament games. Four players - Nicky Anosike, Candace Parker, Alexis Hornbuckle and Vicki Baugh - are averaging five or more rebounds per game.

"We know from last year that once you enter into tournament play there are really two things that are going to get you a ways down the road,'' Anosike said. Number one, defense. Number two, rebounding. Then everything else will fall into place."

If so, there's more order to be achieved. Summitt said Wednesday that she's considering another change in the starting lineup. Senior Alberta Auguste replaced freshman Angie Bjorklund for the tournament's start based on Auguste's energetic play in the SEC tournament.

One of the conditions of the switch was Auguste minimizing her turnovers. Against Purdue. she committed five with at least two easily avoidable. She dribbled the ball off Anosike's heel and later ran with the ball after catching a lead pass in the open court.

Another change might raise an eyebrow or two. After Tuesday's victory, Anosike volunteered this observation: "I like the starting lineup we've had the past two games, a lot more mature style."

In another personnel matter, the role of top reserve Alex Fuller continues to fluctuate. After playing 20 minutes against Oral Roberts, she logged only three against Purdue. Freshman Baugh, who scored a career-high 12 points but also fouled out after 12 playing minutes, moved up in the player rotation.

"She hasn't gotten to practice much at all,'' said Summitt of Fuller, who missed time last week to rest her knees. "The pace of the game dictated going with Vicki."

Summitt described Fuller's situation as "Catch-22" in nature. That said, her 3-point shooting potential remains a useful asset.

"I think you look for when the game is such that you can get her on the floor,'' Summitt said.

Notebook: Parker returned home with her family after Tuesday's game to attend the funeral of her grandmother.

Summitt said Parker would fly back to Knoxville from Chicago Thursday night. . . . Parker is one of 12 finalists for the State Farm Wade Trophy, an award she received last season.

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.