TAMPA, Fla. -- Candace Parker and Candice Wiggins made memorable first impressions on each other when they met on a basketball court as kids. Both hope the final snapshot from their stellar college careers will include a national championship.

"We were in a 13-year-and-under AAU tournament in Florida, actually. She was like 6-foot-2 at 12," Wiggins said. "I remember being just like, wow, because she was different then. There's nobody in the game like her. I think she's carrying all the pressure and all of that really well and I really respect her for that."

The feeling is mutual. Parker led Tennessee to its seventh national title a year ago and will try to help the Lady Vols become the first repeat champs since Connecticut won three straight from 2002-04, when they meet Stanford tonight for the championship.

"I remember watching her play when we were in eighth grade and we were watching the championship national game," Parker said. "She was a ball of energy, always moving. I think she's a great leader for her team and she really inspires by her play."

The Lady Vols (35-2), who beat LSU on Sunday night on Alexis Hornbuckle's putback with seven-tenths of a second remaining and the Cardinal (35-3), who shocked UConn 82-73 in the other semifinal, are not strangers. The teams met Dec. 22 at Stanford, with the Cardinal winning 73-69 in overtime.