JuJu Watkins and the University of Southern California have ascended to a No. 1 seed in the women’s NCAA Tournament in the latest forecast of top-tier teams. If the tournament were to start now, the Trojans would be in esteemed company, sharing the top seed spot with UCLA, Texas, and Notre Dame. This announcement comes from the NCAA selection committee, which conducted its second review of the teams poised for the leading 16 seeds on Thursday.
Derita Dawkins, chair of the committee, expressed that the decisive win by USC over UCLA greatly influenced their decision, especially since it was UCLA’s only defeat this season. Dawkins also highlighted that since that pivotal match, the top three teams have remained undefeated, sparking substantial discussions regarding the teams ranked between three to six. “We devoted a considerable amount of attention to these spots due to the intense competition among these teams,” Dawkins explained.
In one of the significant games recently, South Carolina, the reigning national champion, suffered a 29-point home defeat to UConn, relegating them to a No. 2 seed. Dawkins emphasized that while there’s a considerable amount of basketball ahead, Thursday nights results could shake up the subsequent reveal. Some critical outcomes include Notre Dame’s slip against Florida State, Duke’s victory over North Carolina, Kentucky’s dismantling of Tennessee, and LSU’s overtime loss to Alabama, with Texas surviving a challenge from unranked Mississippi State.
This coming weekend marks the conclusion of regular seasons for the Power Four conferences, with their respective tournaments scheduled for the following week. Alongside South Carolina, UConn was also positioned just below the top line. The captivating aspect of the tournament is that the 68-team field’s top 16 seeds will host first and second-round games, with regional games held at two neutral venues for a third consecutive year. Spokane, Washington, will be one of the hosts for the Sweet 16, with Birmingham, Alabama, hosting the remainder.
The NCAA is set to reveal the tournament bracket on March 16. USC and UCLA are lined up as projected top seeds in the Spokane Regional, facing off for the Big Ten regular-season title. Concurrently, Texas and Notre Dame stand at the forefront in the Birmingham region. The Bruins, ranked second behind Texas in the recent AP Top 25, held onto the overall No. 1 seed and may benefit from having ample rest time should they advance to the Final Four.
In this envisioned bracket, UCLA would contend with the likes of LSU as the No. 2 seed, North Carolina claiming the No. 3 seed, and Kansas State at No. 4. On the other hand, USC might encounter No. 2 seed UConn, with Duke and Kentucky in proximity, potentially leading to a gripping rematch of the Elite Eight clash between the Trojans and Huskies.
In Texas’ region, N.C. State is projected as the No. 2 seed, with additional competition from TCU and Ohio State. Meanwhile, Notre Dame may be accompanied by South Carolina as a No. 2 seed, Tennessee, and Oklahoma. The selection committee aimed to honor the objective of separating the top four teams from a conference into distinct regions while balancing the representation of the six Southeastern Conference schools in the leading 16. Adjustments were made with LSU and several others to achieve this.
According to Dawkins, much of the committee’s efforts were dedicated to meticulously ordering the top 16 teams, leaving little room for discussion about those teams on the fringe. The composition of the 16 teams mirrored those disclosed in the initial reveal but shuffled in order. “While some teams were discussed previously, our priority was perfecting the ranking, ensuring consensus on the 16 teams,” she elaborated.
The highly anticipated Final Four will unfold in Tampa, Florida, on April 4, culminating with the championship game two days post that. Since 2015, the NCAA has engaged in mid-season reveals for the women’s tournament, allowing teams a clearer insight into their standings as they prepare for the inevitable.
