The women’s March Madness tournament continues to showcase its star power, with notable players such as Paige Bueckers, Hannah Hidalgo, and Lauren Betts making their mark, despite the absence of JuJu Watkins.
In a setback, Watkins injured her right knee during the first quarter of Southern California’s victory over Mississippi State on Monday. Unfortunately, this injury has ruled her out for the remainder of the tournament.
While the stars shine brightly, the tournament has lacked the usual surprises from smaller schools. In a unique turn of events, no team seeded 11th or lower managed to advance past the first round, marking the first occurrence of this since the tournament expanded to 64 teams.
Of the 16 teams moving forward, 15 hail from the Power Four conferences, with UConn being the exception. The regionals for these remaining teams will occur in Spokane, Washington, and Birmingham, Alabama.
As is often the case in women’s NCAA tournaments, the top 12 teams have all secured their spots in the Sweet 16, which is set to begin on Friday. This group has seen significant contributions from players like Bueckers, Hidalgo, and Betts.
Bueckers, anticipated to be the top pick in the upcoming WNBA draft, showcased her talent with an impressive performance, scoring 34 points at her last home game. Hidalgo has played a crucial role in Notre Dame’s resurgence after a dip in form at the end of the regular season and conference play.
For UCLA, Betts has been a powerhouse in their first two games, averaging 22 points and 10 rebounds.
South Carolina remains a strong contender for becoming the first team to win consecutive championships in the women’s tournament since UConn’s streak from 2013 to 2016. The Gamecocks are playing with determination and depth, seeking to prove any doubters wrong.
Despite not being seeded as the top team, which stirred some controversy, South Carolina is advancing with a well-rounded team effort. Their bench was instrumental, contributing a record-setting 66 points in their opening match against Tennessee Tech.
Joining the top contenders are three No. 5 seeds: Kansas State, Tennessee, and Mississippi. Alabama nearly made it a quartet but fell to Maryland in a double-overtime clash. Maryland’s coach Brenda Frese commended both teams’ performances, labeling it a high-stakes battle.
The trio of No. 5 seeds made history by advancing despite playing away, a first since the current format was introduced where top four seeds host initial rounds. Though three 5-seeds advanced in 2021, that year the tournament was centralized in Texas due to COVID-19.
Kansas State, a familiar face in the Sweet 16 since 2002, pairs with second-seeded TCU, marking their debut in this stage, ready to face Notre Dame for a rematch in Birmingham.
Conference representation in the Sweet 16 is led by the SEC, boasting six teams, followed by the ACC with four teams, the Big Ten with three teams, the Big 12 with two teams, and the Big East with one team, UConn.