March is Madness. With many of our eyes set on the Men’s Tournament, we often forget about the Women’s side of the bracket. But just like the Men’s side, there have been some massive upsets and some very interesting storylines. In one of the most shocking upsets of the first two subregional rounds, number one Stanford lost a nail bitter to eight seeded Ole Miss.
As the Sweet 16 commences in both Greenville, SC and Seattle, WA on Friday March 24, there are many more storylines to watch out for.
UCONN’s historic program run in the last several years under Geno Auriemma has captured the eyes of the Women’s basketball world, but this years tournament run looks a little different. UCONN has been faced with adversity for much of the year as standout guard and reigning national player of the year Paige Buckers knee has kept sidelined for most of the year. Former number one recruit Azzi Fudd has also been out a majority of the year with a knee issue as well, but is now back playing for the Huskies. Fudd put up 22 points in 37 minutes of UCONN’s second round game against Baylor to lead them to a 19 point romping of the Lady Bears. With Fudd back and playing like her normal self, look for that to fuel UCONN deep into the tournament and hopefully to Dallas.
Iowa, the highest seed left in the Seattle 4 Region, and perhaps one of the favorites to win it all is also still left as a Sweet 16 member. Led by superstar guard Caitlin Clark, who pours in a ridiculous 26.8 points per game, Iowa faces Colorado in their first tough matchup of the tournament. Look for Clark to carry the lady Hawkeyes to Dallas, similarly to what she has been doing all season.
Another star player in Maddie Siegrist looks to lead her Villanova Wildcats to Dallas much like Clark. Seigrest and the Wildcats are a number 4 seed and have bowled over the competition so far in their Subregional games. Siegrist leads a high octane offense that has put up 76 points in each of its first two games verses 13 Cleveland State and 12 FGCU respectively. The Wildcats face nine seeded Miami and Senior twin guards transfers, Hanna and Haley Cavindar in the Sweet 16 on Friday. The Hurricanes upset 1 seeded Indiana in the round of 32 and prove they will be no easy out for Villanova.
Last but certainly not least is the overall number one seeded South Carolina who hope to cut down the nets in Dallas, cap off their undefeated season and win a second consecutive championship. Led by Freshman Aliyah Boston, who is averaging just under half a rebound short of a double double, the Gamecocks have steamrolled through their first two rounds. Beating their first two opponents by thirty plus points, South Carolina faces four seeded UCLA in the Sweet 16 on Friday in Greenville.
https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/bracket
https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/player/_/id/4433790/azzi-fudd
https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/player/_/id/4433730/paige-bueckers
https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/team/roster/_/id/2294
https://miamihurricanes.com/sports/wbball/roster/
https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/player/_/id/4432831/aliyah-boston
