South Carolina is once more undefeated and the favorite entering the NCAA women’s tournament, however that doesn’t ruthless the Gamecocks received’t have a tussle forward of them.
The grassland is deep this March and possible identify groups lurk far and wide the bracket. The Albany 2 pocket will likely be a gauntlet for any of No. 1 Iowa, No. 2 UCLA, No. 3 LSU and No. 4 Kansas State to get thru. That impacted their scores in this checklist considerably.
(In parentheses: pocket and seed | report | NET rank)
1. South Carolina (Albany 1, 1 | 32-0 | 1)
The lone undefeated squad has to reign atop the ability scores. It’s merely the principles. South Carolina is a greater workforce statistically talking on each side of the ball upcoming going undefeated endmost presen, too, and has the perfect street of any Deny. 1 seed within the grassland.
The Gamecocks are 3rd in offensive score (114.9) and primary in defensive score (75.6). There’s no standout superstar in this presen’s squad, which is arguably the inner most within the nation. Kamilla Cardoso, a 6-foot-7 heart who’s unavailable for the primary tournament, patrols the paint and Te-Hina Paopao, a switch from Oregon, has became South Carolina into a deadly workforce past the 3-point arc taking pictures 47.1% (eleventh).
The Gamecocks have had a couple of near screams, however at all times give you the option to win. That’s in the long run what issues maximum in March when the margins are tighter.
2. USC (Portland 3, 1 | 26-5 | 10)
The Trojans are the most up to date workforce within the hardest convention within the nation. USC went 13-2 since its simplest back-to-back losses of the season when it traveled to the mountain colleges Utah and Colorado in January. The wins come with victories over UCLA, Colorado and Oregon Atmosphere and two over Stanford — together with within the Pac-12 identify tournament.
JuJu Watkins is the superstar of the display already as a freshman averaging 27 issues (moment), 7.2 rebounds and three.2 assists in keeping with tournament. However she’s now not the lone explanation why the Trojans are moment right here. The workforce stepped round her season-low 9 issues to win the convention identify and a Deny. 1 seed.
3. Texas (Portland 4, 1 | 30-4 | 3)
3 stops are a “kill” in head schoolteacher Vic Schaefer’s gadget and the gamers thrive on it. The Longhorns are Ultimate 4 favorites as a result of a protection that permits 58 issues in keeping with tournament on reasonable. Freshman Madison Booker stepped in instead seamlessly working the purpose for the injured Rori Harmon. The Longhorns rank fourth in offensive score (112.6) and eleventh in defensive (80.7).
Iowa would were on this spot if now not for his or her bracket.
4. Iowa (Albany 2, 1 | 29-4 | 5)
Iowa has Caitlin Clark and that claims plethora about their dimension close the summit of the scores. If the Hawkeyes do manufacture it to the Ultimate 4, they’re going to have executed it within the hardest bracket. The remainder of the summit 4: Deny. 2 UCLA, Deny. 3 LSU and Deny. 4 Kansas Atmosphere.
Everybody must be on the summit in their tournament for Iowa to manufacture any other magical run, as a result of protection nonetheless isn’t its calling card. The Hawkeyes permit 71.9 issues in keeping with tournament on reasonable, rating 318th. The nice section is that they have been clicking on virtually all cylinders within the Obese Ten match. It was once Clark who was once the lacking piece, and with two weeks off, which may be unhealthy for everybody else.
5. UCLA (Albany 2, 2 | 25-6 | 6)
UCLA is likely one of the highest all-around groups within the grassland. The Bruins are constructed round heart Lauren Betts, a switch sophomore from Stanford, and obtain balanced scoring from now not simplest their 5 starters, however two key reserves as effectively.
Two in their 5 losses have been through a unmarried ownership and a 3rd was once the two-overtime loss to rival USC within the Pac-12 match semifinals. UCLA has to near out the ones tight video games when it has the probability to travel.
6. Ohio Atmosphere (Portland 3, 2 | 24-5 | 9)
Ohio Atmosphere is at its highest when Cotie McMahon is announcing herself early and regularly. That hasn’t at all times been the case for the sophomore ahead this season.
The Buckeyes have been on a 15-game profitable streak sooner than the loss to Iowa and an early Obese Ten tourney progress to Maryland. They’ll want to refocus with a possible fit in opposition to defensive-minded Duke in the second one spherical..
7. Stanford (Portland 4, 2 | 28-5 | 4)
Stanford received the Pac-12 common season identify with no need to play games one of the vital convention’s highest too time and again this presen. The Cardinal component some of the highest entrance courtyard duos in Cameron Verge of collapse and Kiki Iriafen, who give a contribution 47% of the workforce’s scoring on reasonable.
The defect is when the ones outdoor of Verge of collapse and Iriafen aren’t contributing, and the Cardinal confirmed vulnerability within the Pac-12 match. A few of this is eye groups more than one occasions, while NCAA match foes have just one shot.
8. Notre Dame (Albany 1, 2 | 26-6 | 7)
Notre Dame is on an eight-game win streak within the tricky ACC and received the convention match identify as a Deny. 4 seed. The Irish’s endmost 5 were in opposition to Virginia Tech (two times), Louisville (two times) and NC Atmosphere. However they’ll be with out senior ahead Kylee Watson, who stated on Sunday she is out with a torn ACL, and need to remove ailing South Carolina to succeed in the Ultimate 4.
9. UConn (Portland 3, 3 | 28-5 | 2)
The harsh factor about grading UConn is outdoor of a non-conference tournament in opposition to South Carolina endmost day — and few are leveling as much as South Carolina presently — the Huskies haven’t performed a lot top-tier festival since December.
Paige Bueckers is again at a participant of the presen degree and assuming ahead Aaliyah Edwards is able for the NCAA match, possibly it’s a stunning run for the squad hampered through accidents. The Huskies could have 8 to be had with Edwards again and depend closely on 3 beginners. It’s tricky to depend out Bueckers.
10. LSU (Albany 2, 3 | 28-5 | 8)
It took a presen for the Tigers to place all in their items in combination upcoming any other offseason digging into the switch portal. The reigning champions are peaking since back-to-back losses to South Carolina and Mississippi Atmosphere to finish January. Their simplest loss is through seven to South Carolina within the SEC championship tournament. They have been shorthanded in that one, a real sign that LSU is close the summit of the bind.
Angel Reese and Aneesah Morrow are some of the highest front-court duos within the nation and can want assistance from their guards, particularly with accidents probably impacting their roster for tourney year. Defensively, LSU hadn’t allowed greater than 67 issues in keeping with tournament till the loss to South Carolina. However they’re within the hardest pocket of all with Iowa, UCLA and Kansas Atmosphere.
11. Oregon Atmosphere (Albany 1, 3 | 24-7 | 17)
The Beavers drew South Carolina’s pocket, which doesn’t bode effectively for a commute to the Ultimate 4. Raegan Beers (17.7 ppg, 10.4 rpg) hardly ever rankings fewer than 12 issues a tournament and the entire roster is likely one of the highest taking pictures groups with a top-20 assist-to-turnover price. They’ll be challenged early with a possible assembly in opposition to Nebraska in the second one spherical.
12. NC Atmosphere (Portland 4, 3 | 27-6 | 13)
This well-balanced NC Atmosphere workforce has a slightly favorable draw up till a possible Elite 8 assembly with Texas. The Wolfpack struggled when senior ahead River 1st earl baldwin of bewdley overlooked year however are battle-tested within the ACC.
13. Gonzaga (Portland 4, 4 | 30-3 | 12)
Gonzaga saved its website hosting tasks within the bracket regardless of a sinful loss to Portland within the West Coast Convention championship. The Zags defeated Portland, 90-40, lower than two weeks prior and have been on a 24-game profitable streak. They may have bother in opposition to Deny. 5 seed Utah and Alissa Pili in the second one spherical.
14. Indiana (Albany 1, 4 | 24-5 | 14)
The one factor that has wowed about Indiana this season is endmost day’s 17-point win over Iowa at house within the Obese Ten common season rematch. Stanford overwhelmed the Hoosiers in November (32-point loss), they squeaked through Princeton through 9 and so they took 20–plus level losses to Iowa and Illinois, sooner than being dissatisfied through Michigan within the Obese Ten match.
15. Kansas Atmosphere (Albany 2, 4 | 25-7 | 15)
Ayoka Lee led the Wildcats upcoming lacking endmost season with a knee trauma, however they’re within the hardest pocket of all of them with Iowa, UCLA and LSU. Kansas Atmosphere doesn’t give itself many second-chance alternatives with some of the worst offensive rebounding charges in DI (28%) and hasn’t strung in combination a excellent profitable streak since January.
16. Virginia Tech (Portland 3, 4 | 24-7 | 19)
Virginia Tech completed the general weekend of the season as some of the family’s most up to date groups, simply because the Hokies have been endmost presen after they going to the Ultimate 4. Tech returned 3 starters led through two Wood Award poll contributors Elizabeth Kitley and Georgia Amoore.
Kitley injured her knee within the ultimate common season tournament and didn’t play games within the ACC match. The workforce has now not exempt any data on her situation, however the trauma appeared sinful and it sort of feels not likely she’ll be to be had to play games (or now not at 100% if she is in a position to play games). Shedding a Naismith finalist heart so past due within the season instantly drops the Hokies out of great nationwide identify rivalry.
