Ladies’s March Insanity 2024: Reseeding the spherical of 32

The 2024 girls’s NCAA match ought to have maybe been performed on a blackboard. There’s that a lot chalk throughout it after the primary spherical wrapped up.

Greater-seeded groups went 31-1 within the first spherical. No bracket has performed so true to kind for the reason that NCAA match expanded in 1994. For many who like to choose a couple of upsets, the plan backfired this yr.

Congratulations to No. 11 seeded Center Tennessee, the one lower-seeded group allowed into the celebration. And it took an 18-point comeback for the Blue Raiders to upset No. 6 seed Louisville. MTSU’s shocker got here in Friday’s third sport. Not one shock got here since.

That does not imply that reseeding the spherical of 32 was a easy process. Efficiency issues. To some extent, that is an train of fashion factors. So there was some motion.

Right here is how the bracket would look now if we might begin all of it once more with 32 groups.

No. 1 seeds

South Carolina Gamecocks
Unique seed: No. 1 total (Area 1 in Albany)
First spherical: Defeated Presbyterian Blue Hose 91-39 (Friday)

South Carolina has now overwhelmed the Blue Hose twice this season by a median of 61 factors. Beginning guard Bree Corridor sitting out as a precautionary measure was the most important information from the sport. The damage is not anticipated to be severe, and Corridor, who averages 9.7 factors and three.2 rebounds per sport, is predicted to play within the NCAA match. Te-Hina Paopao regaining her capturing stroke was essentially the most significant takeaway from Friday. After making 5 of 15 3-pointers on the SEC match, Paopao shot 4-for-7 and scored 18 factors, her highest level complete in additional than a month, towards Presbyterian.

Up subsequent: vs. North Carolina (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, ABC)

Texas Longhorns
Unique seed: No. 1 (Area 4 in Portland)
First spherical: Defeated Drexel Dragons 82-42 (Friday)

In a sport during which the Longhorns had been simply greater, quicker and stronger than Drexel, Madison Booker elected to play distributor greater than scorer. The end result was a 14-assist, two-turnover efficiency, which marks essentially the most assists ever for a Texas participant within the NCAA match. Booker’s eight factors had been her lowest scoring complete since a sport towards Lengthy Seashore State on Dec. 6, and it did not matter in any respect. Texas led by 15 factors halfway by way of the second quarter, and Drexel by no means received nearer.

Up subsequent: vs. Alabama (Sunday, 6 p.m. ET, ESPN)

USC Trojans
Unique seed: No. 1 (Area 3 in Portland)
First spherical: Defeated Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders 87-55 (Saturday)

McKenzie Forbes has been the Robin to JuJu Watkins’ Batman all season. However currently Forbes has determined to take the Batmobile out for a couple of spins herself. Forbes, who averaged 13.1 factors per sport coming into the Pac-12 match, scored 17 within the semifinals towards UCLA, after which, with Watkins struggling by way of the worst sport of her younger profession, Forbes carried the Trojans to the convention championship with 26 factors towards Stanford. The recent streak carried over to the NCAA match, the place USC received its first sport since 2006. She equaled Watkins’ 23 factors towards Texas A&M-Corpus Christi however did it on fewer pictures and in fewer minutes. As a No. 1 seed, USC was already among the many favorites to get to Cleveland. With two superheroes, the ceiling is perhaps even larger.

Up subsequent: vs. Kansas (Monday, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Iowa Hawkeyes
Unique seed: No. 1 (Area 2 in Albany)
First spherical: Defeated Holy Cross Crusaders 91-65 (Saturday)

For anybody involved that Caitlin Clark did not have a Caitlin Clark-type sport towards Holy Cross, let’s evaluate. In final yr’s first spherical towards SE Louisiana, Clark’s numbers had been 26 factors, 9 of 14 area objectives, 3-for-6 3-pointers, 7 rebounds, 12 assists and 5 turnovers in 29 minutes. Saturday’s stat line towards the Crusaders: 27 factors, 8 of 19 area objectives, 3-for-9 3-pointers, 5 rebounds, 10 assists and 6 turnovers in 32 minutes. Positive, final yr’s numbers had been barely higher, however not appreciably. This was primarily the identical sport for Clark. We all know what she went on to do the remainder of the 2023 NCAA match. In different phrases: Nothing to see right here. The outlook for Clark and Iowa shifting ahead is simply nice.

Up subsequent: vs. West Virginia (Monday, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN)

---

No. 2 seeds

Stanford Cardinal
Unique seed: No. 2 (Area 4 in Portland)
First spherical: Defeated Norfolk State Spartans 79-50 (Friday)

Cameron Brink and Kiki Iriafen are two of essentially the most dependable gamers within the nation. Win or lose, these two are producing. Stanford’s championship hopes relaxation with how nicely the backcourt performs. That’s the reason the capturing of Hannah Bounce and Elena Bosgana towards Norfolk State was such a promising signal. They had been every 4-of-6 from 3-point vary and mixed for 31 factors. The Cardinal can transfer into the Candy 16 with out good guard play, however it will be asking an excessive amount of of Brink and Iriafen to hold them past that.

Up subsequent: vs. Iowa State (Sunday, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Ohio State Buckeyes
Unique seed: No. 2 (Area 3 in Portland)
First spherical end result: Defeated Maine Black Bears 80-57 (Friday)

Celeste Taylor received ACC defensive participant of the yr at Duke final season. She earned the identical honor within the Huge Ten with the Buckeyes this yr. Now the 2 colleges play one another for the correct to go to the Candy 16. Taylor’s defensive abilities had been on show towards the Black Bears with six steals, spearheading a press that compelled 22 Maine turnovers. Taylor additionally had 6 rebounds and 5 assists and was environment friendly offensively, scoring 12 factors on simply 4 pictures. Apparently sufficient, Taylor had 10 steals for the Blue Devils of their second-round loss to Colorado a yr in the past and got here to Ohio State with hopes of higher postseason fortune. Now she may undergo Duke to make it occur.

Up subsequent: vs. Duke (Sunday, midday ET, ESPN)

Notre Dame Preventing Irish
Unique seed: No. 2 (Area 1 in Albany)
First spherical: Defeated Kent State Golden Flashes 81-67 (Saturday)

With simply six gamers at her disposal, Niele Ivey is brief on our bodies however not expertise. Her massive three of Hannah Hidalgo, Sonia Citron and Maddy Westbeld have been carrying Notre Dame for a month, and the successful streak is now 9 video games after the win over the Golden Flashes. After Hidalgo and Westbeld carried Notre Dame to an ACC match title, Citron took the lead towards Kent State. Whereas the opposite two struggled, Citron performed all 40 minutes and scored 29 factors on 13-for-20 capturing. As injured gamers Olivia Miles, Kylee Watson and Cassandre Prosper watch from the sidelines, Hidalgo, Westbeld and Natalija Marshall every completed the sport with 4 fouls. It is one thing to look at with the Irish going ahead because the video games get extra bodily.

Up subsequent: vs. Ole Miss (Monday, 2 p.m. ET, ESPN)

UConn Huskies
Unique seed: No. 3 (Area 3 in Portland)
First spherical: Defeated Jackson State Girl Tigers 86-64 (Saturday)

Who wants depth when three starters can rating over 20 factors? On his seventieth birthday, Geno Auriemma used simply six gamers for all however 10 minutes, and the Huskies nonetheless cruised as anticipated. Paige Bueckers (28), Ashlynn Shade (26) and Aaliyah Edwards (20) mixed for 86% of UConn’s factors. Nonetheless taking part in out of place due to UConn’s depleted roster, Bueckers continues to thrive as one of the environment friendly gamers within the nation. That the 6-0 Bueckers was fifth within the Huge East in blocked pictures per sport (1.4) stays one of many extra exceptional stats of the season. She had one towards the Tigers.

Up subsequent: vs. Syracuse (Monday, 6 p.m. ET, ESPN)

---

No. 3 seeds

LSU Tigers
Unique seed: No. 3 (Area 2 in Albany)
First spherical: Defeated Rice Owls 70-60 (Friday)

Other than Center Tennessee’s upset of Louisville, essentially the most stunning sport of the primary day was the Tigers struggling towards a Rice group that completed the common season in sixth place within the AAC. Kim Mulkey known as her group’s efficiency “ugly” and “egocentric.” LSU’s 24 turnovers had been the most important challenge. That Angel Reese and Hailey Van Lith mixed to shoot simply 3-of-14 from the sphere was one other. Past cleansing up these areas towards Center Tennessee, control how the Tigers defend the Blue Raiders’ shooters. MTSU has three guards that every one shoot above 35% from the 3-point line. LSU ranks simply 107th within the nation at defending the three.

Up subsequent: vs. Center Tennessee (Sunday, 3 p.m. ET, ABC)

UCLA Bruins
Unique seed: No. 2 (Area 2 in Albany)
First spherical: Defeated California Baptist Lancers 84-55 (Saturday)

Whereas the Bruins solidly took care of enterprise towards the Lancers, the uncertainty across the well being of Lauren Betts drops them down a seed line. Betts missed Saturday’s sport with a foot damage. Whereas the studies are that she is predicted again for Monday’s sport towards Creighton, it creates an excessive amount of of a query mark for UCLA shifting ahead. The Bruins aren’t the identical group with out Betts, or even when the 6-7 sophomore is not 100%. The Bruins went 2-2 with out her in the course of Pac-12 play. The excellent news is that sophomore Gabriela Jaquez, who changed Betts within the beginning lineup, scored 17 factors towards the Lancers.

Up subsequent: vs. Creighton (Monday, 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2)

Oregon State Beavers
Unique seed: No. 3 (Area 1 in Albany)
First spherical: Defeated Jap Washington Eagles 73-51 (Friday)

Raegan Beers’ 19 factors and 9 rebounds had been important to the Beavers’ first NCAA match win in three years. The well being of her ankle is the important thing to Oregon State successful any extra. The 6-foot-4 third-team All-American ahead went down grabbing her proper ankle late within the third quarter towards Jap Washington. She left the courtroom and did not play once more. A damaged nostril saved her out of 4 video games in late-February. Oregon State went 1-3 with out her. The early indicators level to Beers having the ability to play Sunday, however Nebraska and Alexis Markowski develop into a troublesome matchup with out Beers and her 17.7 factors and 10.4 rebounds per sport.

Up subsequent: vs. Nebraska (Sunday, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN)

NC State Wolfpack
Unique seed: No. 3 (Area 4 in Portland)
First spherical: Defeated Chattanooga Mocs 64-45 (Saturday)

Wes Moore has the respect of teaching Chattanooga to its solely NCAA match win in 2004. He now has the excellence of handing the Mocs their seventeenth NCAA match loss. Moore coached Chattanooga from 1998-2013 and solely missed the postseason twice. He has solely missed it as soon as in 11 seasons in Raleigh. Saturday’s reunion was highlighted by protection and a 19-point second half from the Wolfpack’s Aziaha James, who has been NC State’s solely constant offensive participant late within the season. The Wolfpack have not shot higher than 45% in a sport since Feb. 18 towards Georgia Tech.

Up subsequent: vs. Tennessee (Monday, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN)

---

No. 4 seeds

Indiana Hoosiers
Unique seed: No. 4 (Area 1 in Albany)
First spherical: Defeated Fairfield Stags 89-56 (Saturday)

Regardless of almost each larger seed successful on this first spherical, advancing within the NCAA match can by no means be taken with no consideration. Indiana appeared wholesome, and that was the perfect factor that got here out of Saturday’s convincing win. Mackenzie Holmes was the most important concern. She appeared to maneuver nicely after injuring her knee late within the common season. Her 13 factors and three blocks in 27 minutes had been an excellent signal. Sydney Parrish and Lilly Meister, who had additionally been banged up, performed 27 and 11 minutes, respectively. Because of Sara Scalia’s capturing (5 of 10 on 3-pointers) and 27 factors, the Hoosiers had little bother with the 31-2 Stags after halftime.

Up subsequent: vs. Oklahoma (Monday, 6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2)

Kansas State Wildcats
Unique seed: No. 4 (Area 2 in Albany)
First spherical end result: Defeated Portland Pilots 78-65 (Friday)

Statistically, Gabby Gregory took a step backward this season, going from 18.5 factors per sport in 2023 to 9.3 PPG. Nonetheless, she took an even bigger step ahead on Friday with a season-high 22 factors, lifting the Wildcats to the fifth win of their final six NCAA match appearances. Her Hoop Stats ranks Kansas State because the eighth-best protection within the nation, nevertheless it was the offense, which additionally received 21 factors from main scorer Ayoka Lee, that carried the Wildcats towards a Portland group that simply would not go away. Kansas State’s 78 factors had been essentially the most in eight NCAA match video games beneath coach Jeff Mittie, and essentially the most for this system since 2003.

Up subsequent: vs. Colorado (Sunday, 2 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Virginia Tech Hokies
Unique seed: No. 4 (Area 3 in Portland)
First spherical: Defeated Marshall Thundering Herd 92-49 (Friday)

That Virginia Tech set a program report for essentially the most factors scored in an NCAA match sport with out Elizabeth Kitley, who was formally introduced out of the NCAA match on Thursday with a torn ACL suffered March 3 — and with Georgia Amoore scoring simply 9 factors — may need been extra exceptional than Friday’s two massive comebacks by Center Tennessee and Iowa State. With 13 days off since their final sport within the ACC match, the Hokies had extra time to follow and put together with out Kitley — and it confirmed. Virginia Tech’s hopes of reaching the Remaining 4 stay slim with out the three-time ACC participant of the yr, however the outlook would not look as bleak after Kitley’s substitute, Clara Strack, scored 17 factors and junior Matilda Ekh broke out of a three-game scoreless funk with 21 factors towards the Thundering Herd.

Up subsequent: vs. Baylor (Sunday, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Gonzaga Bulldogs
Unique seed: No. 4 (Area 4 in Portland)
First spherical: Defeated UC Irvine Anteaters 75-56 (Saturday)

After a season-low 10 factors within the first quarter, it will have been comprehensible for the Bulldogs to start having flashbacks to their disappointing loss within the WCC championship sport towards Portland. The dangerous feeling and the poor play disappeared shortly. Gonzaga dominated the ultimate half-hour behind Yvonne Ejim’s 25 factors and 14 rebounds. The Zags try to make their first Candy 16 since 2015. Utah is up subsequent for the Bulldogs, who went 3-1 towards the Pac-12 this season, together with 2-0 towards NCAA match groups Stanford and Arizona.

Up subsequent: vs. Utah (Monday, 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2)

---

No. 5 seeds

Colorado Buffaloes
Unique seed: No. 5 (Area 2 in Albany)
First spherical: Defeated Drake Bulldogs 86-72 (Friday)

Drake should not really feel alone. Jaylyn Sherrod is just too fast for many groups. She was definitely too fast for the Bulldogs. Six of her seven area objectives had been layups, and she or he assisted on 5 simpler buckets for teammates. Sherrod pushed the ball up the ground and received round Drake defenders to the tune of 16 factors and eight assists, serving to Colorado overcome a sluggish begin to transfer to the second spherical for the second straight March. The Buffs damage the smaller Bulldogs inside, notably within the second and third quarters, after they mixed to make 20 of 31 area objectives. In addition they posted a 39-18 rebounding benefit. The scale of Kansas State’s 6-6 Lee ought to present a special problem in spherical two.

Up subsequent: vs. Kansas State (Sunday, 2 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Utah Utes
Unique seed: No. 5 (Area 4 in Portland)
First spherical: Defeated South Dakota State Jackrabbits 68-54 (Saturday)

LSU was rightly celebrated because the nationwide champion 49 weeks in the past, however in each title run there’s a second or a sport that will get ignored or forgotten however was a turning level. That sport for the Tigers a yr in the past was Utah within the Candy 16. Nobody performed LSU more durable than the Utes, who had been a play or two away from successful and altering the whole 2023 NCAA match. Utah took step one to rectifying that disappointment by controlling, if by no means dominating, the Jackrabbits. Alissa Pili, who scored 14 factors in that sport final March in Greenville, led the best way Saturday with 26 factors. Her matchup with Gonzaga’s Ejim is perhaps essentially the most under-the-radar particular person battle for the second spherical.

Up subsequent: vs. Gonzaga (Monday, 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2)

Oklahoma Sooners
Unique seed: No. 5 (Area 1 in Albany)
First spherical: Defeated Florida Gulf Coast Eagles 73-70 (Saturday)

When a serious convention group can beat Florida Gulf Coast, the response appears to be extra aid than satisfaction. That was the look on Jennie Baranczyk’s face after her Sooners survived a last-second 3-point try by the Eagles’ Uju Ezeudu that would have tied the sport. “We’re shifting on and that is what counts,” Baranczyk mentioned throughout her postgame interview when she was having bother describing how the Sooners beat FGCU. Virginia Tech and Washington State could not do it within the first around the final two NCAA tournaments. The Sooners barely did. Oklahoma did not lead till late within the third quarter and wanted some massive performs by Skylar Vann within the fourth quarter to hold on.

Up subsequent: vs. Indiana (Monday, 6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2)

Tennessee Girl Vols
Unique seed: No. 6 (Area 4 in Portland)
First spherical: Defeated Inexperienced Bay Phoenix 92-63 (Saturday)

One thing clicked with Rickea Jackson towards the tip of the common season, and Tennessee is reaping the advantages. Maybe it is the sense of urgency that her collegiate profession is coming to an finish or that the video games are greater, however Jackson, already an All-American, has taken her sport to a different degree. Her 26 factors in 29 minutes towards Inexperienced Bay mark the sixth time within the final seven video games she has scored 22 factors or extra. Jackson’s elevation has the Girl Vols’ offense clicking higher than it has all season. Because of this, Tennessee emerged as one of the spectacular groups of the opening spherical. The Girl Vols’ 58.7% area aim capturing was a season excessive, they usually did it towards a Phoenix group that yields its opponents 38.7% on the season.

Up subsequent: vs. NC State (Monday, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN)

---

No. 6 seeds

Baylor Bears
Unique seed: No. 5 (Area 3 in Portland)
First spherical: Defeated Vanderbilt Commodores 80-63 (Friday)

Earlier this week, Baylor sophomore Darianna Littlepage-Buggs struck an NIL take care of Raid — after which on Friday the Bears wasted little time extinguishing Vanderbilt. Littlepage-Buggs did her half with 11 factors, 5 rebounds and 4 assists, nevertheless it was classmate Bella Fontleroy who led a balanced assault with 19 factors. Eight Bears scored. Sharing the ball is when Baylor is at its greatest. The Bears rank twenty second within the nation in assisted shot price.

Up subsequent: vs. Virginia Tech (Sunday, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Syracuse Orange
Unique seed: No. 6 (Area 3 in Portland)
First spherical: Defeated Arizona Wildcats 74-69 (Saturday)

The legend of Dyaisha Truthful added one other chapter. In a season during which she handed the three,000-point plateau and took the Orange from a predicted ninth-place end within the ACC to a No. 6 seed, she now has this system report for many factors (32) scored in an NCAA match sport. She scored the ultimate 13 factors for Syracuse, and it got here after being carried off the courtroom late within the third quarter with what appeared like a probably severe leg damage. When she returned to the courtroom, Truthful dominated and introduced the Orange again in a sport that they’d trailed in almost the whole means.

Up subsequent: vs. UConn (Monday, 6 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Nebraska Cornhuskers
Unique seed: No. 6 (Area I in Albany)
First spherical: Defeated Texas A&M Aggies 61-59 (Friday)

If not for the within play of Alexis Markowski and the stableness of freshman Logan Nissley, the Cornhuskers may need been one other sufferer of an enormous comeback on Friday. They gave away a 17-point result in the Aggies. Nissley’s two clutch free throws with 14 seconds left gave Nebraska again a one-point lead it had misplaced seconds earlier. That and Markowski’s 16 factors and 6 rebounds in the end delivered this system’s first NCAA match win in 10 years. The group that just about outshot Iowa within the Huge Ten match title sport and ranks thirteenth within the nation in made 3-pointers was an uncharacteristic 6-of-21 from 3-point vary.

Up subsequent: vs. Oregon State (Sunday, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Iowa State Cyclones
Unique seed: No. 7 (Area 4 in Portland)
First spherical: Defeated Maryland Terrapins 93-86 (Friday)

JuJu Watkins, Hannah Hidalgo, Madison Booker, MiLaysia Fulwiley, Mikaylah Williams. These are the unbelievable freshmen which have gotten many of the consideration this season and the group that’s imagined to carry the game into its subsequent wave. Add Audi Crooks to the listing. Crooks grew to become the primary participant of any yr to attain 40 factors on 90% capturing in a NCAA match sport. Forty factors additionally tied for the second-most in an NCAA match debut. It was all a part of Iowa State erasing a 20-point second-quarter deficit, the second-biggest comeback in girls’s NCAA match historical past. This got here after Maryland performed its greatest first half of the season, however ends within the first opening-round loss for the Terps beneath Brenda Frese.

Up subsequent: vs. Stanford (Sunday, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN)

---

No. 7 seeds

Duke Blue Devils
Unique seed: No. 7 (Area 3 in Portland)
First spherical: Defeated Richmond Spiders 72-61 (Friday)

Kara Lawson may need to report all of her halftime speeches. No matter she mentioned on Friday labored to perfection. Her Blue Devils appeared out of types within the first half. They allowed eight 3-pointers by the Spiders, scored simply 5 second-quarter factors themselves and trailed by 9 at halftime. Inside 4 minutes into the third quarter, the sport was tied. Richmond made simply two 3s the remainder of the sport. It did not rank with the epic comebacks of Iowa State and Center Tennessee, however Duke’s turnaround at each ends of the ground was simply as swift.

Up subsequent: vs. Ohio State (Sunday, midday ET, ESPN)

Ole Miss Rebels
Unique seed: No. 7 (Area 1 in Albany)
First spherical: Defeated Marquette Golden Eagles 67-55 (Saturday)

The components is easy, however profitable. Coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin has one philosophy: Play protection, and play it laborious. Coach Yo’s defense-first strategy has taken the Rebels from 9-22 in her first yr in 2019 to a few consecutive NCAA match appearances, the final two of which have included victories. The newest was a suffocation of Marquette’s offense, particularly within the second half. The Golden Eagles scored simply 21 factors after halftime. How the aggressiveness and size of Madison Scott, Kennedy Todd-Williams and Marquesha Davis matches up with the power of Notre Dame’s Hidalgo is without doubt one of the extra intriguing storylines of spherical two.

Up subsequent: vs. Notre Dame (Monday, 2 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Creighton Bluejays
Unique seed: No. 7 (Area 2 in Albany)
First spherical: Defeated UNLV Girl Rebels 87-73 (Saturday)

Creighton’s semifinal loss to Georgetown within the Huge East match was one of many extra surprising outcomes of Champ Week. The dangerous feeling did not linger for the veteran Bluejays. Probably the most prolific 3-point making group within the Huge East at 8.8 per sport torched UNLV with 15. Regardless of the Girl Rebels’ domination within the paint (46-24), Creighton seniors Lauren Jensen and Morgan Maly simply saved making 3-pointers and by no means let UNLV again within the sport after a 12-point lead on the half. Jensen and Maly, who had been the second- and third-leading scorers on Creighton’s 2022 Elite Eight group, mixed to make 9-for-15 from 3-point vary.

Up subsequent: vs. UCLA (Sunday)

North Carolina Tar Heels
Unique seed: No. 8 (Area 1 in Albany)
First spherical: Defeated Michigan State Spartans 59-56 (Friday)

The Tar Heels’ win over Michigan State was a microcosm of the season: stable protection, inconsistent offense and one other shut sport. After dominating for 38 minutes by holding the second-best offense within the Huge Ten 27 factors under its scoring common, a livid rally by the Spartans made issues fascinating. It took the seventeenth rebound for Alyssa Ustby off a missed free throw by teammate Deja Kelly to make sure a 3rd straight yr of not less than one NCAA match victory for North Carolina. Ustby received the Tar Heels off to the nice begin, making her first 4 pictures, and by no means took her foot off the fuel, ending with 16 factors, 6 assists and three blocks to go together with these 17 boards.

Up subsequent: vs. South Carolina (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, ABC)

---

No. 8 seeds

Center Tennessee Blue Raiders
Unique seed: No. 11 (Area 2 in Albany)
First spherical: Defeated Louisville Cardinals 71-69 (Friday)

Convention USA participant of the yr Savannah Wheeler flipped a change within the second half that ignited her Blue Raiders and concurrently turned out the lights on Louisville. She scored 20 of her 22 factors within the second half after trying overwhelmed by the Cardinals guards within the first, and helped finish the Blue Raiders’ nine-game NCAA match shedding streak. She did assist. Jaylynn Gregory, who is perhaps one among CUSA’s greatest gamers subsequent yr, had 22 factors, and 6-6 Anastasiia Boldyreva, who ranks sixth within the nation in blocks, put collectively an 11-point, 12-rebound, 3-block efficiency. Boldyreva’s size might be an fascinating matchup for LSU’s frontline on Sunday.

Up subsequent: vs. LSU (Sunday, 3 p.m. ET, ABC)

West Virginia Mountaineers
Unique seed: No. 8 (Area 2 in Albany)
First spherical: Defeated Princeton Tigers 63-53 (Saturday)

Protection and JJ Quinerly had been the proper components for the Mountaineers towards Princeton. The Tigers appeared like the higher group the whole first half, main by as many as 9. Mark Kellogg addressed the protection at halftime and the sport flipped. West Virginia compelled 10 third-quarter Princeton turnovers and turned a two-point deficit right into a nine-point lead. Then Quinerly took over. The junior scored 18 of her 29 factors within the second half. That components now will get put to a a lot completely different take a look at within the second spherical with Iowa and Clark awaiting on their dwelling flooring.

Up subsequent: vs. Iowa (Monday, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Alabama Crimson Tide
Unique seed: No. 8 (Area 4 in Portland)
First spherical: Defeated Florida State Seminoles 82-74

The Crimson Tide rely closely on senior Sarah Ashlee Barker, however they proved on Friday they do not at all times should. Barker fouled out after taking part in simply 11 minutes and scoring 6 factors, but Alabama was nonetheless capable of take management of a detailed, entertaining sport within the third quarter to win an NCAA match sport for the primary time in three years. The surprising increase got here from Karly Weathers changing third-leading scorer Jessica Timmons, who had season-ending knee surgical procedure two weeks in the past. Weathers, who entered the NCAA match averaging 4.7 factors per sport, scored 18.

Up subsequent: vs. Texas (Sunday, 6 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Kansas Jayhawks
Unique seed: No. 8 (Area 3 in Portland)
First spherical: Defeated Michigan Wolverines 81-72 OT (Saturday)

Zakiyah Franklin is a key playmaker of the Kansas assault, however she wasn’t a big-time scorer this season. In her fifth yr in Lawrence, she scored 20 factors simply twice through the season up to now. Like many of the Jayhawk veterans, she deferred to freshman S’Mya Nichols, the membership’s main scorer (15.2 PPG). However Kansas wanted Franklin’s scoring on Saturday, and each one among her 22 factors — which included a game-tying 3-pointer with 12 seconds left in regulation — to beat Michigan. Kansas, winners of the WNIT a yr in the past, will get to the second spherical for the second time in three seasons regardless of being outplayed for 3 quarters. A 23-14 fourth quarter and dominant extra time moved the Jayhawks alongside.

Up subsequent: vs. USC (Monday, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN)