Ladies’s March Insanity 2024: Candy 16 match takeaways

The nationwide title recreation rematch so many noticed as a possible Elite Eight matchup when the bracket got here out two weeks in the past is on.

No. 1 seed Iowa and third-seeded LSU, the defending nationwide champion, each received Saturday to advance to the Area 2 last in Albany. Monday’s winner will guide a return journey to the Closing 4.

The Hawkeyes beat 5-seed Colorado 89-68 behind 29 factors and 15 assists from Caitlin Clark. The Pac-12 put 5 groups within the Candy 16 however is 1-3, with Oregon State because the lone winner thus far.

LSU is certainly one of 4 No. 3 seeds to advance to the Elite Eight, as NC State and the Beavers received Friday and UConn joined them on Saturday.

Here is what we discovered from every Candy 16 recreation and what’s forward within the Elite Eight.

How did UConn grind out a defensive slog of a win? This recreation was not for offense lovers, with a 23-13 UConn edge on the half marking each groups’ scoring lows for any half this season.

To begin the third quarter, Paige Bueckers loosened issues up with two early 3-pointers, whereas KK Arnold had some good drives to the rim to chip in six that body alone. With Ashlynn Shade going scoreless and Aaliyah Edwards (29 minutes) coping with foul bother a lot of the sport, Arnold’s contributions each offensively and defensively (she completed with 5 steals) had been big for the Huskies. Arnold, Edwards and Bueckers had been the one three UConn gamers to attain greater than three factors.

UConn’s protection has been up and down at occasions this season, particularly in relation to defending fast guards, however forcing 23 Duke turnovers and letting the Blue Devils make solely 18 baskets was sufficient to face up to any of the Huskies’ scoring points on the opposite finish (their 53 factors matched their second fewest in an NCAA match recreation in program historical past). Not serving to issues was that Reigan Richardson, Duke’s standout scorer within the match, was restricted to 10 factors on 5-for-15 taking pictures (0-for-5 from 3). Kara Lawson’s defensive-minded squad will not be sometimes a high-powered offensive machine. UConn confirmed why and was capable of take benefit.

Duke made issues fascinating down the stretch, pulling inside 5 with two minutes to play after trailing by as many as 20. The Blue Devils had lastly began to search out some offense, hitting 7 of their 14 photographs to begin the fourth, with freshman Oluchi Okananwa spearheading the trouble. However it was too little, too late, they usually had been held scoreless after Kennedy Brown’s layup with 52 seconds left. The Blue Devils’ 45 factors tied for the second fewest by this system in an NCAA match recreation.

As she has all season and particularly in postseason play, Bueckers led the cost for UConn, scoring 24 of her workforce’s 53 factors. She now has tallied that many in six straight video games, tying the longest streak of her profession.

What it means for UConn: The Huskies return to the Elite Eight after lacking out final 12 months, when their loss to Ohio State marked their earliest match exit since 2007 and snapped their streak of 14 consecutive Closing 4 appearances. It is their twenty eighth Elite Eight look, tying Tennessee for probably the most in NCAA match historical past. However greater than numbers, this run for UConn exemplifies the resilience it has proven all 12 months, having misplaced six gamers to season-ending accidents.

What it means for Duke: Most wouldn’t have anticipated Duke to be on this stage going into the season, possibly even throughout it. The Blue Devils had been picked to complete seventh within the ACC preseason ballot, and with a brand new squad that includes eight underclassmen (5 of whom had been freshmen), they’d some rising pains. Their upset win at Ohio State within the second spherical, which secured their first Candy 16 look since 2018 and first below Lawson, confirmed a glimpse of what they’ll proceed to construct towards transferring ahead with rising senior Richardson, Okananwa and the remainder of their younger core. — Alexa Philippou

How did the Trojans survive a scare from Baylor? Up 11 late within the second quarter, USC gave the impression to be cruising to the Elite Eight. Displaying no stop, the Bears rallied to take their first lead since 14-13 late within the third quarter, and had been up 4 heading to the ultimate interval. Baylor nonetheless led 64-61 with 4:19 left when the Trojans turned the sport with an 8-0 run. On a day when she handed former Ohio State guard Kelsey Mitchell for second in single-season scoring by a freshman, USC star JuJu Watkins scored the final 5 factors of that stretch to offer the Trojans a five-point lead. Nonetheless, after Baylor’s Sarah Andrews banked in a 3 with 22.8 seconds remaining to chop the deficit to 1, USC needed to sweat out the ultimate seconds. Andrews, who knocked down 5 3s within the recreation, missed an try that might have tied it, and Trojans middle Rayah Marshall pulled down her sixteenth rebound earlier than splitting two free throws to seal the victory. Watkins completed with 30 factors, making 12 of 13 free throw makes an attempt to compensate for taking pictures simply 8-of-28 from the sphere, and added 4 assists and 4 blocks. Solely Paula McGee, with 31 in 1982, scored extra factors for the Trojans in an NCAA match recreation, in line with ESPN Stats & Data.

What’s subsequent for USC: The Trojans’ run continues to echo their dominance of the game within the Nineteen Eighties and Nineteen Nineties. Having already reached the Candy 16 for the primary time since 1994, they’ve now reached the Elite Eight for the seventh time — the earlier six all coming between 1984 and 1994. USC final reached the Closing 4 in 1986, some 19 years earlier than Watkins was born. Watkins’ singular star energy and an unsung solid of position gamers have the top-seeded Trojans in place to maintain constructing on this success in Los Angeles, however a regional last take a look at awaits in opposition to the winner of UConn and Duke. The tournament-tested Huskies specifically would current a problem not like any USC’s gamers have confronted as they navigate the late levels of the NCAA match for the primary time. In some unspecified time in the future, the Trojans would possibly have to shoot the ball higher than they’ve in going 6-0 through the Pac-12 and NCAA tournaments. USC has made higher than 40% of its photographs from the sphere in simply two of these six video games.

What’s subsequent for Baylor: The Bears’ return to the Candy 16 for the primary time below Nicki Collen was already forward of schedule. Baylor will lose seniors Dre’Una Edwards and Aijha Blackwell — the workforce’s main scorer and rebounder, respectively — however will return Andrews. The workforce’s main scorer Saturday, Andrews introduced earlier than senior day that she is going to return for a fifth season in Waco, Texas, to steer a balanced offense that noticed six gamers common double figures this season. — Kevin Pelton

Can Iowa’s protection maintain its personal in opposition to LSU within the Elite Eight? The Hawkeyes dominated their Candy 16 recreation in opposition to Colorado from begin to end. Not like their second-round recreation, wherein West Virginia slowed issues down, the tempo Saturday in opposition to the Buffaloes was what Iowa wished.

And when issues are going effectively offensively for Iowa, they have a tendency to go fairly effectively defensively, too. What Iowa proved in opposition to West Virginia is the power to win a slog of a recreation that required a whole lot of persistence as a result of it is not how Iowa likes to play. The Hawkeyes felt their protection received that one.

Towards Colorado, the Hawkeyes additionally had been good defensively, holding the Buffs to 30%, 38.1% and 31.3% taking pictures within the first three quarters. The sport was largely determined previous to the fourth quarter, when Colorado shot 53.3% from the sphere. By then, it did not matter.

However LSU is larger, faster and extra expert offensively than Colorado or West Virginia, so the defensive project vs. the Tigers is way harder for Iowa. That stated, the Hawkeyes know what they’re going through, after going in opposition to LSU within the nationwide championship recreation final 12 months. The Tigers received that matchup 102-85.

“We’re excited. Anytime you could have an opportunity to go in opposition to any person who you misplaced to, it brings somewhat extra vitality,” Iowa star Caitlin Clark stated. “However at this level within the match each single workforce is nice. I feel total it is simply going to be a extremely nice recreation for girls’s basketball.”

What it means for Iowa: The Hawkeyes had 5 gamers rating in double figures, led by Clark with 29 factors. She additionally had 15 assists and 6 rebounds.

“We talked about actually come out and dominate that third quarter from the beginning,” Clark stated of how the Hawkeyes constructed on their 13-point halftime lead.

Sydney Affolter had 15 factors, fellow guards Gabbie Marshall and Kate Martin scored 14 every, and ahead Hannah Stuelke had 11 factors and 10 rebounds.

“This was the primary time in about three video games we felt like we had been capable of put collectively an entire recreation on each ends of the ground,” Clark stated.

What it means for Colorado: After a stretch wherein Colorado made the NCAA match simply as soon as in 17 years, the Buffaloes have now made it to the Candy 16 in back-to-back seasons. They end this season 24-10 and lose fifth-year seniors Jaylyn Sherrod, Quay Miller and Maddie Nolan. Subsequent season, the Buffs return to the Large 12 Convention, which they left in 2011 to go to the Pac-12. Coach JR Payne stated as unhappy because the Buffs are to see the top of the Pac-12, the Large 12 is an effective touchdown place for Colorado.

“I feel it is nice for our student-athletes in that the journey is definitely — would possibly even be simpler in some regards than the Pac-12,” Payne stated. “We have now a whole lot of longtime Buff followers … so for them to have the chance to resume a few of these previous rivalries, journey to a number of the video games … that’s going to be nice for us.

“We have now a whole lot of vitality in Boulder proper now with [football coach Deion Sanders] and the success of each males’s basketball and girls’s basketball and issues like that. I feel it’s going to proceed to develop that vitality in Boulder.” — Michael Voepel

Will any workforce be capable of beat LSU when Flau’jae Johnson performs like this? It is protected to say that not many groups sometimes will be capable of decelerate all of the expertise that the Tigers placed on the court docket. However when sophomore guard Johnson is as efficient as she has been within the NCAA match, it makes going through LSU appear much more daunting.

Johnson had 24 factors and 12 rebounds Saturday, going 7-of-11 from the sphere. She is taking pictures 60% (18-of-30) within the Tigers’ three NCAA match video games. She has scored in double figures in each recreation however one since Dec. 12. Saturday was Johnson’s fifth recreation scoring a minimum of 20 factors in March; she had 20 or extra simply thrice within the Tigers’ first 28 video games. LSU is 13-0 when Johnson scores 20 or extra in her profession.

On a workforce with huge personalities, Johnson is among the greatest. The Tigers thrive after they play with swagger and confidence, and Johnson often offers them each. With LSU trailing 63-60 with 4 minutes left Saturday, Johnson had 7 factors and blocked a shot because the Tigers closed the sport on an 18-6 run to maintain their repeat championship hopes alive.

What it means for LSU: The Tigers had been outrebounded 44-38 and took 13 fewer photographs from the sphere than the Bruins. However all these photographs did not assist UCLA a lot, because the Bruins struggled, particularly from the 3-point line (7-of-32).

LSU, in the meantime, will get to the road and converts greater than any workforce in Division I, and that labored for the Tigers once more Saturday. They had been 24-of-31 there, in comparison with UCLA’s 12-of-18. The Tigers additionally received in turnover margin, 19-13, with LSU getting 11 steals.

Together with Johnson, 4 Tigers scored in double figures: Aneesah Morrow (17), Angel Reese (16) and Mikaylah Williams (12).

Positive, it took LSU till the previous few minutes to place the sport away. However contemplating the top quality of the opponent and the excessive stakes, it was a formidable win to get this system to its tenth Elite Eight look.

What it means for UCLA: The Bruins end the season 27-7, and their key loss personnel-wise is fifth-year guard Charisma Osborne, who is predicted to be drafted into the WNBA. She had eight factors and 4 assists in her last recreation for the Bruins. However UCLA brings again standouts reminiscent of middle Lauren Betts and guards Londynn Jones and Kiki Rice. Will probably be a special type of season in 2024-25 for UCLA, although, because the Bruins transfer to the Large Ten together with USC, Oregon and Washington. — Michael Voepel

How did NC State hand Stanford a historic NCAA match loss? Stanford appeared to have all of the momentum within the first half, main for 13:44 and going into the break up 10 regardless of junior star Kiki Iriafen taking part in solely six minutes after selecting up a few early fouls. The Cardinal had been 17-0 on the season when main on the half.

Issues took a flip to start the third quarter. Iriafen picked up her third foul virtually instantly, and All-American Cameron Brink was rapidly referred to as for her first three fouls of the sport in lower than three minutes. Brink sat for a bit, then reentered and picked up her fourth. She then fouled out simply two minutes after returning within the fourth quarter. Getting Stanford’s bigs in foul bother was one thing NC State gamers stated they recognized from the Cardinal’s recreation in opposition to Iowa State as a possibility to use.

NC State seized the second with Brink out. From when Brink picked up her third foul with 5:35 left within the third, the Wolfpack outscored Stanford 41-27, with a 28-10 third quarter notably damaging. It was additionally probably the most factors Stanford has been outscored by in any quarter this season. With out Brink on the ground, and with Iriafen restricted till the fourth quarter, Stanford’s Achilles heel — guard play — was on show.

Guard Aziaha James led the cost for NC State, scoring 25 of her 29 factors within the second half, together with 16 within the third quarter; James alone practically outscored Stanford within the second half, and he or she scored or assisted (5 dimes) on 40 of NC State’s 77 factors, getting downhill, hitting three 3s and going 10-for-11 from the free throw line. Saniya Rivers and Zoe Brooks additionally obtained going as the sport went on and mixed for 25 factors.

On the opposite finish, Stanford hit simply 5 of 25 photographs from 3 (two within the fourth quarter) and dedicated 14 turnovers to NC State’s seven.

What it means for NC State: Fortunate quantity 8, huh? NC State, which misplaced 4 starters from the 2022-23 workforce, was picked to complete eighth within the ACC preseason ballot, and was unranked nationally. Now the Wolfpack are headed to the third Elite Eight in program historical past, and second within the final three tournaments. Conversations for coach of the 12 months could be over, however Wes Moore’s title deserves to be in there.

What it means for Stanford: The Cardinal exceeded expectations in a number of methods. They had been picked to complete third within the Pac-12 earlier than successful the regular-season crown and reaching the Pac-12 match title recreation. Getting again to the Candy 16 following final 12 months’s second-round upset was a optimistic. Nonetheless, failing to get a lot deeper this time round, in Brink’s last season and amid a breakout 12 months for Iriafen, needs to be disappointing. Friday marked Stanford’s largest blown halftime lead in NCAA match historical past; coming into Friday, Stanford was 56-0 within the NCAA match with a double-digit halftime lead, the second-most wins with no loss in that spot in match historical past.

Brink will head to the WNBA as a presumptive lottery choose having left her mark on the Stanford program. She passes the baton to Iriafen, who will return as a senior. — Alexa Philippou

How did Texas cruise to the day’s best win? On a Candy 16 Friday marked by shut finishes (Oregon State over Notre Dame), upset bids (South Carolina over Indiana) and comebacks (NC State over Stanford), the Longhorns’ 22-point win provided little drama.

Regardless of taking part in with out starter Taylor Jones (who was in concussion protocol after a tough fall in Sunday’s win over Alabama) and early foul bother for fab freshman Madison Booker, Texas used stout protection to open up a 19-point halftime lead. Gonzaga shot 1-of-12 contained in the arc and the Bulldogs’ 18 factors had been a season low in any half, in line with ESPN Stats & Data. Though Gonzaga discovered somewhat extra rhythm offensively after halftime, the margin by no means obtained any nearer than 12 because the Longhorns answered any time the Bulldogs threatened to fireplace up a pro-Zags crowd in Portland.

What it means for Texas: A 3rd journey to the Elite Eight in Vic Schaefer’s 4 years in Austin. The Longhorns have not but damaged by for his or her first Closing 4 look since 2003 with legendary coach Jody Conradt, who watched Friday’s recreation from courtside, on the helm. After star guard Rori Harmon was misplaced to a season-ending ACL tear in December, this did not appear like Texas’ 12 months. However the Longhorns rallied with Booker changing Harmon at level guard to win the Large 12 match and safe the final No. 1 seed.

Now, with Stanford — which beat Texas within the Elite Eight in 2022 — heading residence, solely NC State stands between the Longhorns and a visit to Cleveland.

What it means for Gonzaga: The top of an period. The Zags’ first journey to the Candy 16 since 2015 was led by three fifth-year seniors, twins Kayleigh Truong and Kaylynne Truong in addition to Utah switch Brynna Maxwell. Main scorer Yvonne Ejim can be a senior however introduced final month she’ll return for a fifth 12 months of eligibility. — Kevin Pelton

Can Oregon State’s submit presence take the Beavers to the Closing 4? There have been two tales to the sport — the Beavers’ domination inside and the best way they fully shut down freshman All-American Hannah Hidalgo. Headed into the matchup, Oregon State felt good about its probabilities to grab management of the sport with its play inside — primarily as a result of Notre Dame was down certainly one of its greatest submit gamers and the Beavers knew the Irish could not play as aggressively to ensure that their workforce to keep away from stepping into foul bother.

The consequence? Oregon State had 40 factors within the paint as Raegan Beers and Timea Gardiner mixed for 32 factors and 24 rebounds. The Beavers additionally outrebounded Notre Dame 42-24, one other big benefit within the recreation. When Notre Dame tried to defend higher inside — tying the rating late — a pair of 3-pointers helped seal the victory. Oregon State’s 60.4% taking pictures from the sphere was the best Notre Dame has allowed in an NCAA match recreation since a minimum of 1999.

Hidalgo completed with 10 factors, going 4-of-17 from the sphere, and did not rating some extent between the primary and fourth quarters. She missed over 4 minutes within the second quarter after she was requested to have her nostril ring eliminated, and will by no means discover her rhythm. (“I assumed it was B.S., as a result of I am on a run, I am on a roll,” Hidalgo informed ESPN after the sport. “I scored two baskets after which having to take a seat out for all that point, I used to be beginning to get chilly. I feel [the officials] had been anxious concerning the mistaken issues. They need to have reffed the sport.”)

There’s loads for Oregon State to scrub up, together with a number of stretches the place it allowed Notre Dame again into the sport when it gave the impression to be in hand. However there is no such thing as a query coach Scott Rueck can win one other recreation with any such presence inside and stout protection.

What it means for Oregon State: Rueck has finished a terrific job constructing again this system, and now the Beavers are within the Elite Eight for the primary time since 2018 with a comparatively younger workforce that has fought and earned every little thing it has gotten. Ready, in fact, is a possible matchup with South Carolina, ought to the Gamecocks beat Indiana of their Candy 16 matchup.

No matter who Oregon State performs, its measurement and presence inside will likely be one of many tales to observe because the Beavers confirmed as soon as once more why they’ve been so environment friendly inside. If that occurs to be a Raegan Beers vs. Kamilla Cardoso matchup, even higher.

To do that within the last season within the Pac-12, with a lot uncertainty about what a brand new West Coast Convention residence will appear like subsequent season and sooner or later, has to really feel much more particular. Rueck himself stated Thursday that it felt surreal to even think about there would not be a Pac-anything. Now right here the Beavers are, one win away from the second Closing 4 look in class historical past.

What it means for Notre Dame: What the Irish completed this season with an injury-depleted roster speaks to not solely the job Niele Ivey has finished, however the stamina and self-discipline of the six gamers she has needed to depend on throughout this NCAA match. The Irish received an ACC title and made it to a 3rd straight Candy 16. The excellent news is that Hidalgo will return to construct on what was already a jaw-dropping debut season. Guard Olivia Miles is predicted to return from a knee damage that saved her out your entire 2023-24 season. Hidalgo and Miles sharing a backcourt collectively will likely be enjoyable to observe.

Plus, Maddy Westbeld has but to resolve whether or not she is going to return for yet another season. Ivey and the Irish have proven no indicators of slowing down. With Hidalgo again and what needs to be a wholesome workforce, Notre Dame ought to compete as soon as once more for an ACC title. — Andrea Adelson

How involved ought to South Carolina be about virtually shedding a 22-point lead? Fairly involved. This recreation might have gotten away from South Carolina, and it will have rocked this match. The Hoosiers made extra 3-pointers (13) than any opponent has in opposition to the Gamecocks since Daybreak Staley took over as coach within the 2008-09 season. Had Indiana pulled the upset, it will have been the most important comeback ever in a girls’s NCAA match recreation.

“Indiana is a extremely powerful basketball workforce that wished to maneuver on,” Staley stated. “I do know (coach) Teri (Moren) will get her workforce again on this place once more sooner or later.”

True sufficient, however the truth that Indiana made this such a detailed recreation should concern Staley. The Gamecocks misplaced their solely recreation final season within the Closing 4, to Iowa, however that recreation was a battle all through. Friday’s recreation virtually appeared prefer it was over early within the third quarter, however then Indiana started its comeback.

“No lead is protected,” Staley stated. “It is good to get this recreation in, however I might a lot moderately have or not it’s clean crusing. As we speak we took some dangerous photographs that led to simple buckets for them.”

What it means for South Carolina: The important thing 3-pointer for South Carolina on this recreation got here from guard Raven Johnson with 53 seconds left and the Gamecocks clinging to a 74-72 lead. Final 12 months, Iowa “waved off” Johnson from behind the arc and wager that the Gamecocks could not make the Hawkeyes pay from lengthy vary. Johnson stated she took that personally and was decided to be a greater 3-point shooter this season.

“I knew she wasn’t going to allow us to lose,” Staley stated.

The Gamecocks had been 8 of 16 from 3-point vary, which was a giant a part of their victory. In addition they obtained 22 factors on 10 of 12 taking pictures from middle Kamilla Cardoso. Subsequent, we’ll see Cardoso go in opposition to one other highly effective submit participant in Oregon State’s Raegan Beers in Sunday’s regional championship recreation.

What it means for Indiana: The Hoosiers end the season 26-6 and say goodbye to fifth-year senior submit participant Mackenzie Holmes, who ends her profession with 2,530 factors as this system’s all-time scoring chief, and third in rebounds with 990. Guard Sara Scalia, who began at Minnesota earlier than transferring final season to Indiana, can be completed along with her school profession.

However guards Sydney Parrish, who led Indiana with 22 factors and made 5 3-pointers Friday, and Chloe Moore-McNeil, who had 12 factors and eight assists, are each coming again for his or her fifth season by way of the COVID-19 waiver from 2020-21. — Michael Voepel