Women’s March Madness officially kicked off last week, with 68 of the best teams in college basketball competing for a national championship. Now, only 16 teams remain. Let’s take a brief look at all of the schools that made it to the second weekend of March Madness.
The defending champion University of Connecticut Huskies are the best team in the country. Led by Naismith Player of the Year finalists in second-year forward Sarah Strong and fifth-year guard Azzi Fudd, the Huskies are the only undefeated team in all of college basketball at 36-0. UConn have only had one game where they didn’t win by double digits, and are the clear favorites for the title.
For the second straight season, the North Carolina Tar Heels have reached the Sweet 16. The Tar Heels score via committee, with four double-digit scorers, six over eight points per game. They will face an uphill battle against UConn on Friday, March 27.
Despite losing All-American guard Olivia Miles to the transfer portal, Notre Dame has found itself in a position to make a run in the tournament, much to the phenomenal play of Hannah Hidalgo. The third-year guard has taken another leap this year, third in the country in points per game and leads Notre Dame in assists and rebounds per game.
Vanderbilt is having one of the best seasons in program history. Second-year guard Mikayla Blakes leads the country in scoring at 27 points per game, helping the Commodores grasp a top-10 offense. Expect a high-scoring affair when Blakes and Hidalgo match up on Friday, March 27.
Head Coach Dawn Staley has brought South Carolina to the dance as a number one seed for the sixth-straight season. Losing fourth-year forward Chloe Kitts, a consistent starter for Staley the last two years, to a torn ACL during the preseason opened up a lot of minutes in the frontcourt. Second-year forward Joyce Edwards seized the opportunity and made a major scoring jump. South Carolina only had three losses all season, one of which was to Oklahoma.
Aaliyah Chavez is one of the most talented first-year guards in the country and leads Oklahoma in scoring. Where she lacks in efficiency, her teammate, fourth-year forward Raegan Beers, makes up for it, as she is one of the best interior finishers in college basketball.
The previously mentioned fourth-year guard, Olivia Miles, transferred to TCU and is currently a three seed in Regional 4 in Sacramento. This season marks the second straight year of 30+ wins for TCU after completely missing the tournament for the 14 years previous.
The University of Virginia is the only true Cinderella team still in the tournament. As the 10 seed in the region, they have upset higher seeds Georgia and Iowa in back-to-back overtime games. Third-year guard Kymora Johnson has been an offensive powerhouse throughout the term, and her excellent play will need to continue if the Cavaliers hope to keep dancing, starting on Saturday, March 28 against TCU.
UCLA and fourth-year center Lauren Betts, the projected number one pick in the WNBA Draft, have been a powerhouse in college basketball for the past four years. The only thing missing on the resume is a national championship. With All-American fourth-year guard Kiki Rice and the rest of a stacked supporting cast next to Betts, UCLA could win its first championship.
Head Coach Dawn Plitzuweit has completely transformed Minnesota’s women’s basketball program, ending its seven-year postseason drought. A majority of their offense comes from the paint, so the matchup with UCLA’s size on Friday, March 27 will be key to watch.
LSU features the nation’s most explosive offense, powered by a dynamic backcourt. Fourth-year guard Flau’jae Johnson, third-year guard Mikaylah Williams, first-year standout ZaKiyah Johnson, and third-year South Carolina transfer MiLaysia Fulwiley all average double figures.
After a slow 3-6 start, Duke dominated in conference play, winning the ACC tournament. The Blue Devils have continued their level play, beating Charleston and Baylor by a combined 40 points. They face LSU on Friday, March 27.
Texas, led by dynamic scorer and All-American third-year forward Madison Booker, is a number one seed for the third consecutive year, marking the first time since 1987. Their top-15 offense and defense propelled the Longhorns to capture the SEC championship.
Clara Strack is the engine of both Kentucky’s offensive and defensive output. The third-year center, who was the SEC Defensive Player of the Year a season ago, averages a double-double to go along with 2.6 blocks per game. After losing the regular-season matchup against Texas, they have a chance at revenge on Saturday, March 28.
Michigan’s offense relies heavily on underclassmen, but what they lack in experience, they make up for in firepower. Wolverines’ second-year guards Olivia Olson, Syla Swords, Mila Holloway and Te’Yala Delfosse score 66% of their points, for an offense that ranks top-10 in the country.
Louisville is also looking to capture its first championship in school history, and this may be the best roster that Head Coach Jeff Walz has had in his 19 years at the university. While the Cardinals don’t have a true star, their top 20 offense is fueled by seven players who score over eight points per game.
