The 2024 NCAA Girls’s Event bracket is about, and one of the best shock the choice committee supplied was a attainable rematch of final 12 months’s championship recreation with Iowa and LSU within the Elite Eight.
Iowa obtained the No. 1 seed within the Albany 2 Area, a spot the Hawkeyes earned after profitable their third consecutive Large Ten Event. Being on that aspect of the bracket means they might doubtlessly face Kansas State — the group that handed them their first lack of the season — within the Candy 16.
In the meantime, the third-seeded Tigers — which rank No. 8 in CBS Sports activities’ rankings of your entire 68-team match area — must get the job finished towards powerful groups like UCLA, Louisville and Creighton. If each LSU and Iowa handle to make the Elite Eight, we might get one other Caitlin Clark vs. Angel Reese showdown.
On the other aspect of the bracket, we obtained the least shocking No. 1 seed: the South Carolina Gamecocks. Daybreak Staley’s group had lengthy locked up the highest seed by going undefeated via the common season after which profitable the SEC Event with a victory over LSU within the title recreation. On paper, the Gamecocks are wanting just like the clear favourite within the Albany 1 Area, however maybe Notre Dame will discover a solution to the Elite Eight to present the Gamecocks a rematch from their season-opener.
This has been an thrilling season and it needs to be an much more thrilling match. However with the mud simply deciding on the Choice Sunday bracket reveal, it is time to try some winners and losers all through the 68-team area.
Loser: LSU is a No. 3 seed … once more
The Tigers are the reigning nationwide champion, however similar to final 12 months, they’re coming into the Large Dance as a No. 3 seed within the Albany 2 Area. Whereas this seeding may appear a bit low for LSU — sure, regardless of its slip-ups early within the season — this really units the Tigers up for a possible matchup towards Iowa, the group they defeated in final season’s nationwide title recreation.
Winner: Pac-12 ends with a bang
The Pac-12 as we all know it’s saying goodbye after this season, however its groups are ensuring the convention leaves a long-lasting legacy. For the primary time in Pac-12 historical past, three groups are seeded No. 2 or higher. USC earned the No. 1 seed within the Portland 3 Area after profitable the convention match. That was no straightforward job because it meant getting via a double-overtime battle towards UCLA and a championship matchup towards a troublesome Stanford group.
USC obtained the most important reward, however UCLA obtained its highest seed in program historical past at No. 2. Tara VanDerveer’s Cardinal are additionally a No. 2 seed. It is also vital to notice that in the course of the Choice Sunday broadcast, a consultant of the committee stated one of many greatest discussions they’d was about Stanford virtually getting the No. 1 seed that was given to Texas.
And right here is another spectacular quantity: The Pac-12 has seven groups within the NCAA Event, tying a convention file.
Talking of the Pac-12…
Winner: Arizona makes the Large Dance
The Wildcats’ file isn’t spectacular on paper, and, in reality, it’d increase some eyebrows. Arizona completed 17-15 general and 8-10 within the Pac-12, however that is when energy of schedule and taking part in in a troublesome convention matter.
Adia Barnes had three freshmen beginning and so they continued to enhance because the season developed. Arizona gave USC an upset scare in the course of the Pac-12 Event quarterfinals, however finally the Trojans discovered a 65-62 win.
Now, the Wildcats are heading to their fourth consecutive NCAA Event. They obtained a ticket to the First 4 to play Auburn (20-11, 8-8 SEC), and the winner will transfer on to face No. 6-seeded Syracuse.
Loser: UConn misses No. 2 seed
Albany is a couple of two-hour drive from Storrs, Conn., but when the Huskies make it to the Candy 16, they must fly throughout the nation to Portland, Ore. — which is considerably much less handy for his or her followers.
On the brilliant aspect, the Huskies are competing of their Thirty fifth-consecutive NCAA Event, and being one of many top-16 seeds, they get to host early-round video games. The No. 3-seeded Huskies have made it to the Candy 16 yearly since 1994, so followers in all probability will not thoughts the placement so long as their group retains the streak going.
Winner: Columbia dealing with Vandy after coach’s SEC criticism
That is the primary time the Ivy League will get two bids since 2016, however that is about a lot extra. The Lions couldn’t get previous Princeton within the Ivy League Event championship, shedding 75-58 the day earlier than Choice Sunday. Nonetheless, the Lions had been one of many lucky bubble groups who heard their named referred to as, and now they get to show themselves with a First 4 matchup towards Vanderbilt.
Columbia coach Megan Griffith wasn’t too certain her group would make it in. After shedding to Princeton, she commented on how mid-major groups do not get as a lot leeway as groups from main conferences.
“The NCAA talks about eager to develop the sport, and we simply constantly put SEC groups in which can be 15-14,” Griffith stated.
And in an attention-grabbing flip of occasions, the Lions will probably be taking part in their First 4 matchup towards Vanderbilt, a group that went 9-7 within the SEC.
“We’re actually wanting ahead to representing the SEC,” stated Vanderbilt coach Shea Ralph, as reported by The Tennessean. “And I do know that we’re battle-tested.”