The NCAA Tournament for women's college basketball began on Friday morning and it is expected to be one of the most exciting spectacles in sports.
While this time of year is typically when the stars shine the brightest and the cream rises to the top, it is also a time when Cinderella stories and underdogs dominate the headlines.
There are several teams in March Madness this year that were given double-digit seeds by the selection committee but could prove everyone wrong and be the first team seeded No. 10 or higher to reach the Final Four.
Which double-digit seeds could be first to make the Women’s Final Four?
No. 11 seed Columbia
Columbia had a miraculous victory in the First Four on Wednesday against a Big Ten opponent, the Washington Huskies. After trailing by 13 points at halftime, the Lions rallied in the second half, in large part due to the heroics of sophomore guard Riley Weiss.
The Lions beat Providence earlier this season and battled against teams like Duke, Indiana and Villanova, all of whom are in power conferences. They fell short of winning their conference tournament but have entered March Madness with a chip on their shoulder. They have a favorable draw in the first round against West Virginia and are in one of the weaker regions. Getting past South Carolina will be tough, but this is March, and nothing is impossible.
No. 10 seed Harvard
Harvard won the Ivy League tournament and is playing their best basketball at the right time. With an impressive record of 24-4, including a win over nationally ranked Indiana and a slew of other power conference opponents, it is a wonder how the Crimson are even a double-digit seed.
They'll be dangerous this March as they have a winnable first-round matchup against the Michigan State Spartans and have a handful of favorable matchups ahead. NC State has not looked their best lately and Flau'jae Johnson's health is in question, so they could advance to the Elite 8 and have a matchup with No. 1 overall seed UCLA waiting. It may not be likely, but conventional wisdom goes out the window in March.
No. 13 seed Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon has been the talk of college basketball over the last week or so. Not only is their coach a vibrant character who has her team playing well at the right time, but the Antelopes may have one of the most impressive resumes in the country.
After a loss to No. 23 Oregon on November 18, Grand Canyon has not lost a single game. They've taken down teams like Arizona and Utah State during that stretch and ran the table in the Western Athletic Conference, making them dangerous in the Tournament. They'll have their hands full beating Baylor, Ole Miss and UCLA consecutively, but never underestimate the power of a team playing with nothing to losee.