With most NCAAW conference tournaments kicking off in less than a month, it's time for some teams to get serious about their final games of the regular season. Sometimes, seeding can make or break a top team's chances of going far in the tournament. Other teams are sitting right on the bubble, barely making it in, and their final games are crucial.
Here are the five biggest games left in women's college basketball.
No. 3 South Carolina at No. 6 LSU (Saturday, Feb. 14 at 8:30 p.m. ET)
This will be their first meeting of the year, which means MiLaysia Fulwiley's first time facing South Carolina since transferring to LSU in the offseason. We also know that whenever Dawn Staley and Kim Mulkey coach against each other, it's going to be a good one. LSU is definitely looking to prove itself further with another Top-5 win on the season. They split their games against No. 4 Texas, losing their most recent matchup.
The SEC regular-season title race is fairly close, with South Carolina leading the charge with a 10-1 in-conference record. LSU currently sits at No. 5 with an 8-3 record. If the Tigers beat the Gamecocks on Saturday and the rest of the season goes their way, they could take over that No. 1 spot in the SEC — but that might be a big 'if.' There's a good chance the players have had this one circled all season.
No. 19 West Virginia at No. 17 TCU (Sunday, Feb. 15 at 8:00 p.m. ET)
This one has big implications within the Big 12. Right now, the Mountaineers lead in-conference play with a 11-3 record. Texas Tech and TCU are close behind, both with 10-3 in-conference records. West Virginia's only Big 12 loss came from TCU, so it's clear they're going in with an extra chip on their shoulder. But if I'm honest, with the way the Horned Frogs showed out in their most recent matchup against Baylor, I'd be worried to play them.
Olivia Miles and Marta Suarez combined for 67 of TCU's 83 points. Miles hit 10 three-pointers, and recorded 40 total points. If they can bring that energy against WVU, it'd put them in good position to try and win the conference. On the other hand, if the Mountaineers can pull off the win, they're in prime position to coast to a conference regular-season win.
NC State at No. 11 Duke (Thursday, Feb. 19 at 7:00 p.m. ET)
NC State's only ranked win was against No. 8 Tennessee in their first game of the season. Since then, it's been up and down for the Wolfpack. This game against Duke will be their last chance to get a victory over a ranked, established team in the regular season. The Blue Devils had a rough start to the season. They won only 3 of their first 9 games. Since then, they've curated a 15-game win streak, including a close one against No. 6 Louisville. Over the 15 games, their star, Toby Fournier, has averaged 19.4 points per game.
Duke is the only undefeated team in ACC play — but that could be coming to an end. The Blue Devils will face their bitter rival, No. 21 North Carolina, two times in their final five games. UNC and NC State both have the chance to shake Duke up before the ACC tournament. Both teams are also looking for those statement wins over No. 11 Duke to establish themselves as real competitors.
No. 7 Michigan at No. 8 Ohio State (Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 8:00 p.m. ET)
These squads are looking at the 2 or 3-seed spots in the NCAA Tournament. This game could end up having implications for their final positioning. UCLA is the frontrunner to win the Big 10 regular-season title and tournament title. But, one of these two teams could be the one facing them in that Big 10 Championship game — or they could come across each other. Either way, a win against the other in this matchup would boost their confidence.
Both schools have elite players who could be deciding factors, too. At Michigan, they have Syla Swords and Olivia Olson. Two players who have had jumps in their games between their freshman and sophomore years. Swords is averaging 14.1 points per game. Olson is leading the team in both points and rebounds — averaging 18.9 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. Ohio State has sophomore Jaloni Cambridge, who averages 22.5 points per game.
Virginia Tech at Virginia (Sunday, Mar. 1 at 12:00 p.m. ET)
This is both teams' final matchup of the year, and it could have big implications for either. These two flip-flop between being one of the 'last four teams in' or 'first four teams out' on almost every tournament bracketology available. This means their record against each other could mean even more. Right now, the Cavaliers have the advantage, as they took the 76-64 victory over the Hokies in early February.
Both teams will also face No. 21 North Carolina before meeting with each other. Getting a ranked win under their belts could be huge. Virginia will have another chance at that when they face No. 9 Louisville before the season ends. The Cavaliers went on a 7-game winning streak earlier in the season, but have since been inconsistent, winning four of their last nine. The Hokies, on the other hand, have won seven of their last nine games. This Virginia-Virginia Tech matchup should shape up to be a great regular-season closer.