5 player matchups we want to see in women's March Madness

The first round is underway, and we're continuing our look ahead at head-to-heads we want to see in the later rounds of Women's March Madness.

This time, we're looking at individual player matchups that could take place in later rounds.

4. Hannah Hidalgo (Notre Dame) vs. Juju Watkins (USC)

When it could happen: National Championship Game

How poetic would it be to see the nation's top two freshmen lead their teams to the championship game? Both of them have roared onto the college scene and somehow exceeded all expectations.

Hidalgo's freshman resume is incredible:

• ACC Tournament champion
• ACC Tournament MVP
• ACC Rookie of the Year
• ACC Defensive Player of the Year
• All-ACC First Team
• Dawn Staley Award finalist
• Naismith Defensive Player of the Year semifinalist

Along the way, she shattered numerous records, including some belonging to legends like Skylar Diggins-Smith and Jewell Loyd, and helped the Fighting Irish to a 2 seed in the tournament.

Watkins' resume is equally as impressive:

• First-team All-American
• USBWA National Freshman of the Year 
• All-Pac-12 Team
• Pac-12 All-Defensive Team
• Pac-12 Freshman of the Year
• Pac-12 champion

Throughout the season, Watkins broke multiple records, including some set by Lisa Leslie and Cheryl Miller, and recorded a 50-point game against Stanford.

Needless to say, seeing these two battle it out on the biggest stage would be an incredible sight. It could also serve as a changing of the guard moment, with these two leading the youth movement as some of the game's bigger faces transition to the pros.

3. Paige Bueckers (UConn) vs. Caitlin Clark (Iowa)

When it could happen: Final Four

Two stars who are so often mentioned in the same sentence, these two have only met once during their college careers, and that was back in 2021. A lot has changed since then.

Back then, Iowa was a 5 seed who went 20-10. Clark had recorded only one triple-double in her career and had scored a measly (by her standards) 799 points. Bueckers was the biggest name in the game, and the leading scorer on a stacked UConn team that went 27-1 in the regular season.

Now, it feels like things are flipped. Bueckers' injury absence combined with Clark's meteoric rise flipped their place in the spotlight. Clark's Hawkeyes are a 1 seed, while Bueckers' Huskies are a 3. It's Clark who is plastered on everyone's TV screen, billboards, and social media posts. While Bueckers is still undeniably one of the game's big stars, Clark has ascended to a level of stardom rarely seen.

There's also the urgency factor. Clark has already declared for the WNBA Draft, while Bueckers will return for another year. This is the last chance we have to see them head-to-head at this level. While their future WNBA battles will be special, a March matchup would have a certain air and aura around it that is unmatchable.

2. Yvonne Ejim (Gonzaga) vs. Alissa Pili (Utah)

When it could happen: Round of 32

West Coast games are notoriously difficult for fans across the country to watch for a variety of reasons, but this matchup on the national stage would allow fans to see two of the country's best forwards battle it out.

A Pili-Ejim matchup would be a battle of efficient, inside-oriented forwards. While Pili has expanded her range and shot over 100 threes this season (made 39%, too!), she thrives down low. Meanwhile, Ejim has only attempted 24 threes in her career.

Pili emerged as one of the nation's best after transferring to Utah, where she took her game to another level. She was already a good player, and won Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, but the move to Utah allowed her to blossom into a great player. Last year, she won Pac-12 Player of the Year after leading the conference in scoring (20.7 ppg) and field goal percentage (59%). This year was more of the same, as she led Utah to a 5 seed.

Ejim has also blossomed into a star during her time at Gonzaga. In her first season, she played just 6.5 minutes per game. Despite the low minutes, Ejim was still an impact player for Gonzaga at key moments, and was named to the All-WCC Freshman team. She has played over 20 minutes in each of the last three seasons, and snagged WCC Sixth Woman of the Year in 2022. One of the nation's best inside scorers, she shot over 60% from the field this season and averaged 19.8 points per game. Ejim was named WCC's 2024 Player and Defender of the Year, too.

This matchup also would bring more recognition for these two stars with fans across the nation, as some newer fans may not have even heard of or had a chance to watch either of them.

1. Rickea Jackson (Tennessee) vs. Kiki Iriafen (Stanford)

When it could happen: Sweet 16

Another battle of elite forwards, we got a small preview of this matchup in 2022. Back then, though, neither of these players quite had the profile they have now.

Jackson was just 12 games into her Tennessee career after transferring from Mississippi State. She was well-known amongst SEC fans, but hadn't yet taken the national leap. Iriafen was a low-minute starter who had shown potential, but was still battling for her minutes.

Now, these two are arguably the best two forwards in the nation, with Jackson projected to be a lottery pick in this year's WNBA Draft. Iriafen will likely follow suit when she's eligible, too. This would be a fun matchup if these two teams were to meet, given how far both players have come since they last met.

Jackson has emerged as a do-it-all forward for the Volunteers, leading them in points, rebounds, and getting reps as their primary initiator at times. She has worked on expanding her range, some, but remains elite in the mid-range and paint areas. Her combination of physicality and finesse makes her a nightmare to guard.

Meanwhile, Iriafen has become Stanford's leading scorer and second-leading rebounder. She posted 15 double-doubles this year. She averaged 18.6 points and 11 rebounds per game, and shot 55% from the field. And that's while sharing the floor with projected top-2 pick Cameron Brink.

A Jackson-Iriafen battle would be fantastic, smash mouth basketball. Two high-motor, high-skill, high-profile players going at it on the biggest stage.

BONUS: Hailey Van Lith (LSU) vs. Louisville

When it could happen: Second Round

Given the rise of the transfer portal, it doesn't often feel like players leave programs with any ill intent any more. HVL vs. Louisville is an exception. Ever since she left Louisville, it has felt like there's been beef. Take a look at her reaction to finding out that the Cardinals could be LSU's second round opponent:

If you read her lips at the end, you can see her say "Middle Tennessee gon' whoop they ass!"

Let's hope she's wrong so we can see her battle her former team in the second round.