In this week's WBB Wraparound: It's the best time of the year, let's dive into the Women's NCAA Tournament.
3 potential bracket-busting games:
No. 10 Harvard vs. No. 7 Michigan State: Such an intriguing game as Harvard is coming off an impressive performance in the Ivy League Championship. Harmoni Turner is a player that can take over a game single-handedly. Harvard's No. 10 seed may be an indication of their potential, but it's also very likely it's just another case of Ivy League disrespect. Michigan State is, of course, still a formidable opponent, but don't count Harvard out just because they are an Ivy School. This first-round game could bust some brackets off the bat.
*No. 3 LSU vs No. 6 Florida State: If LSU and Florida State meet up in the Round of 32, it will be a fantastic match-up. You can't let seeding fool you in this one, Florida State is a great team. Add on the fact that LSU has struggled with injury and it's unclear who will be available for them as the tournament progresses. Florida State's Ta'Niya Latson is averaging 24.9 points per game this season, leading the country in scoring. The only reason she has not received as much Player of the Year buzz as she deserves is because Florida State isn't as highly ranked as other teams in the conversation. The Seminoles could deliver the early upset to LSU.
No.1 Texas (Sweet Sixteen or Elite Eight): Texas is an intriguing team as we look at their bracket. Yes, they are a number-one seed, and have beaten many other top teams in the field in order to get there. Yet, when you look at their roster, it lacks the depth a power a lot of other teams have. They have an incredibly dominant player in Madison Booker, but at 6-foot-1 she is undersized as a forward and won't have the defensive advantage against many other teams. They could face either Creighton or Illinois in the second round, and Creighton's pace and offense may hurt Texas. After that, it's likely they face Tennessee or Ohio State in their Sweet Sixteen game, and both teams could have the matchups needed to bring down Texas. Ultimately, if Texas makes it to the Elite Eight, where Notre Dame or TCU likely awaits them, they could get busted.
*Later round games that are indicated via seeding but are not finalized as of Thursday, March 20
2 MUST-see games in the first two rounds:
*No. 6 Iowa vs. No. 3 Oklahoma (second round): If we get the Oklahoma vs Iowa match in round two, it will be extremely interesting. Obviously Iowa has made it to the Finals the past two seasons, but they don't have the Caitlin Clark star power that will help them cruise to the Final Four. They especially lack depth in the frontcourt, and Reagan Beers of Oklahoma could give Hannah Stuelke some problems — especially when it comes to foul trouble. This will be a fun game regardless.
*No. 2 Duke vs. No. 7 Vanderbilt (second round): The ACC Champion Duke Blue Devils are heading into the dance filled with confidence, but it may not be enough to overcome the best underclassmen duo in the country. Seeding aside, looking at the style match-up here is so intriguing. Duke is a defense-first team — their goal is to stop their opponents from getting into an offensive rhythm. From there, Duke doesn't need to have a phenomenal day on offense themselves, because their defense was so overpowering. That definitely helped them win the ACC title over NC State a few weeks ago. Vanderbilt on the other hand packs an offensive punch — Mikayla Blakes has scored in the 50s twice this season. Then there is Khamil Pierre, who can back her up in the front court and get it done. Must-see basketball if we are lucky enough to see these two in the second round.
1 player to watch in the Tournament: Paige Bueckers
Seems like an obvious choice, as Bueckers has already been racking up regular-season awards and postseason accolades. She's also the projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, should she choose to declare. For now though, she has one thing in her sight: winning a NCAA championship.
UConn has 11 National Championships, and most WNBA stars who have come out of the legendary program have at least one under their belt. If Bueckers doesn't win a championship during her tenure at UConn, she will probably be the best player the school has ever seen to not get one. Not to say it's a make or break to her future stardom, as there are a ton of great WNBA players who never reached that achievement, but it's within the realm of possibility for this UConn team.
Bueckers, along with Azzi Fudd, Sarah Strong and the rest of this UConn squad have proven they can compete against the powerhouses. They won a big game against South Carolina in the regular season, and although they lost a few other big games throughout the season, that potential is all that is needed.
Keep your eyes as Bueckers turns it up to the next level in pursuit of the one thing she has yet to check off in her college career.