NCAA women's tourney preview: UConn seeking 7th perfect season
March Madness is finally upon us. We're only a few weeks away from seeing who'll be cutting down the nets in Phoenix. With the bracket locked in, here's everything you need to know about this year's women's NCAA Tournament.
Key storylines 🔑
UConn chasing perfection
Can anybody stop UConn? The Huskies roll into the Big Dance on a 50-game win streak and in pursuit of their seventh perfect season. Geno Auriemma's squad hasn't missed a beat despite losing reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers. UConn's closest result this season was a 72-69 win over Michigan in November, but all of its other victories have been by double digits.
Sarah Strong has taken over as the face of the program and is the front-runner for this year's Wooden Award. Meanwhile, Azzi Fudd is thriving as the Huskies' top perimeter option, and the All-American guard's improvements on the defensive end are putting her in the conversation for the No. 1 overall pick in April.
UCLA's last dance
UCLA might have the best shot at taking down UConn. The Bruins were arguably just as dominant as the Huskies, winning a nation-leading 19 Quad 1 games, including a record 51-point rout of Iowa in the Big Ten Tournament final. Their lone defeat was to fellow 1-seed Texas at the Players Era Championship. Cori Close's squad is the country's sixth-best 3-point shooting team (37.5%), which is a necessity to keep up with UConn's plethora of sharpshooters.
UCLA's veteran core of Lauren Betts, Kiki Rice, Gianna Kneepkens, and Gabriela Jaquez could all go in the first round of next month's WNBA draft. The Bruins' path to the Final Four won't be without its obstacles. In the Sweet 16, Ole Miss could be a problem with standout transfer Cotie McMahon powering its offense. Duke's stingy defense or LSU's top-scoring offense also can't be taken lightly if either school meets UCLA in the Elite Eight. Should the Bruins advance through their region, a likely rematch with the Longhorns awaits.
South Carolina, Texas seeking redemption
South Carolina and Texas came up short in their respective bids for a national championship last season. The Gamecocks ended the Longhorns' run in the Final Four before being blown out by UConn in the title game. Dawn Staley's squad returned over half of its scoring from a year ago, and it's banking on the extra offensive juice from Florida State transfer Ta'Niya Latson to put them over the top. Meanwhile, Texas is sticking to its principles on both ends of the floor. Vic Schaefer's group doesn't shoot or make many threes, but it's found tremendous success by dominating the paint and mid-range. Led by fifth-year guard Rori Harmon, the Longhorns' suffocating ball pressure is the other half of their winning formula.
Stacked freshmen class
Just as the case is on the men's side, there's no shortage of young talent in the women's game. Jazzy Davidson, the No. 1 overall recruit, has stepped up for USC in the absence of JuJu Watkins, leading the Trojans in scoring (17.6 per game), rebounding (5.7), assists (4.2), steals (two), and blocks (two). Aaliyah Chavez, the reigning Gatorade National Player of the Year, is a key cog in Oklahoma's success, providing the Sooners with unlimited shooting range and playmaking. Vanderbilt's Aubrey Galvan has been a steady presence at the point alongside Mikayla Blakes and an impact defender in her first season with the 2-seed Commodores.
Cinderella candidates 👠
No. 11 Fairfield
Fairfield is making a program-record third consecutive appearance in the Big Dance. The Stags have been one of the top mid-major schools since Carly Thibault-DuDonis took over in 2022, but they're still seeking their maiden NCAA Tournament win. That could change this season with an improved offensive attack paired with a defense that forces plenty of turnovers. Fairfield is drilling an NCAA-leading 11.4 triples per contest, with five rotational players shooting at least 35% from deep.
No. 11 Rhode Island
Rhode Island is back in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 30 years. Tammi Reiss guided the Rams to a school-record 28 wins and a sweep of the A-10 regular-season and tournament titles. Their success stems from continuity and a pair of fresh faces. Saint Louis transfer Brooklyn Gray is the team's leading scorer at 12.5 points per contest, while freshman guard Vanessa Harris ranks third at 10.3 points and is the first player in program history to win the A-10's Sixth Woman of the Year award. Rhode Island plays at a slow pace and relies on defense, which helped it upset NC State in Raleigh last November.
No. 12 Gonzaga
Gonzaga is another team with 3-point shooting that instills fear in opponents, sitting second behind UConn at 39% from downtown. Leading scorer Lauren Whittaker is a mismatch for opposing bigs with her ability to score in the post and step out beyond the arc. Sophomore guard Allie Turner ranks top-five nationally in 3-point percentage (46.7%) for the second straight season and tops all WCC players with 84 threes.