The Women’s NCAA Basketball Tournament is set to begin with the selection committee announcing the top seeds and hosting locations. South Carolina has emerged as the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament and is looking to become the 10th women’s basketball team to go undefeated for an entire season.
South Carolina’s Journey
The South Carolina Gamecocks have been challenged a few times this year but have always pulled through. Norfolk State will be their opponent in the first round of the tournament.
The team is led by star Aliyah Boston, who has been a dominant force in the paint all season. Other schools vying for No. 1 seeds include Iowa, Indiana, Virginia Tech, Stanford, and Utah.
Stanford’s Quest for Victory
Stanford has received a top seeding 13 times, and this has also been the case in the previous three tournaments.
They are looking to add another championship to their resume this year. The selection committee spent a lot of time on selecting the No. 1 seeds and deciding which teams would host. The tournament starts on Wednesday with two First Four games and 16 games on Friday and Saturday.
Hosting the First Two Rounds
South Carolina has an easy path to the Final Four as they will play their first two games on their home campus before potentially heading to Greenville, South Carolina, for one of the two regionals. Dawn Staley, head coach of South Carolina, sees the team’s location in Greenville, South Carolina, as a blessing for the tournament.
The NCAA changed the format for the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight rounds this season, with two regional sites in Greenville and Seattle. The initial two rounds will be hosted by the leading four teams in every region.
Competition in South Carolina’s Bracket
The other top teams in South Carolina’s bracket are Maryland, Notre Dame, and UCLA. South Carolina beat both Maryland and UCLA earlier in the season. Staley wants the team to focus on the first game against Norfolk State before looking ahead.
Top Seeds and Brackets
Indiana is the other top seed in Greenville, with Utah as the 2 seed, LSU third, and Villanova fourth. UConn aims to reach the Final Four for the 15th consecutive year and has star guard Azzi Fudd back from injury. UConn is a No. 2 seed in Seattle, with Virginia Tech as the top seed in that part of the bracket, followed by Ohio State and Tennessee.
Stanford is the No. 1 seed in the other Seattle regional, with Iowa, Duke, and Texas as the 2, 3, and 4 seeds respectively. The Atlantic Coast Conference has eight teams in the tournament, with the Big Ten, SEC, and Pac-12 each having seven, the Big 12 six, and the Big East five.
Southern Utah, Southeastern Louisiana, Sacramento State, and Saint Louis will all be making their tournament debut.
Looking Ahead
The tournament is shaping up to be an exciting one with a mix of dominant teams and underdogs. South Carolina and Stanford will be the ones to watch as they look to add another championship to their record.
With the new format for the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight rounds, anything can happen. Fans can tune in to watch the First Four games on Wednesday and the 16 games on Friday and Saturday to see which teams will advance to the next round of the tournament.
