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After experiencing the First 4 for the primary time, the 2022 ladies’s NCAA event first-round video games open Friday on the street to Minneapolis. And one factor we’ll be expecting is how sturdy groups look in countering the home-court benefit of the top-16 seeds.
And that is a part of why we have seen so few upsets within the first spherical; a No. 16 seed has gained simply as soon as (outdoors of this yr’s First 4), and that was in 1998 when Harvard beat top-seeded Stanford. The Nos. 14 and 15 seeds have by no means gained a ladies’s NCAA event sport. The No. 13 seeds have gained 10 instances, most not too long ago final yr when Wright State beat Arkansas within the first spherical; nevertheless that sport — like all of the video games final season — was on a impartial court docket.
It could possibly get tougher for groups to guard the house court docket within the second spherical. In 2019, the latest yr when video games have been on house courts, 4 host groups have been upset within the second spherical. Considered one of them was by a double-digit seed: No. 13 Missouri State over No. Three Iowa State. And whereas Woman Vols alum Kellie Harper was going to be a candidate for the open Tennessee job that yr anyway, guiding the Woman Bears to the Candy 16 was a lift for her shifting to Knoxville.
Equally, Wright State’s victory final season helped coach Katrina Merriweather transfer on to Memphis. So whereas the gears are grinding on court docket through the event, the coaches’ carousel and the switch portal will probably be energetic off court docket, too. There may be at all times loads to look at and speculate about throughout March Insanity. Listed below are a number of the high storylines that ESPN’s Mechelle Voepel, Alexa Philippou and Charlie Creme will probably be watching Friday and Saturday.
Observe these hyperlinks for an entire have a look at Thursday’s first-round games and Friday’s schedule. All video games are on the ESPN household of networks.
Go to this hyperlink to fill out or test your Women’s Tournament Challenge bracket as soon as the video games get underway.
Which sport Friday are you most wanting ahead to watching?
Creme: Florida Gulf Coast vs. Virginia Tech (2:30 p.m. ET, ESPNU). The Eagles are tragically underseeded and must be a No. 9 or 10 at worst, not a No. 12 seed. That places fifth-seeded Virginia Tech in a troublesome place. The Hokies are going to have bother chasing FGCU across the perimeter, the place the Eagles make a nation-best 11.7 3-pointers per sport. The flip aspect is that the Eagles haven’t got a solution for 6-foot-Four All-American Elizabeth Kitley on the within. Kinds make nice fights. The wrestle for every staff to impose its personal type must be fascinating.
Philippou: I am with Charlie right here, FGCU-Virginia Tech feels prefer it should not be a first-round sport, however right here we’re. I am additionally intrigued by No. 11 seed Dayton vs. No. 6 Georgia (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPNews) in Ames, Iowa. The Flyers demolished DePaul of their First 4 sport Wednesday, holding the highest-scoring offense within the nation to only 57 factors on 27% taking pictures. In line with ESPN Stats & Data, they have been solely the second staff previously 20 years to register 12 3-pointers (on 13-for-23 taking pictures no much less!) and 12 blocks in an NCAA event sport.
Not solely does Dayton have the momentum from its sturdy outing Wednesday, but it surely has each the bigs (together with 6-5 Tenin Magassa, who recorded seven blocks in opposition to Aneesah Morrow and the remainder of the Blue Demons) able to containing Georgia’s Jenna Staiti in addition to the 3-point taking pictures (Erin Whalen shot 7-for-12 from the arc Wednesday) that would rock the Bulldogs again on their heels, particularly if the Flyers care for the ball and get entering into transition.
Voepel: I am not saying it will likely be a reasonably sport, as a result of it virtually definitely will not. However it will likely be cool to see Spokane No. eight seed Kansas again within the event for the primary time since 2013. The Jayhawks will go in opposition to a No. 9 seed Georgia Tech staff (7:30 p.m. ET Friday, ESPNU) that will probably be high-quality with a sport within the 40s or 50s; the Yellow Jackets held opponents to a mean of 51.9 PPG this season. Georgia Tech acquired huge nonconference wins over UConn and Georgia and began the ACC season 9-2. However the Yellow Jackets misplaced six of their previous 9 video games. Kansas misplaced 4 of its previous 5, however contemplating all these losses have been to groups within the NCAA top-16 seeds, the Jayhawks proved they belong again within the Huge Dance. The winner possible will get defending champion Stanford.
Which website has the most effective group of video games on the opening weekend?
Creme: If I am shopping for a ticket, it could be in Norman, Oklahoma, the place each of Saturday’s video games are potential upsets. No. 13 seed IUPUI and Macee Williams, a 6-2 senior heart who averages 18.7 PPG and 10.5 RPG, are a troublesome matchup for No. Four seed Oklahoma (10 p.m. ET, ESPNU), which doesn’t defend the submit properly. Keep in mind, Kansas State heart Ayoka Lee scored an NCAA single-game report 61 factors in opposition to the Sooners in January.
UMass‘ Sam Breen is also a family identify by Saturday morning if the No. 12 seed Minutewomen knock off No. 5 Notre Dame (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2). ESPN’s BPI provides the Irish a 60.5% probability to win; Her Hoops Stats has the Irish’s win chance at 52.3%. If nothing else, each video games must be extra aggressive than the seeds would recommend.
Voepel: I agree that Oklahoma may have three actually fascinating video games. However I additionally need to draw consideration to Friday’s video games at School Park, Maryland, because the host No. Four seed Terrapins tackle 13-seed Delaware (5 p.m. ET, ESPNU) and fifth-seeded Virginia Tech meets No. 12 Florida Gulf Coast.
Maryland regarded able to take over the Huge Ten after victories in opposition to Iowa and Ohio State accomplished a stretch of eight victories in a row on Feb. 14 and 17. However the Terps misplaced two of the previous three, together with a dispirited 62-51 defeat to Indiana on the Huge Ten event.
Delaware would not have a lot measurement, however the Blue Hens have expertise, together with wing Jasmine Dickey (25.1 PPG, 10.2 RPG) and ahead Ty Battle (13.3, 11.5), who each common double-doubles. And the Virginia Tech-FGCU sport, as Charlie talked about, must be an fascinating distinction in groups that play fairly in another way.
Philippou: I feel the Saturday video games in Tucson have an opportunity of turning out fairly fascinating. Issues is perhaps wanting up for No. Four seed Arizona — which faces 13-seed UNLV (10 p.m. ET, ESPN2), again within the NCAA event for the primary time since 2002 — with 6-2 ahead Cate Reese anticipated to return from a late season shoulder damage. However the Wildcats’ play has nonetheless been so up and down this season that I will be seeking to see how they appear now that they are wholesome and, in idea, beginning contemporary within the NCAA event, the place final day trip they superior to the nationwide title sport.
No. 5 seed North Carolina has the sting on paper over No. 12 seed Stephen F. Austin (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPNews), however the Lumberjacks’ type of play makes them a troublesome squad to go up in opposition to. Their full-court press helps them pressure 23.7 turnovers per sport, the second-best mark within the nation, and they’re nice at attacking the basket and attending to the free throw line. The Tar Heels should play disciplined basketball to keep away from a possible upset.
Who’s the must-see participant on the court docket Friday?
Philippou: Florida Gulf Coast’s Kierstan Bell has gotten numerous buzz, particularly after saying just a few months in the past that she’ll enter the 2022 WNBA draft. The not too long ago tabbed Related Press Honorable Point out All-American (who averages 24.1 level and seven.6 rebounds per sport) missed a month of the season resulting from {a partially} torn meniscus, however since returning helped the Eagles safe their NCAA event berth by successful the ASUN championship. In final season’s NCAA event, Bell — who regardless of being listed as a 6-1 guard for the Eagles usually performs the 5 for them — had an inefficient 25 factors on 24 pictures in FGCU’s first-round loss to Michigan. Can she fare higher in her final actual “tryout” earlier than her skilled profession is ready to start?
Voepel: We are going to point out the apparent ones, equivalent to South Carolina‘s Aliyah Boston, Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, Iowa State‘s Ashley Joens and Stanford’s Haley Jones. However one other participant to regulate is Colorado‘s Mya Hollingshed, who’s taking part in in her first NCAA event. The No. 7 seed Buffs are within the Huge Dance for the primary time since 2013. A “tremendous senior” in her fifth season, she symbolizes the work Colorado has carried out to get again up to now. Hollingshed, a 6-Three ahead, is averaging 14.1 factors and seven.5 rebounds to guide the Buffs. Colorado performs Creighton in Iowa Metropolis, Iowa, at 1:30 p.m. ET Friday (ESPNews).
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Shakira Austin unleashes the rejection on the Gamecocks.
Creme: No. 7 seed Ole Miss is taking part in in its first NCAA event since 2007. Shakira Austin will probably be taking part in in her second. As a freshman at Maryland in 2019, Austin acquired a two-game style of March Insanity. How will that have assist her, and the way can she assist her teammates perceive the atmosphere? Austin may very well be poised for an enormous sport Friday (1:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2) in opposition to South Dakota. The Coyotes haven’t got anybody to bodily match the 6-5 Austin, who may dominate in a style not like any participant within the first spherical.
What number of first-round upsets do you’ve got in your bracket?
Creme: I picked seven decrease seeds to win within the first spherical. Essentially the most notable or greatest underdogs I picked have been 13-seed UNLV over No. Four Arizona, 11th-seeded Villanova over 6-seed BYU and Florida Gulf Coast over Virginia Tech.
Having the Woman Rebels beating Arizona in Tucson may appear a bit loopy, however the Wildcats weren’t taking part in properly on the finish of the common season. Sure, they have been lacking Reese, their main scorer, however the offense turned so anemic that she won’t have helped a lot. The Woman Rebels can rating from a number of completely different spots, and level guard Essence Booker is somebody to look at. UNLV coach Lindy La Rocque performed and coached at Stanford and is conversant in all issues Pac-12.
In a battle of convention gamers of the yr, I see Villanova’s Maddy Siegrist outdueling BYU’s Shaylee Gonzales and getting the Wildcats an upset. The Cougars won’t be over the sting of shedding the WCC event championship sport.
Voepel: Charlie is extra daring than me. I went with simply three early-round upsets: No. 11 seed Dayton over No. 6 Georgia, No. 10 Arkansas over 7-seed Utah and No. 9 Kansas State over eighth-seeded Washington State.
The Flyers’ dismantling of DePaul of their First 4 sport impressed me, and in the event that they shoot anyplace close to as properly from the perimeter once more, it may very well be a troublesome sport for Georgia. Arkansas was upset final yr within the first spherical, so possibly the Razorbacks flip the tables this yr. And nearly as good a season as Washington State has had, I am undecided if they will cease Kansas State if heart Ayoka Lee actually will get going.
Philippou: There’s been, properly, numerous inconsistency throughout ladies’s faculty basketball this season, so I’ve a reasonably prolonged record of video games that might not shock me in the event that they finish as upsets. However probably the most sensible, exceptional ones when it comes to seeding differential I foresee: No. 13 seed IUPUI over No. Four seed Oklahoma, No. 11 Dayton over No. 6 Georgia and No. 12 FGCU over No. 5 Virginia Tech.
In reality, I am on the report elsewhere as picking IUPUI to make it to the Sweet 16. The Jaguars have an ideal storm of sturdy 3-point protection and a dominant submit in four-time Horizon League Participant of the 12 months Macee Williams that Oklahoma is probably going going to have its palms full. Their win over Iowa and extra time loss to Michigan are eyebrow-raising and show IUPUI has the potential to go toe-to-toe with Energy 5 groups.
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