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16 teams are remaining in the hunt for an NCAA women’s title.
The overwhelming favorites, the South Carolina Gamecocks, are joined by fellow No. 1 seeds Texas, USC, and Iowa, while Notre Dame, Gonzaga, and Duke are among the teams looking to crash the party and advance.
Ahead of Friday’s Sweet 16 action, find out which storylines and players to track, as well as picks for each of the eight games, with this preview.
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Friday, March 29
2 Notre Dame vs. 3 Oregon State (Pick: Notre Dame)
1 South Carolina vs. 4 Indiana (Pick: South Carolina)
2 Stanford vs. 3 NC State (Pick: Stanford)
1 Texas vs. 4 Gonzaga (Pick: Gonzaga)
Saturday, March 30
3 LSU vs. 2 UCLA (Pick: LSU)
1 Iowa vs. 5 Colorado (Pick: Iowa)
1 USC vs. 5 Baylor (Pick: USC)
3 UConn vs. 7 Duke (Pick: UConn)
The Iowa Hawkeyes faced their toughest test in this year’s tournament in the West Virginia Mountaineers but found a way to outlast the defensively stout team.
Guard Caitlin Clark did, well, Caitlin Clark things as she set the record for the most points in a season at 1,113, surpassing the previous mark set by University of Washington alum, and current Las Vegas Aces star, Kelsey Plum.
It is another accolade for Clark, who spent this season becoming the most prolific scorer in college basketball history, men’s or women’s, by surpassing “Pistol” Pete Maravich’s long-standing record.
Against Iowa, Clark scored 32 and added eight rebounds and three assists.
It was the latest record-shattering performance by an all-time great determined to return to the tournament final, where she and her team suffered a disappointing loss to LSU a year ago.
Up next for the Hawkeyes is No. 5 Colorado in the Sweet 16.
With wins over LSU, USC, Kansas State, Utah, and Stanford this year, the Buffaloes can beat anyone.
As for Iowa and Clark, we have yet to see either of their very best in this tournament. If they can execute and not turn the ball over, the No. 1 seed should find themselves in the Elite Eight.
Against Ole Miss Monday, Notre Dame freshman point guard Hannah Hidalgo again made her presence felt in a season that has exceeded expectations for the Irish.
She scored 19 points (one for every one of her years) and tallied four rebounds, assists, and steals en route to the team’s 71-56 win.
Hidalgo averaged 22.9 points per game this season, good for fifth in the nation, with 6.2 rebounds, and 5.6 assists. She shot 45.1 percent in the paint.
Her performance has fans of Notre Dame both living in the moment of the school’s run this season and looking to the future, at what may be. She has given the team a spark, with the No. 2 seed potentially thinking Final Four or better.
Up next for Hidalgo and the Irish is a showdown with No. 3 Oregon State, a match-up that will test just how championship-ready Notre Dame is.
The slow pace of the Beavers, coupled with their struggle to collect offensive boards, does not bode well against the smothering defense of the Irish.
If Hidalgo and Co. play their best, Notre Dame should cash its ticket to the Elite Eight.
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