March Madness is upon us, as the women's NCAA basketball tournament brackets are here. The 16 teams that will host first and second-round games were revealed by the NCAA on Sunday.
For the first time, the women's tournament field has grown to 68 teams, with four First Four games taking place Wednesday and Thursday. The first round tips Friday and will be followed by second-round games later that weekend, before the tournament moves to regionals in North Carolina, Washington, Connecticut and Kansas.
The women's Final Four in Minneapolis will be where the national champion will be crowned in 2022.
In preparation for every basketball fan, here is what you need to know about all the teams in the Big Dance. There are 32 automatic bids that have reached the tournament.
South Carolina football team.
After falling just short of reaching the national title game last season, the Gamecocks are favored to win it all. During the regular season, they went 11-0 against ranked teams and were battle-tested. Junior Aliyah Boston is the favorite for national player of the year because of her dominance on both ends. A group of returners from last year's Final Four squad, most importantly guards, are also surrounding her, as well as promising newcomers that have South Carolina knocking on the door of its second national championship in six years.
Pick the winner of each game of the women's NCAA tournament. Play a tournament.
The SEC's seventh-seeded Kentucky defeated the South Carolina Gamecocks 64-62 in the conference tournament title game to win the title. It was the second game in a row in which the Gamecocks relinquished a big third-quarter lead; in the SEC tournament semifinals, they allowed Ole Miss to cut a 25-point edge to eight late in the fourth.
After the Kentucky loss, coach Dawn Staley lamented the team's defensive inconsistency and failure to execute -- issues that aren't exactly new for the Gamecocks but have rarely backfired. Boston has been good this season, but she could have used some help from her teammates.
The last team to hold the top spot in the AP poll all season? The Huskies were sent packing in the last year of the program, thanks to Arike's overtime buzzer-beater. Can South Carolina rebound from its SEC tournament letdown and finally get over the hump to win a championship, which would be a fitting end to a stellar season?
The Cardinal is from the state of California.
All but one of the players from last year's run returned to defend their title. The departure of Kiana Williams to the WNBA created a void at the point guard spot that was especially felt early on in the season, as the Cardinal lost three of its first 11 nonconference games. Poor shooting and turnover 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217
The Cardinal have a 20-game win streak, which includes an perfect run through the regular season and tournament. Haley Jones earned the Most Outstanding Player crown in the conference tournament despite some close calls. One of the pillars of the Cardinal is Cameron Brink, who was a semifinalist for the Naismith Trophy.
Six players have led the team in scoring in a game this season and the identity of the team is based on its strong defense and offensive balance. The Cardinal need Jones and Brink to play their best basketball of the season down the stretch of March to have a chance at repeating as national champion.
The NC State Wolfpack is a basketball team.
As a 1-seed in the NCAA tournament for the first time, the NC State Wolfpack were upset by Indiana in the Sweet 16. The return of their starting five, including top player Elissa Cunane and a handful of teammates who used their extra season of eligibility from COVID-19, helped the Wolfpack to a record year. Their 29 wins tie the program's single-season record, and they won both the regular-season and tournament titles for the first time since 1985.
After losses to South Carolina, Georgia, and Notre Dame, the Wolfpack seemed to hit their stride in the conference tournament. The NC State team that trailed Louisville by 16 late in the third quarter was the one that was able to come back and win by nine.
If the Wolfpack can play closer to that latter version in March, they should be in good shape to earn their first Elite Eight appearance since 1998.
The Louisville Cards.
Despite losing All-American Dana Evans in the off-season, Jeff Walz kept his team together and made sure that it didn't miss a beat. Syracuse transfer Emily Engstler has been a difference-maker on both ends of the floor, but especially defensively, as she has bounced back from her slow start. In the first game of the season, the Cards fell to Arizona but rebounded with wins over Michigan and Connecticut.
The Hurricanes erased a 15-point deficit in the final five minutes of the game and beat the Cards at the buzzer to advance to the semifinals. The late collapses have become a pattern for Louisville. When the Cards played NC State in January, it was the same thing that happened against the Cardinal last season in the Elite Eight. If the squad wants to reach the Final Four, it will have to solve its fourth-quarter issues and demonstrate greater resilience.
The Bears are from Baylor.
The Bears dropped three games in a row in the middle of the year, which was a bit of a surprise. It took some time for everyone to find their footing with a new system and new personnel.
Prior to falling to Texas in the Big 12 title game, the Bears had lost just once since mid-January, with wins over Iowa State, Texas, Kansas and Oklahoma. NaLyssa Smith is putting up 30-point double-doubles like it is nothing and will be an All-American for the second year in a row. Even with a new look and a new coach, the Bears still won the Big 12 regular-season title, competed for the conference tournament crown and looked like a national title contender.
The University of Connecticut's men's basketball team.
A season that started with sky-high expectations has evolved into one unlike any other Geno Auriemma has experienced. Seven of the nine rotation players have missed at least one game due to injury. The Huskies enter March Madness with their highest pre-NCAA tournament loss total since 2004, yet they were missing three major contributors in each loss.
As they advanced through the Big East tournament, they were able to show that they are a better team than they were before Bueckers injury. Compared to other teams that did not experience so much change in personnel, there is more unknown about this iteration of the University of Connecticut. When adversity hits and in a win-or-go- home situation, how will the Huskies fare against top teams? If the Huskies want to win their first title since 2016 they will need a large role for Bueckers.
The Iowa Hawkeyes.
The expectation was that Iowa would be a force to be reckoned with this season after the emergence of Caitlin Clark. The Hawkeyes struggled to find their rhythm early on, in part because of a COVID-19 shutdown and some injuries to starters. They stumbled against ranked opponents, failing to record a win over an AP Top 25 team in their first four tries, and even fell out of the poll themselves.
Few teams are as hot entering the NCAA tournament as Iowa, winners of seven straight games and the Big Ten tournament champ. They swept the regular-season and tournament crowns for the first time in program history after taking down Michigan three times. Clark is on track to become the first NCAA Division I women's basketball player to lead the nation in both scoring and assists. Iowa is strengthened by its other role players, including Czinano, doing their part, and just enough steadiness on the defensive end, which makes the Hawkeyes that much tougher to beat.
The Texas Longhorns.
If the Longhorns had a bit of a break this year, it wouldn't have been shocking because they had enough personnel losses to make up for it. Texas hasn't had a letdown, it's even better positioned going into this season's tournament
Texas earned its best AP ranking since the beginning of the year after losing to Tennessee and handing defending national champion Stanford its first loss. The third-seeded Longhorns won their first Big 12 tournament title since 2003 when they beat the Bears in a statement win on Sunday. The winner of 11 straight will harass opponents and force turnovers with its tough defense, while Big 12 Freshman of the Year Rori Harmon can impact the game in a multitude of ways. She took home the most outstanding player honors in the Big 12 tournament, which was her coming-out party.
Indiana Hoosiers.
The Hoosiers upset top-seeded NC State in the Sweet 16 last year to reach the Elite Eight for the first time in program history. Five Hoosiers made either the Big Ten first, second or honorable mention teams, and most of the major contributors from that run have returned to Bloomington to offer Indiana great chemistry and balance.
After missing over a month with a knee injury that required surgery, she hasn't looked like herself since returning into the fold in February. Behind its trademark defense and other players stepping up, Indiana put together an impressive Big Ten tournament run, indicating the Hoosiers could be close to peaking at the right time. It will open things up for the rest of the team if she can return to her usual form.
The Iowa State Cyclones are a team.
It has been a historic season for Bill Fennelly, as his Cyclones have surged to help make the Big 12 the most competitive it has been in some time. Iowa State enters the NCAA tournament one win shy of tying the single-season school record of 27 wins, after previously securing a school-best 14 wins in conference play. Iowa State fell in the semifinals to Texas in a hard-fought overtime battle.
For the first time in five years, the Cyclones have a chance to return to the Sweet 16. Lexi Donarski and Emily Ryan were both selected to the All-Big 12 first team, as was Iowa State's presumptive first-round WNBA pick. Iowa State is known for its high- scoring offense and 3-point shooting, but it is winless when teams hold them to 63 or fewer points.
The LSU Tigers.
Kim Mulkey gave the basketball world whiplash last year when she left Baylor for LSU. In her first year at the helm, Mulkey has elevated the program to heights not seen since Sylvia Fowles and Seimone Augustus walked the campus. Despite finishing 9-13 a year ago, the Tigers finished the regular season with 25 wins and six over ranked opponents. They were a true SEC contender for the first time in over a decade before falling to Kentucky in the SEC tournament opener.
LSU looks poised to reach its first Sweet 16 in three years, with the help of star guard Khayla Pointer. While the program has said that Morris will be fine to play in the NCAA tournament, how quickly she will be able to return to top form will affect how long the Tigers will be playing in March.
The Michigan Wolverines.
The program record for most regular-season wins was tied by the Wolverines this season. They were 20-2 going into mid-February, including 7-1 against ranked teams, and had a chance to win their first Big Ten crown, but have lost four of their last six games. Senior starter Leigha Brown missed most of February with a lower leg injury, but she and the rest of Michigan still looked out of sync in the two games she has been back, losses to Iowa in the regular-season finale and Nebraska in their first Big Ten tournament game.
Michigan advanced to the first Sweet 16 of its history, but fell to Baylor in overtime. If they want to make history again, they will need first-round WNBA draft pick Naz Hillmon to be at her best and to play better defense, as well as returning to pre-injury form.
The Arizona Cats.
No one knew what Arizona was like last year, when they were a 3-seed and just a basket away from winning the national championship. The first 11 games were a success for the Cats, including an overtime game against Louisville.
They stumbled when they needed to operate without their top scorer and rebounder, who has been out since February with a shoulder injury. With Reese expected to return for the NCAA tournament, not all hope is lost, especially if she can help Arizona rediscover a rhythm on offense and lean into its strength.
The Maryland Terrapins are a team.
Maryland entered the season with every coach's dream: returning all of its key contributors from a very good squad the year before, one that boasted the country's best offense. The death of coach Frese's father and injuries to last year's top two scorers have made it difficult for the Terrapins.
The loss to Indiana in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals was the first time that Maryland had not won a game all season. In all but one of its losses, Maryland has scored less than 70 points. The teams that lost were all ranked in the top 14. Frese's squad will have to rediscover its offensive might and rely on its veterans to reverse course and make a deep run in March.
The Oklahoma Sooners.
Sooners fans couldn't ask for a better first year from new coach Jennie Baranczyk, who took the reins from legendary coach Sherri Coale this past offseason. The Oklahoma team reached the 20-win mark faster than all but two teams in school history, and it did so in the regular season by sweeping Oklahoma State and Oklahoma, as well as home wins over Texas and BYU. The All-Big 12 first team combined for 35 points per game for the Sooners. In the third meeting between the two teams, the Bears got the better of the Sooners, sending them to the semifinals of the conference tournament. The Sooners will regroup and try to get to the second weekend of the NCAA tournament for the first time in four years.
The Tennessee Lady Vols.
The Lady Vols started the season with their best season in years and appeared to be a contender for the national title. They won 18 of their first 19 games, their only loss being a tight contest against Stanford, which was all the more impressive since Rae Burrell missed most of that stretch with an injury.
Things have taken a turn for the worse in the last two months. Keyen Green went down with an injury and the wheels fell off. Tennessee has lost seven of their last 12 because of the injury of Jordan Horston, who leads the team in scoring, rebound and assists. She didn't sound very optimistic that it would happen, but she left open the possibility that he would return later in the season. Tennessee's ability to make a meaningful run is likely to be in danger should Horston remain out.
The Tar Heels of North Carolina.
The Tar Heels were one of the hottest teams in the country at the beginning of the season and entered the AP poll for the first time in three years. The Tar Heels, led by star Deja Kelly, were able to win seven of their last eight games, including a big win over Louisville. It has been three years since North Carolina made it past the first round of the NCAA tournament.
The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame.
The Irish haven't been to the NCAA tournament in two years, but second-year head coach Niele Ivey has them back on track. The Irish were ranked in the top 16 by the NCAA women's selection committee after their big win over NC State. There were two bad losses to Louisville last month. Even if March doesn't go as planned, the future in South Bend is looking bright for freshmen Olivia Miles and Sonia Citron.
The Oregon Ducks are a team.
When three of the team's top players were injured early in the season, Oregon fell out of the top 10 in the rankings. Consistency is still an issue for Oregon, even though it has a pair of quality wins against Arizona and Connecticut. The Ducks lost to Utah in the semifinals of the conference tournament and have lost three of their past five games.
Virginia Tech Hokies.
The Hokies are going to the NCAA tournament for the second year in a row. Despite being without their top two players for most of the tournament, they still made it to the final, where they fell to NC State by 15. Virginia Tech needs both players back to make a deep run in the NCAA tournament, and coach KennyBrooks seemed optimistic that they would be healthy for the tournament.
The Cougars of the Mormon church.
After a stellar run through conference play and multiple wins against Power 5 teams, the Cougars were within reach of potentially hosting NCAA tournament games before they were upset in the WCC tournament final. The season could go down as the best in program history if top scorer Shaylee Gonzales and her teammates can make a historic run to the Elite Eight.
The Lady Dogs of Georgia.
The team that made it all the way to the SEC tournament championship game last season was back, and they started the season with promise. The Lady Dogs enter the NCAA tournament having lost five of their past eight games, but they were one of the few teams to take down NC State this year. Georgia has never made it past the second round of the tournament under Taylor.
The Kentucky Cats.
The SEC tournament was the reason why the Cats were able to win 10 in a row, even though they started 2-8 in conference play. Rhyne Howard is projected to be the top pick in the draft. She can do it on her own, as evidenced by the fact that she scored a team-high 27 points and hit the championship-winner. The collective effort by the Cats has turned them into a team that many will want to have on their side.
Ohio State has a football team.
After missing the NCAA tournament last season due to a self-imposed ban, the Buckeyes are back in action in March. They have the second-highest scoring offense in the Big Ten, thanks to Jacy and Taylor Mikesell, who combine for 38 points per game. Ohio State was the top seed in the Big Ten tournament but lost to Indiana in the semifinals.
The Knights of UCF.
The Knights won the conference tournament title for the first time by defeating South Florida in the final. Diamond Battles swept the awards for player of the year, defensive player of the year and the tournament's most outstanding player. The top scoring defense in the country is UCF.
Colorado Buffaloes.
After being the sole remaining perfect team in the nation, the Buffaloes lost their first two games in the conference tournament, but rebounded to upset Arizona and make it to the final. Colorado is in the NCAA tournament for the first time in four years.
The Ole Miss Rebels.
The Rebels have surged back into SEC and national relevance under fourth-year coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin. They are making their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2007, after finishing as WNIT runners-up. In the SEC tournament semifinal against South Carolina, Ole Miss overcame a 25-point deficit to win. The Rebels could make some noise in March behind a strong tournament and a first-round draft pick.
The Utah Utes.
The University of Utah is in the NCAA tournament for the first time in five years after upsetting Oregon in the semifinals of the conference tournament. Utah lost in the title game. The Utah offense is high-powered and led by the freshman of the year in the conference.
The Kansas Jayhawks.
Brandon Schneider was named the Big 12 coach of the year after Kansas finished fifth in the league despite being picked to finish last in the preseason poll. The Jayhawks are having their best season in over two decades and are in the NCAA tournament for the first time in four years. They did pick up wins over Oklahoma and Texas on the road, though they have mostly struggled against ranked opponents this season.
The Miami Hurricanes.
The Miami run to the finals was a surprise. The Hurricanes overcame a late, 15-point deficit to stun Louisville in the quarterfinals, then took down Notre Dame and then lost to NC State. The Hurricanes, winners of eight of their past 10, can continue to make noise in March because of the belief behind their stringy defense and the fact that they have a good coach.
The Cornhuskers are from Nebraska.
The Cornhuskers are in the NCAA tournament for the second year in a row. They are a high-powered offensive team behind the one-two punch of Oregon transfer and Big Ten freshman of the year,Alexis Markowski. The Huskers were the only team in the Big Ten to take down Michigan twice this season, but they fell in the next round of the Big Ten tournament.
Washington State has a football team.
The last time the Cougars made the NCAA tournament was 1991, and they are dancing for the second year in a row, thanks to a strong season in which they set a program record for most wins in the NCAA era. Washington State finished in a tie with Oregon for second place in the conference after a program best 11/6 run in the conference. The Utah team defeated the Cougars in the conference tournament quarterfinals.
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets are a team.
The early season adversity that the squad faced was the injury to Kierra Fletcher and the transfer of Loyal McQueen. The Yellow Jackets were able to get big wins over Georgia, Connecticut and North Carolina because of their tough defense, rebound prowess and impact on the other side of the ball. They need to reverse course if they want to get a second straight Sweet 16 berth, as they have lost six of their past nine games, including most recently falling to Notre Dame.
There is a team called the Gonzaga Bulldogs.
By upsetting BYU in the WCC tournament finals, it was the first ranked win since December and guaranteed its sixth NCAA tournament appearance under coach Lisa Fortier. The balanced attack is something the bulldogs pride themselves on. Kempton was named the Most Outstanding Player.
Kansas State has a basketball team.
After missing the past two tournaments, Kansas State is back in the NCAA tournament thanks to a 10-win improvement from last season. A 61-point game against Oklahoma by Ayoka Lee has made her one of the most dominant players in the country. She was projected to be a lottery pick this April, before she confirmed she would be returning to Kansas State for another season.
The Bulls are from South Florida.
South Florida achieved a top-15 ranking earlier in the season after narrow losses to Tennessee and UConn and wins over Oregon and Stanford, but the Bulls went 0-3 against UCF across the regular season and the conference tournament, precluding them from earning the AAC's auto bid. The Bulls want to make back-to-back second-round appearances in the NCAA tournament.
Arkansas Razorbacks.
The Razorbacks finished with a losing record in SEC play, but their strong NET and strength of schedule helped punch their ticket to the NCAA tournament, where they will look to do better than last season. The SEC freshman of the year was Samara Spencer, who was also the team's leading scorer.
The Bluejays are from Creighton.
The Bluejays finished third in the Big East because they were one of the better offensive teams in the league. The NET ranking helped the Bluejays get into the NCAA field. The top scorer is Emma Ronsiek.
The Florida Gators.
The Florida women's basketball team has made their first NCAA tournament appearance in two years, thanks to the work of interim coach Kelly Rae Finley, who was promoted last month. In a span of a year, Florida went from SEC afterthought to finishing fifth in the league, a run that included wins over LSU and Tennessee. The path ahead will be difficult for the Gators after losing their top scorer, rebounder and distributor to a season-ending injury.
The South Dakota Coyotes are a team.
South Dakota secured its spot in the NCAA tournament for the fourth year in a row, thanks to a decisive performance against South Dakota State in the Summit League tournament final. The Summit League's Player of the Year, Chloe Lamb, is the coach of the Coyotes, who enter the Big Dance having won 25 of their past 26 games. Since their program got upgraded to Division I, the Coyotes are looking for their first NCAA tournament victory.
The Dayton Flyer.
The Atlantic 10 regular-season champ had one conference loss. After falling in the A-10 title game, Dayton made the NCAA tournament field as an at-large. In the last decade, the Flyers have appeared in the Big Dance, most notably in 2015, when they upset Louisville to advance to the Elite Eight. Cook is their top scorer and earned a spot on the all-tournament team.
The Blue Demons are from the United States.
Despite finishing fourth in the Big East, the team played a strong non conference schedule that included wins over Kentucky and Northwestern and narrow losses to Arizona and Notre Dame to get into the NCAA tournament. Aneesah Morrow is one of the top scoring units in the country.
Florida State has a football team.
Florida State was able to get into the NCAA tournament by winning seven of its last 10 games. In that time frame, the now-healthy FSU squad, led by top scorer Morgan Jones, beat Boston College twice, including in the second round of the conference tournament, and also took down Notre Dame and Georgia Tech.
The Lady Bears of Missouri State.
Missouri State overcame the loss of its top scorer and rebounder, center Jasmine Franklin, in December to finish second in the Missouri Valley Conference, but fell in the tournament semifinals to 3-seed Northern Iowa. The Bears got a nod for an at-large bid because of the work they did in non conference play. In the last two NCAA tournaments, Missouri State was defeated by two different teams, one in the Sweet 16 and the other in the 800-211-2519 800-211-2519 800-211-2519 800-211-2519 800-211-2519 800-211-2519 800-211-2519 800-211-2519 800-211-2519 800-211-2519 800-211-2519 800-211-2519 800-211-2519 800-211-2519 800-211-2519 800-211-2519 800-211-2519 800-211-2519 800-211-2519 800-211-2519 800-211-2519 800-211-2519 800-211-2519 800-211-2519 800-211-2519 800-211-2519 800-211-2519 800-211-2519 800-211-2519 800-211-2519 800-211-2519 800-211-2519
There is a school called the Princeton Tigers.
After the Ivy League didn't hold competition in 2020-21, it was back on the hardwood for this year's conference play, and it finished with a victory over Columbia in the Ivy League tournament final Saturday. The Tigers enter the NCAA tournament on a 17-game win streak, which was only one game away from being decided by more than 12 points. The program has never won an NCAA tournament game.
The Wildcats of Villanova.
The Wildcats went 3-3 early in the season, but 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 888-270-6611 They became the first team to hand the University of Connecticut a conference loss in four years in February. One of the top scorers in the nation is Siegrist, who averages 25.9 points per game.
The Bruins are from Belmont.
The Bruins won their sixth Ohio Valley tournament title in seven seasons and will be back in the fold in 2022. Belmont is making its seventh NCAA tournament appearance. The Bruins only won against Ole Miss this season, going 1-4 against Power 5 competition.
The Florida Gulf Coast Eagles.
If there is a mid-major that could turn heads this March, it will be FGCU. The Eagles have taken down a number of Power 5 teams, including Michigan State and LSU, while their best player, Kierstan Bell, was out with an injury. Bell, who is expected to be a first-round WNBA draft pick this year, missed a month of play because of a partially torn meniscus and yet was still awarded conference player of the year. Since returning, she has scored at least 19 points in each game, including 26 in the ASUN tournament championship game, to officially punch her team's ticket to the NCAA tournament.
The Minutewomen of the University of Massachusetts.
3 seed, earned a spot in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1998 after their upset of top-seeded Dayton to win the A10 tournament title Sam Breen became the first player in program history to win A10 Player of the Year. The Minutewomen lost by five to Iowa State early in the season.
Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks.
The Ladyjacks had a smooth first year in the Western Athletic Conference, winning both the regular-season and tournament titles. The tournament's Most Valuable Player was Zya Nugent of Stephen F. Austin. Georgia Tech nearly upset Stephen F. Austin in the first round last year.
The Bulls are from Buffalo.
The Bulls won the conference tournament title for the third time in six years, but first since punching their ticket to the Big Dance. They have one of the top scorers in the country in guard Dyaisha Fair, who became the program's all-time leading scorer the same day she was named the most valuable player. Buffalo advanced to the Sweet 16 under Felisha Legette-Jack.
The Delaware Blue Hens.
The Blue Hens return to the NCAA tournament for the first time since a back-to-back run in 2012-13 by beating the Dragons in the conference tournament title game. Delaware is home to one of the top scorers in the nation in Jasmine Dickey, the CAA Player of the Year whose 27 point, 18-rebound outing against Drexel helped secure the Blue Hens' fifth NCAA tournament berth.
IUPUIJaguars
IUPUI is dancing. It was the first time in school history that they made the NCAA tournament when they won the Horizon League tournament in 2020. Then came the flu. Macee Williams put up 19 points and 18 boards to lead IUPUI to a win over Cleveland State in the first round of the NCAA tournament. They beat Iowa but lost to Michigan in overtime.
The Lady Rebels of UNLV.
It didn't take long for coach La Rocque to make history at UNLV. She guided the Rebels to their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2002 and first conference tournament crown since 1994 after defeating Colorado State in the championship. Desi-Rae Young was named the Mountain West Player of the Year.
The Eagles are from the American University.
After losing to Bucknell in the conference tournament final, the second-seeded Eagles avenged their defeat by beating the fourth-seeded Bison to win the conference tournament title. American is now the winner of seven straight games and is led by guard Jade Edwards.
The 49ers are from Charlotte.
The 49ers secured their spot in the NCAA tournament with a win over Louisiana Tech. The conference Player of the Year, guard Octavia Jett-Wilson, took home the tournament trophy after helping the 49ers to a second-half comeback with 31 points. Charlotte will return to the tournament for the first time since 2009, under the direction of Cara Consuegra.
The Lady Tigers of Jackson State.
Jackson State doesn't know much about conference play recently. In the SWAC tournament championship, the Lady Tigers routed third-seeded Alabama State, catapulting them into the NCAA tournament for the second year in a row. Jackson State has a 21-game winning streak. The average margin of defeat against Power 5 teams was nine points. Ameshya Williams-Holliday is their star and recently swept SWAC player of the year and defensive player of the year honors.
UT Arlington Mavericks.
In its final season in the Sun Belt Conference, UT Arlington went out with a bang, upsetting top-seeded Troy in the tournament championship game to punch its ticket to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2007. It was the first time that the Mavericks had advanced to the tournament final since joining the conference, and Starr Jacobs was the Sun Belt Player of the Year.
The Stags are from the area.
After missing the Big Dance for a long time, the top-seeded Stags won the MAAC tournament title and have won 15 in a row. Lou Lopez-Senechal's 24 points were just her latest heroics in shouldering the offensive load. The last time the Stags made the tournament was in 2001 and it was the end of the career of head coach Joe Frager, who announced his retirement before the season due to health concerns.
The name of the island is Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine.
For the first time in school history, the Rainbow Wahine are in the Big Dance after sweeping both the Big West regular-season and tournament titles. Their win over UC Irvine earned them a spot in the NCAA tournament. Amy Atwell became the first UH player to win the Big West Player of the Year.
Illinois State Redbirds.
The Redbirds earned their spot in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2008 after defeating Northern Iowa for the Missouri Valley Conference title. Illinois State defeated Southern Illinois to get to the final. The tournament's Most Valuable Player was guard JuJu Redmond, who led the league in scoring.
The Bears are from Mercer.
The Bears won their second straight tournament title and their fourth in five seasons, as they defeated third-seeded Furman in the finals of the Southern Conference tournament. The award for most outstanding player went to guard Amoria Neal-Tysor, who scored 26 points in the final.
Great Danes in Albany.
The second-seeded Great Danes upset the top-seeded Maine to win the America East tournament. Albany won its seventh tournament title and first in over a year as guard Kayla Cooper was named most outstanding player.
The Howard bison.
Howard punched its ticket to the NCAA tournament with a win over Norfolk State in the final of the MEAC tournament. It is the first time since 2001 that the Bison have won the conference tournament and earned a spot in the NCAA field.
Incarnate Word is a word.
Incarnate Word punched its ticket to the NCAA Division I tournament for the first time in program history after knocking off top seed Houston Baptist in the semifinals and then SE Louisiana in overtime for the Southland Conference championship. Prior to their run in the conference tournament, the Cards had lost their final three regular-season games and had a 9-16 record. The bench player dropped a game-high 22 points in the win.
The Lancers are from Longwood.
It has been quite the run for Longwood, whose men's and women's basketball teams punched their tickets to the NCAA tournament for the first time. Three seasons ago, the women's team recorded just three wins. After losing to Campbell in the first two meetings of the season, the Lancers were able to win the tournament.
The Montana State Bobcat's.
The cancellation of the Big Sky tournament title game in 2020 was fresh on the minds of the Bobcat's this week. They won the conference tournament crown for the first time in three years, beating Northern Arizona as a 2-seed. Darian White was the most outstanding player in the tournament and she did a lot of everything.
The Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers are a group of people.
The third-seeded Mount St. Mary's won the NEC tournament for the second year in a row with a win over Bryant. After losing their first seven games of the season, the West Virginia University men's basketball team won their last six against league opponents to enter the NCAA tournament. The Mount has a lot of success thanks to the leadership of Kendall Bresee.
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