The Sweet 16 is upon us, and with it comes a few surprises — North Dakota and Creighton — and some anticipated arrivals — South Carolina and Stanford.

Some teams have played better than their seedings have indicated, and others have played worse. Here’s what the field would look like on Friday if the teams were re-ranked. Plus, I offer up my picks for which teams I think advance to the Elite Eight.

1. South Carolina

The one consistency in this tournament has been the play of the No. 1 seeds. While at least one team at every other spot has been challenged, the one seeds have proved their worth, which is why I’m leaving those four teams atop the rankings.

South Carolina remains my overall No. 1. The Gamecocks defeated Howard 79-21 and Miami 49-33 to advance to the Sweet 16.

They haven’t showcased the offensive prowess that we’ve become accustomed to this season, but that’s no reason to be concerned. The old coach’s cliche, “defense wins championships,” applies here. The Gamecocks held Howard to 15 percent shooting from the field and just eight points in the first three quarters. Then they forced Miami into a 24-percent shooting performance, including three quarters of single-digit scoring. Offense ebbs and flows, but if a team can play defense like that, it has an edge in every contest. Still, the tougher the competition becomes, the more crucial that Gamecocks offense will be.

X-Factor: The re-emergence of elite offense

2. Stanford

Through the first two rounds, the Cardinal have put together the best offensive performance of any team. Against Montana State, they shot 45 percent from the field and 40 percent from beyond the arc with nine 3-pointers. They had four double-digit scorers in the first game, and in the second Lexie Hull erupted for 36 points. The scariest thing about this Stanford team is that it has at least six players who are capable of going off for 20 points.

The Cardinal’s inside presence is tough, with Cameron Brink leading the way. Fran Belibi has emerged as an excellent option off the bench, and Haley Jones, Lexie and Lacie Hull, Anna Wilson and Hannah Jump each bring different skill sets. It all adds up to a dominant offense that is challenging to scheme against.

X-Factor: Continued balance

3. NC State

NC State also keeps its ranking heading into the Sweet 16, largely because of its equal-opportunity offense. At this point in the season, everyone knows what Elissa Cunane brings to the floor, but the rest of the team is clicking as well. The Wolfpack easily handled Longwood thanks to five double-digit scorers. Against Kansas State, Cunane was neutralized with foul trouble, playing just 13 minutes and scoring four points. Kayla Jones stepped up and recorded 18 points, while Raina Perez and Diamond Johnson each contributed 15 points to spread out the scoring.

X-Factor: Guard play stays solid

4. Louisville

After an easy win over Albany, the Cardinals were tested by Gonzaga and passed. The Zags kept it close, down by four at the half, but Louisville went on a 20-12 run in the third to help secure the victory. Gonzaga is a disciplined squad, but Louisville was able to force 18 turnovers, including six from Kayleigh Truong, GU’s trusty point guard. Meanwhile, Louisville took care of the ball, giving it away just eight times.

The offense wasn’t perfect — the Cards shot 40 percent from the field and 29 percent from beyond the arc — but Louisville found ways to make up for it. Still, that shooting will need to improve if the Cardinals want to keep dancing.

X-Factor: Shooting heats up

5. Texas

Texas is a team that can beat anyone in the country when it’s playing at its best. And right now, the Longhorns are doing just that. Their win against Utah was an offensive and defensive master class. Texas shot 64 percent from the field and forced 19 turnovers, which led to 18 points on the other end. Rori Harmon continues to be one of the best guards in the country, and right now, I’d pick the freshman over just about anyone.

X-Factor: Harmon continues to play beyond her age

6. Maryland

Maryland may have one of the strongest starting fives in the country in Ashley Owusu, Diamond Miller, Katie Benzan, Angel Reese and Chloe Bibby. Offensively, there’s no question Maryland is a top team, but its shortcoming at times this season has been defense. Not so in the tournament.

Against Delaware, the Terrapins allowed Jasmine Dickey to score 31 points, but she had to put up 32 shots to do so, and they limited everyone else. Then they held Florida Gulf Coast’s potent offense in check as well, as the Eagles turned the ball over 15 times and shot 38 percent for the game.

X-Factor: Defense, defense, defense

7. South Dakota

Maybe I’m getting caught up in the excitement of an upset, but South Dakota and Creighton have played their way into the top half of these teams. If you’ve read anything I’ve written, you’ll know I put a lot of stock in maturity on the court. South Dakota certainly has that. The Coyotes are led by three fifth-year seniors: Chloe Lamb (16.1 points per game), Hannah Sjerven (15) and Liv Korngable (12.7). This group is battle-tested and ready for anything, as it showed through the first two rounds.

X-Factor: Ability to defend opposing stars

8. Creighton

The other darling of the tournament, Creighton, is next on the list. Putting the narrative of Lauren Jensen upsetting her former team aside, there is a lot to like about the Bluejays. For starters, everyone on the floor can score. Morgan Maly is third on the team in points per game, and she comes off the bench. The offense is well-rounded: The Bluejays love to share the ball, and they also take care of it. Creighton leads the country in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.59. Add those things together, and it leads me to believe Creighton can stay hot.

X-Factor: Multiple players continue to score

9. Indiana

The Hoosiers are starting to look like the team that was top five for much of the season. With Mackenzie Holmes almost back to full form — she’s averaging 29 minutes, 14.5 points and eight rebounds per game through the first two rounds — and Chloe Moore-McNeil providing a lift as another scoring weapon off the bench, Indiana is in good shape on offense. Princeton was a tough test, but IU survived, showing its resilience. That is important as the competition ramps up.

X-Factor: Holmes’ domination in the paint

10. Iowa State

Led by Ashley Joens, Iowa State has a solid trio of scorers. The senior is the obvious leader, and has been all season, while Emily Ryan is exactly what a team wants in a point guard. She’s a skilled scorer, but more importantly, she probes defenses with a purpose and helps put her teammates in positions to be successful. Lexi Donarski, their third-leading scorer, put up 20 points in the win over Georgia. But here’s my concern with Iowa State: After those three, what do they have? Through the first two rounds, the Cyclones have just five total bench points.

X-Factor: Role players must step up

11. UConn

I have UConn in my championship game, and though I’ve rethought a lot of the bracket-related decisions I made, that isn’t one of them. So why do I have UConn at 11th on this list? The Huskies are capable of performing as a championship-caliber team, but I didn’t see that against UCF. Had the Knights shot better at the free-throw line, I might be ranking them instead of the Huskies. Most of UConn’s offense didn’t show up in that game, and Paige Bueckers didn’t look like herself. UConn can be great, but the Huskies have a lot to figure out before they meet Indiana on Saturday.

X-Factor: A complete offensive showing

12. Michigan

This is a difficult list to make because every team has a ton of upside. It’s the Sweet 16, after all. Michigan being this low doesn’t feel right, but I also don’t think the Wolverines can jump anyone above them, so here we are. Defensively, Michigan has been solid. The Wolverines held American to 1-for-21 shooting from beyond the arc (4.8 percent), and limited Villanova’s Maddy Siegrist (the nation’s second-leading scorer at 25.3 points per game) to just 12 points.

But offensively, this team is similar to Iowa State. Naz Hillmon is phenomenal and Leigha Brown has been solid, but I need to see more from the Wolverines.

X-Factor: Significant offensive output from a player not named Hillmon or Brown

13. Notre Dame

I know I praised Notre Dame for their monster scoring performance, and I stand by that. It was quite the feat. But as far as tournament implications, it doesn’t tell us much. Per Her Hoop Stats, Oklahoma is the 351st team in the country in opponent points per game. That means there are only four squads who give up more points per contest. So, celebrate the 108 points, just do so knowing the context. Aside from that, UMass gave the Irish a scare in Round 1. The Fighting Irish shot great once again (57.6 percent from the field and 41.8 percent from 3), but they allowed UMass to make seven 3-pointers and stay in the game.

X-Factor: Score consistently against better defensive teams

14. Ohio State

Ohio State got off to a dominant start against LSU, and then weathered a run by the Tigers on their home court in the fourth quarter. Jacy Sheldon continues to impress. She had 23 points and eight assists. Taylor Mikesell added 18, including four of her signature 3-pointers, but the real highlight for the Buckeyes was Rebeka Mikulasikova. She shut down Faustin Aifuwa, holding her to two points, while contributing 12 points of her own. If she’s performing at a high level, Ohio State adds another dimension to its offense.

X-Factor: Mikulasikova holds her own inside

15. North Carolina

Again, there is no bad team on this list. North Carolina just knocked off a solid Arizona team as its sophomore trio answered the test. Kennedy Williams-Todd had 19 points, Deja Kelly added 15 and Alyssa Utsby finished with 12. The Tar Heels were also tough in the paint, outscoring Arizona 30-18. All that said, I still can’t justify moving UNC up any higher on this list.

X-Factor: Sophomores continue to shine

16. Tennessee

Remember when I said making this list was hard? Well, picking my 16th team wasn’t. That’s because I still can’t figure out Tennessee. This team has so much talent, and yet they squeaked into the Sweet 16. The win over Buffalo was a bit more convincing than the defeat of Belmont, but the Vols still only pulled away in the fourth quarter despite Buffalo shooting just 35 percent. Tennessee has struggled all season with teams who can shoot from long distance, and to me, that’s a big concern going forward. And yet, well, keep reading to find out …

X-Factor(s): Ability to defend the 3-point line, and the potential return of Jordan Horston

My Picks

South Carolina over UNC

The Gamecocks have just too much talent at every position for North Carolina to contend with. I stand by my original prediction and choose the Gamecocks.

Texas over Ohio State

The Longhorns are at the top of their game right now. If they continue to click on both ends of the floor, this one goes their way. Still, Ohio State should put up a better fight than Texas’ previous two opponents.

Stanford over Maryland

I like the way Maryland is playing right now, but I love what Stanford brings to the court. Maryland will have to bring its best defensive performance of the season to win this one, and even then, the Cardinal have too many weapons.

Creighton over Iowa State

The Bluejays have a believer in me. I believe in their ability to score, and I believe in Jim Flanery’s ability to put together a defensive game plan for Ashley Joens.

NC State over Notre Dame

Elissa Cunane will be the best post on the floor, and her supporting cast is talented enough to deal with the Notre Dame guards.

UConn over Indiana

If — and only if — Bueckers is at her best, and the Huskies have a better offensive performance than they did against UCF. Otherwise, Indiana will make its second-straight Elite Eight.

Louisville over Tennessee (with a caveat)

I ranked Tennessee 16th on this list. I think the Vols have the goods to defeat Louisville, but I don’t have faith that they will play to their potential. We haven’t seen that in at least a month. If Jordan Horston is somehow healthy enough to make an impact, then Tennessee can do it. Count this as me picking Louisville, but with an asterisk.

South Dakota over Michigan

The Coyotes already solved one elite post player in Baylor’s NaLyssa Smith. They can do it again against Naz Hillmon.

Eden Laase is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports. She previously ran her own high school sports website in Michigan after covering college hockey and interning at Sports Illustrated. Follow her on Twitter @eden_laase.

Rose Lavelle is hoping to return to the field soon. 

The 28-year-old midfielder has been sidelined with a lower leg injury since the Gold Cup in early march. Since then, she has yet to play for new club Gotham FC in the NWSL. She also missed a potential USWNT appearance at the SheBelieves Cup in April, where senior team newcomer Jaedyn Shaw saw success assuming Lavelle's role in the attacking midfield. 

At the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee media showcase on Monday, Lavelle told reporters that she’s doing well and hopes to be back soon.

"I’m doing good — I’m hoping I’ll be back in the next couple weeks," Lavelle said. "It’s frustrating to start the year off with an injury, just because I feel like you come off preseason and you’re revving to go, so it’s so annoying."

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Lavelle is still looking to compete for one of just 18 Olympic roster spots. When healthy, she ranks as one of the national team’s most trusted assets, but considering this most recent injury, her health is an obvious concern. Faced with an onslaught of experienced competitors and young talent, incoming USWNT coach Emma Hayes will have some big decisions to make when selecting the Paris-bound squad — a reality Lavelle seems to be taking in stride as she works to regain full fitness.

"We have so many special players, we have so much depth, and so many different weapons to utilize on and off the bench," Lavelle said. "Unfortunately that means really good players are going to get left off, too. And I think for all of us, it’s just about being ready for whatever role is given to us, embracing that, and looking to put it into a collective picture so that we can go into the Olympics ready to go."

Stanford has found its replacement for legendary head women's basketball coach Tara VanDerveer in associate head coach Kate Paye.

The Cardinal confirmed the hiring on Tuesday via a press release. Paye was largely expected to replace the longtime head coach, as the college mentioned they were still negotiating Paye's contract when they announced VanDerveer's retirement.

In Tuesday's statement, Paye reported that she was "humbled" to have been tapped to lead the women’s program.

"Stanford University has been a central part of my life for as long as I can remember and I am humbled to have the opportunity to lead its women’s basketball program," Paye said. "I’d first like to thank Tara, who has played such a pivotal role in my career for her friendship and guidance. It’s not what she’s done, but how she’s done it, that has had such a profound impact upon me."

A Woodside, California native, Paye played under VanDerveer from 1992 to 1995, taking home a national title her freshman year. After graduation, Paye briefly joined San Diego State as an assistant coach before making her professional debut with the ABL's Seattle Reign in 1996. After finishing her playing career with the WNBA's Seattle Storm, she joined the team’s coaching staff in 2007 and has been with the organization ever since, picking up another national title win — this time as associate head coach — in 2021. Paye's brother John played quarterback for Stanford from 1983 to 1986, while also serving as a point guard on the basketball team.

In her own response, VanDerveer said that she was "grateful" that Stanford picked Paye to follow in her stead. Last week, the decorated coach stated that this year would be her last after 38 seasons at the helm and three national titles under her belt.

"She has long been ready for this opportunity and is the perfect leader for Stanford at this time of immense change in college athletics," VanDerveer noted. "Kate was the choice for this job and I am confident she will achieve great success as head coach."

The 2024 WNBA Draft has officially concluded, leaving the newly minted rookie class facing a tough road ahead.

Only 144 roster slots are available throughout the league’s 12 teams, the reason why the players are sometimes referred to as the “144.” And Monday’s draft picks are set to join a large group of established players competing for those same roster spots, from seasoned veterans to young athletes determined to prove their value on the court.

Last year, just 15 of the league’s 36 draftees made it onto their drafting team's opening-day squad.

In reality, there are oftentimes fewer than 144 spots available, as not every team maxes out their roster. Per the league's CBA, each team roster must maintain a minimum standard of 11 players, but those lists can include players out with injuries or on other forms of leave. Players can also be assigned to short-term hardship contracts, something waived players must be prepared for at any point during the season.

Earlier this week, Laeticia Amihere — a 2022 national champion with South Carolina who currently plays for the Atlanta Dream — took to TikTok to provide some insight into the WNBA training camp process. 

"You can either get drafted on Draft Night, or you can get signed by a team," she said. "Once that happens, you go to training camp literally like two weeks later... Basically everybody's got to try out. There's 12 roster spots, and there's like 18 people at the at the trial."

@laeticiaamihere Replying to @dantavius.washington #wnba #draft ♬ original sound - Laeticia Amihere

Amihere also had an important point to make: Getting cut does not signify a player’s abilities. 

"If you get cut after training camp, that does not mean you're not good," she said. "That does not mean that player sucks, don't stop supporting that player. Literally, there's so many reasons somebody can get cut."

"If you guys look at the best players in the league, most of them have bounced around teams," she added. "And I promise you it is not a bad thing, it's just how the league is."

Things, however gradually, are changing. With Golden State's WNBA team scheduled to launch in time for the 2025 season, league expansion is just around the corner. On Monday, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced that the league is aiming to grow to 16 teams by 2028. But by then, it might be too little too late for the generation of talent emerging from an increasingly competitive NCAA system.

Monday night’s WNBA draft added to the nationwide uptick in record-breaking women's sports viewership, pulling in 2.45 million viewers throughout the nearly two-hour broadcast and peaking at 3.09 million, according to an ESPN release. 

That number shatters the previous draft viewership record — 601,000 in 2004 — which was fueled primarily by then-No. 1 pick Diana Taurasi entering the league after UConn's historic three-peat March Madness performance.  

The 2023 WNBA draft drew 572,000 viewers, the most for any televised WNBA event since 2.74 million tuned in to NBC for a Memorial Day matchup between the New York Liberty and Houston Comets back in 2000.

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While many came to watch Caitlin Clark get drafted No. 1 overall, it’s important to note that viewership didn’t take a massive dip after the superstar shooter left the stage. The numbers show that a bulk of the audience stuck around to watch the remainder of the show, making 2024's event not just the most-viewed WNBA draft in history, but also the most-viewed WNBA program to ever air on ESPN platforms.

Draft Day's popularity is yet another sign indicating an expected rise in WNBA regular season viewership. Clark and Iowa's NCAA tournament showdown with the Chicago Sky-bound Kamilla Cardoso's South Carolina side drew a record 18.7 million to ABC's Sunday afternoon broadcast. Banking on this trend, 36 of Indiana's upcoming 40 games are set to be shown on national television. In-person ticket sales are also soaring, leading the defending WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces to re-home their matchup with the Fever to a venue that can accommodate some 6,000 more fans.