If you read my full NCAA Tournament bracket picks earlier this week, you’ve already seen the first-round matchups to keep an eye on. But the excitement of the tournament doesn’t end on Saturday (thank goodness), and there are plenty of storylines to hold the interest of even a casual fan.

So, let’s break down the potential matchups in each region.

Greensboro

Second round: No. 4 Arizona vs. No. 5 North Carolina

I mentioned on Monday that I think UNLV has the potential to give Arizona trouble in the first round. If the Wildcats get past the Rebels, they’ll have another tough opponent in the Tar Heels.

UNC is a consistent team that upset a great Louisville squad late in the season, proving they have what it takes to top elite competition. Led by sophomore guards Deja Kelly (15.9 points per game) and Alyssa Ustby (13.2 ppg, 8.6 rebounds per game), and aided by a rebounding advantage, UNC moves on.

Sweet 16: No. 2 Iowa vs. No. 3 Iowa State

There’s nothing quite like a regular-season rematch in the NCAA Tournament. This one has extra intrigue because the two teams are instate rivals. Iowa State topped Iowa 77-70 on Dec. 8, led Ashley Joens’ 25 points.

But that Iowa team and the one playing now couldn’t be more different. The Hawkeyes blasted through the end of the season, winning eight straight, including the Big Ten tournament championship. And unlike when they were struggling early in the season, it’s no longer just the Caitlin Clark show. Everyone on this squad is playing at a high level, and because of that, they top the Cyclones and move into the Elite Eight.

Elite Eight: No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 2 Iowa

All of that brings me to another juicy matchup. The committee loves a good narrative, and so do I, which is why this game has the potential to be one of the best of the tournament. Caitlin Clark vs. Aliyah Boston, the two favorites for National Player of the Year, will take the court against each other, trying to get their teams to the Final Four. In the end, South Carolina has more weapons, and the guard duo of Zia Cooke and Destanni Henderson will give the Gamecocks a leg up.

Wichita

Second round: No. 4 Tennessee vs. No. 5 Oregon

Oregon is a team with the potential to be great. The Ducks have all the pieces and, at times, they’ve come together — a Jan. 17 win over UConn being the prime example. But now that the tournament has come around and they still haven’t realized their full potential, I’m thinking twice about the Ducks even getting past Belmont in the opening round.

Meanwhile, Tennessee looked great for most of the season, before dropping seven of their last 12 games. At least part of that slide can be attributed to leading scorer Jordan Horston hurting her elbow on Feb. 17. If the Vols are healthy, they should handle Oregon. If not, this region could get a lot more interesting.

Second round: No. 2 Baylor vs. No. 7 Ole Miss

Watching Baylor’s NaLyssa Smith and Ole Miss’ Shakira Austin battle in the paint will be intense. But Baylor has more pieces, particularly shooters, to keep the Ole Miss defense honest around doubling and sagging on Smith. That gives Baylor the edge.

Sweet 16: No. 2 Baylor vs. No. 3 Michigan

This one, a rematch of Michigan’s 74-68 overtime win on Dec. 19, features another elite post matchup between Smith and Naz Hillmon. Leigha Brown led the Wolverines with 25 points in that contest, and the Bears shot just 22.2 percent from 3. Expect Baylor to have a better defensive game plan and a better performance from beyond the arc. Add those together, and Baylor has the upper hand.

Sweet 16: No. 1 Louisville vs. No. 4 Tennessee

Now, here is a spot in the bracket where I start to question myself. Louisville has been outstanding this season, and as I mentioned earlier, Tennessee has fallen off as of late. So why am I picking Tennessee in this matchup? The Vols have a height advantage with 6-foot-6 Tamari Key, leading to second-chance points and one-shot possessions. The Vols also have athletic defenders to slow down Louisville’s guards. Player to player, this is a good matchup for the Vols, and they just have to play their game.

Spokane

Second round: No. 1 Stanford vs. No. 9 Georgia Tech

Stanford should win this game, but it’s going to get messy. The Yellow Jackets have pulled off several upsets this season thanks to intense on-ball defense, holding opponents to 51.9 points per game as the fifth-best scoring defense in the country. The toughest thing for Stanford is that it’s impossible to replicate Georgia Tech’s defense in practice; the real thing is always more chaotic. That said, Stanford is certainly experienced enough to handle the pressure. The scoreline might be closer than the Cardinal would like, but Stanford will come out on top.

Second round: No. 3 LSU vs. No. 6 Ohio State

This matchup is one between great guards: LSU’s Khayla Pointer and Alexis Morris vs. OSU’s Jacy Sheldon and Taylor Mikesell. LSU has an advantage inside with Faustine Aifuwa going up against OSU’s Rebeka Mikulasikova. Aifuwa’s 44 blocks this season will give the Buckeyes something to think about when they drive to the hoop.

Sweet 16: No. 1 Stanford vs. No. 4 Maryland

When these two teams played back in November, Stanford came away with a lopsided 86-67 win. But Maryland was short-handed, dressing only seven players, and Angel Reese struggled. She was 2-for-13 from the field and played just 15 minutes before fouling out. On the other side, Cameron Brink played just nine minutes due to illness.

In other words, we didn’t see the full potential of this matchup. Maryland has serious offensive firepower, averaging 78.1 points per game, but the Terrapins can’t match up with Stanford defensively. Because of that, I’m going with the Cardinal.

Sweet 16: No. 3 LSU vs. No. 2 Texas

Texas freshman Rori Harmon has been incredible all season, but in the Big 12 Championship she was on another level, scoring 30 points against Iowa State and 20 against Baylor. With her attacking, Aliyah Matharu coming off the bench (12.5 points per game) and Lauren Ebo in the paint, Texas has a complete offense. That, plus their overwhelming defense and unrelenting pace of play, will send the Longhorns to the Elite Eight.

Elite Eight: No. 1 Stanford vs. No. 2 Texas

When these teams met in November, it was Texas’ coming-out party. The Longhorns forced Stanford into 20 turnovers and just 35.4 percent shooting (14.8 percent from 3). Since then, the Cardinal have figured out their rotation and gotten healthy. Now, Stanford will be ready for Texas’ speed and pressure. The Cardinal will get revenge, and a Final Four appearance.

Bridgeport

Second round: No. 1 NC State vs. No. 9 Kansas State

This tournament is full of exciting post matchups, and NC State vs. Kansas State boasts two of the best bigs in the country in Elissa Cunane and Ayoka Lee. The Wolfpack got the better of this matchup back in November, in a 90-69 win, and I don’t think that changes this time around.

Second round: No. 3 Indiana vs. No. 6 Kentucky

There is no team hotter than Kentucky right now, but with Mackenzie Holmes finally looking healthy, Indiana is too good at every position. Expect the maturity and poise of the Hoosiers to be a factor as they move on to the Sweet Sixteen.

Sweet Sixteen: No. 2 UConn vs. No. 3 Indiana

With Paige Bueckers back and Azzi Fudd starting to peak, UConn is the team we thought it would be heading into the season. Injuries allowed Bueckers’ teammates to get some much-needed experience, and now everyone is playing at a high level. Expect a player like Christyn Williams to have a huge performance as IU throws all of its resources at Bueckers. Plus, with a short bench, Aaliyah Edwards (6-foot-3) and Olivia Nelson-Ododa (6-5) will be too much for the Hoosiers to handle.

Elite Eight: No. 1 NC State vs. No. 2 UConn

Unlike a lot of teams in the country, UConn has the personnel to defend Cunane. The Huskies will also be able to go toe-to-toe with NC State’s guards, and their overall talent will prevail.

Final Four

No. 1 Stanford vs. No. 2 UConn

The Cardinal and the Huskies have met six times in the Final Four and 18 times total since 1988. UConn holds an 11-7 advantage, and I expect the Huskies to add another win to that list. Like with NC State, UConn has the personnel to guard Brink in the paint. And when it comes to overall talent and athleticism, the Huskies have the edge over the Cardinal. Haley Jones could give them problems with her versatility, but UConn takes this one by a slim margin.

No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 2 Baylor

I don’t anticipate this game to be as close. Baylor may have the best player on the floor in Smith, but Boston hasn’t been stopped all season. That won’t change against Baylor, and the Gamecock guards also have a leg up over Baylor’s.Their ability to attack and draw fouls will impact this game enough to send them to the championship.

Championship

No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 2 UConn

Apart from two bumps in the road (losses to Missouri and Kentucky), South Carolina has been consistently elite this season. That tells me the Gamecocks have the tools to go all the way. Meanwhile, UConn has been tested with injuries and upsets, but the healthy Huskies can get right back to where basketball fans are used to seeing them.

This game comes down to overall talent. Both squads have star power, but South Carolina doesn’t have a weak spot on the floor. One through five, the Gamecocks are too talented for even the Huskies to stop, giving Dawn Staley’s squad a second NCAA title banner to add to their collection.

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.

On today's episode of The Late Sub, host Claire Watkins wades through a few big women’s sports headlines before sitting down with Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase.

Watkins chats with Nakase about leading a brand-new WNBA franchise, including building a roster from scratch and the front office team's goals and tactics in navigating Golden State's expansion draft.

Finally, Nakase discusses how she’d like her team to play, plus the fundamentals that she thinks will create a lasting locker room culture of winning as the Valkyries embark on their inaugural 2025 season.

The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes in women’s sports. This is the weekly rundown you’ve been missing, covering the USWNT, NWSL, WNBA, college hoops, and whatever else is popping off in women’s sports each week. Special guest appearances with the biggest names in women’s sports make The Late Sub a must-listen for every fan. Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women’s Sports newsletter for more.

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Behind a huge performance from sophomore Hannah Hidalgo, No. 8 Notre Dame handed No. 2 UConn their season’s first loss, defeating their third Top-5 team 79-68 on Thursday.

Even with injuries limiting Notre Dame’s depth, it was all gas, no brakes for the Irish, who spent nearly all of the game’s 40 minutes in the lead.

The Irish defense held the Huskies to an abysmal 18.8% three-point shooting rate, with UConn making just three out of 16 attempts from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, Notre Dame did the opposite, sinking 55% of their 18 three-point attempts.

UConn superstar Paige Bueckers led the Huskies with 25 points in a game where guard Azzi Fudd, who’s nursing a minor knee injury, was sorely missed. While freshman forward Sarah Strong added 14 points despite getting into early foul trouble, UConn’s roster simply couldn’t put together enough clutch plays to overcome the Irish.

“Going forward, we need more contributions from more people [other than Bueckers],” assessed UConn head coach Geno Auriemma following the loss. “If you're playing at Connecticut, you have to be the kind of kid who can make an impact in a game like this."

Notre Dame has now taken three games in a row from UConn, something the Irish haven’t done since 2012-13. 

"This is a major win for us," Notre Dame head coach Niele Ivey said after the game. "Obviously, it's just one win, but I'm really grateful for this group and really proud of our effort and the way that we showed up today with such toughness and discipline."

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Red-hot Hidalgo fuels Notre Dame win

Star guard Hidalgo played menace to the visiting Huskies on Thursday, putting together a near-triple-double with 29 points, 20 rebounds, and eight assists, plus draining a career-high six three-pointers. In total, the preseason All-American played a role in 48 of Notre Dame’s 79 points.

"Hidalgo is the head of the snake," UConn’s Bueckers said about her opponent. "She does a lot of great things offensively, defensively. She's a pest. I think the best thing that she does is her energy and her attitude and the way she leads that team with that and the fire that she brings."

Forward Liatu King added a 16-point, 12-rebound double-double of her own to the Irish’s total, with guard Olivia Miles also sinking 16 points.

The backcourt duo of Miles and Hidalgo continues to lift Notre Dame into this season’s top echelon, with Auriemma, the winningest NCAA basketball coach in history, commenting "I don't know if there's a better combination of guards than those two with how many different things they can hurt you with."

"Those guys are attacking you for the entire 40 minutes. And I don't know that I've seen anybody up close yet that can do that."

Ultimately, the Irish look as formidable as ever. Despite an uncharacteristic two-loss skid, Notre Dame boasts wins over then-No. 3 USC, then-No. 4 Texas, and now No. 2 UConn, becoming just the third team with a trio of Top-5 wins before January in 25 years.

"I'm hoping that the lesson [is], when we play with heart, we play with discipline, we play focused, we can be just as elite as everybody else in the country," remarked Ivey.

How to watch Sunday’s Top-25 NCAA basketball

Though both UConn and Notre Dame will face decidedly overmatched opponents in Georgetown and Eastern Michigan, respectively, there are two Top-25 tilts on deck.

First on Sunday, WNBA star Caitlin Clark’s alma mater, No. 21 Iowa, will visit an undefeated No. 17 Michigan State side off to their best start in program history. The Big Ten foes will tip off at 12 PM ET, with live coverage on BTN.

Then at 2 PM ET, undefeated No. 25 Georgia Tech will take on one-loss No. 14 UNC, airing on ACCN.

In between lies an intriguing bout between No. 22 NC State and Louisville, two teams who have suffered a slew of losses to ranked squads. The Wolfpack, who fell to No. 3 South Carolina, No. 4 LSU, and No. 12 TCU, will be hungry to keep their Top-25 spot. On the other hand, Louisville, who registered losses to No. 1 UCLA, No. 2 UConn, No. 10 Oklahoma, and No. 16 Kentucky, will be eager to bounce back into the AP poll after being ousted on Monday.

NC State’s battle with Louisville will air live at 1 PM ET on ABC.

Just 16 teams remain in the 2024 NCAA volleyball tournament​ after last week's opening rounds, setting the stage for this weekend's four Regional showdowns.

Hosted by the No. 1 seeds (Pitt, Nebraska, Penn State, and Louisville), each four-team mini-tournament will send one squad to next Thursday's national semifinals in Louisville.

Regional action kicks off in the ACC

The Pitt and Louisville Regionals will start the Sweet Sixteen action on Thursday, when the Panthers host No. 7 Missouri, No. 3 Kentucky, and No. 4 Oregon. Louisville helms the evening party, which includes No. 2 Stanford, No. 4 Purdue, and No. 6 Florida.

With Pittsburgh already in full swing, the Wildcats added a third defeat of Missouri to their 2024 tally on Thursday, ousting the Tigers 3-1 and extending their win streak to 14 matches in the process.

About to take the court are two of the nation's best blocking teams, with the overall No. 1 seed Panthers aiming for a repeat of their season-opening sweep of the Ducks.

Thursday night's action starts when Stanford, whose nine NCAA titles dwarf all other Division I programs, takes on a tough Florida side who upset No. 3 Kansas in a gritty five-set thriller last Saturday.

Finally, while no team is immune to upsets at this level, Thursday's closer between Purdue and Louisville is especially vulnerable after the Cardinals barely survived Northern Iowa on Saturday.

The Big Ten begins hosting on Friday

Big Ten courts will serve as the stage for Friday's Regional semifinals, with Penn State hosting No. 2 Creighton, No. 3 Texas, and No. 5 Marquette before Nebraska welcomes No. 2 Wisconsin, No. 5 Dayton, and No. 6 Texas A&M to Cornhusker country.

Friday's opener pits two offensive powerhouses who've swept their way through the NCAA bracket against each other. The Bluejays, who are riding a 24-match win streak, will try to harness that momentum to end the back-to-back defending champs Longhorns' hopes of a three-peat.

Soon after, the Nittany Lions will again defend home court — a feat they've accomplished in every 2024 home match — in Friday's second tilt against the Golden Eagles.

Like Penn State, fellow Big Ten behemoth Wisconsin is likely to emerge victorious from their Regional semifinal, a rematch of the Badgers's September sweep of Texas A&M.

Capping the weekend's first matches is a battle of experience against this year's Cinderella squad. In their 40th Sweet Sixteen appearance, Nebraska's superstar-stacked roster will take on Regional debutants Dayton, who outlasted No. 4 Baylor in five gritty sets to earn the trip. The Flyers boast the fifth-best defense in the country, and they'll need every ounce of it to snap the Huskers' 43-match home win streak.

How to watch the 2024 NCAA volleyball Regionals

Thursday's action is in full swing, and No. 2 Creighton vs. No. 3 Texas will jumpstart Friday's slate at 1 PM ET before Saturday and Sunday each feature a pair of Regional finals.

The full schedule will stream live on ESPN+, with ESPN2 also airing all matches through Saturday.

Sunday's games received a broadcast bump, with the Nebraska Regional final airing at 3 PM ET on ABC and the Penn State-hosted finale taking the 8:30 PM ET slot on ESPN.

The 2027 Women's World Cup has officially claimed its calendar spot, with FIFA announcing Tuesday that the tournament's Brazil-hosted 10th edition — the first-ever in South America — will run from June 24th through July 25th.

"The FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027 is already taking shape and we can’t wait for the opening match," said FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

Looking to break 2023's record-setting attendance and viewership numbers, Infantino also noted, "This historic tournament will have a massive impact not only in South America, but around the whole world, taking the women's game to the next level in terms of participation and popularity."

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Prepping for the 2027 World Cup qualifiers

The international soccer governing body also allocated the competition's 32 available spots, with CONMEBOL's Brazil earning automatic entry as one of the three slots granted to the continental confederation.

UEFA leads the pool with 11 teams, followed by AFC with six, CAF and Concacaf with four each, and OFC's one.

The final three squads will be determined by a 10-team, two-round play-in tournament taking place in late 2026 and February 2027.

The road to Brazil kicks off in 2025

With details including host cities and venues still to come, the road to the 2027 World Cup is ramping up with qualifying matches looming just around the corner.

Next year's UEFA Nations League play will determine the 11 European teams bound for Brazil, including 2023 world champions Spain. Meanwhile, the path to a fifth star for the world No. 1 USWNT crest begins with Concacaf W Qualifiers in late 2025.

Similarly, 2025 qualifying matches for the 2026 AFC Asian Cup and 2026 Africa Cup of Nations kicks off World Cup entrances for teams in those federations. CONMEBOL will look to the 2025 Copa América tournament to determine the remaining two entrants that will compete alongside host Brazil, while OFC is likely to set their World Cup qualifying matches for next year.

Superstar exits pave the way for new World Cup stars

Both expected and surprise entrants will book their 2027 World Cup spots over the next two years, but the Brazil tournament's sidelines are already set to feature fresh faces after a flood of soccer greats called game in 2024.

The host nation will compete in their first World Cup since 1999 without legendary attacker Marta, whose 17 goals lead the tournament's all-time scoring list.

Canada is suffering the same fate with 2027 marking the first edition in 28 years without leading international goalscorer Christine Sinclair.

Two-time trophy-winners Germany — the only team other than the US with more than one world title — recently bid adieu to star Alexandra Popp, who retired as a four-time World Cup competitor.

As for the USWNT, they'll look to follow their 2024 Olympic gold medal with a 2027 World Cup title, but without star striker Alex Morgan, defender Kelley O'Hara, or goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, who followed 2023 retirees Megan Rapinoe and Julie Ertz out the door this year.