The NCAA Tournament bracket is set, and the first games tip off Wednesday. From now until April 2, itβs all about college basketball.
Whether youβre a diehard fan or watching for the first time, Just Womenβs Sports has everything you need to know about March Madness.
Who will win it all?
This is a season where the favorite has separated itself from the rest of the 68-team field. Of course, March is mad for a reason, so anything can happen. But South Carolina has all the tools to repeat as champions.
The Gamecocks are 32-0 heading into the tournament, and they have answered every test they have faced this season. Led by Aliyah Boston, the reigning POY, DPOY and Final Four Most Outstanding Player, South Carolina has talent and experience. Four of five starters from last yearβs squad are back to chase another title.
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β South Carolina Women's Basketball (@GamecockWBB) March 13, 2023
Back-to back No. 1 seeds. We're goin' dancin!! π pic.twitter.com/CQZwggF6ZK
Who could play Cinderella?
The best thing about Cinderella teams is that they usually come out of nowhere, so donβt be surprised when someone outside of these selections makes a run. That being said, UNLV, Middle Tennessee, Gonzaga and Princeton all have a create chaos.
UNLV
The Rebels are seeded at No. 11 because of their conference (Mountain West) and their poor strength of schedule. But if you watch UNLV, the talent is clear. All five players can create their own shots, they run the floor well, and can overwhelm opponents with athleticism.
Middle Tennessee
This team has a tough matchup in the first round with sixth-seeded Colorado, but the 11th-seeded Blue Raiders know how to win big games. They topped Louisville earlier this year and took care of business in Conference USA, winning 18 games. Middle Tennessee is dangerous because of the way the team shares the ball. Six players contribute at least 7 points per game, and four of them average double-digits.
Gonzaga
The Zags makes a point to schedule tough opponents outside of conference play. This year, they played Louisville, Marquette, Tennessee and Stanford, so they wonβt be rattled by big-name opponents. Plus, they are experienced, with a starting five made up of all juniors and seniors.
Princeton
The Tigers made a splash last season when they beat Kentucky in the first round and then nearly knocked off Indiana. This time around, Princeton is missing Abby Meyers, who transferred to Maryland, but this team still has the goods to surprise its opponents. Kaitlyn Chen, the Ivy League POY, will lead the charge. Sheβs averaging 15.9 points, 3.9 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game.
Hearing your name on Selection Sunday never gets old.
β Princeton WBB (@PrincetonWBB) March 13, 2023
Weβre going dancing in Salt Lake City, Utah against No. 7 seed NC State!#GetStops π―π pic.twitter.com/YwBYRr9hbo
Five players you might not know, but should
Desi-Rae Young, UNLV
The Las Vegas native is a problem in the paint, averaging 18.2 points and 10.2 rebounds while shooting 59.7 percent from the field. She anchors a talented UNLV team with strength, athleticism and excellent footwork inside. Young can also face up and take opponents off the dribble, making her a potential mismatch for defenders.
Jaylyn Sherrod, Colorado
The Buffs have had an excellent season thus far in no small part because of their point guard. Sherrod is one of the toughest players in the country. She will attack anyone off the dribble, play through injuries and has a motor that never quits.
Katie Dinnebier, Drake
The sophomore and former Miss Iowa Basketball has a habit of coming up big for her team in the most crucial moments. In the MVC Tournament quarterfinal, when Drake trailed by 8 points in the fourth, Dinnebier went on a scoring rampage, pouring in 13 of her 19 points in the final four minutes and 30 seconds.
Yarden Garzon, Indiana
Despite playing for one of the top teams in the country, Garzon has managed to stay under the radar all season. The 6-3 freshman is a complete player who does a bit of everything for the Hoosiers. She averages 11.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3 assists per game. Garzon has also been a starter all season, and despite being thrust into a big role, her youth never showed.
Gianna Kneepkens, Utah
In high school, Kneepkens scored 3,704 points, an insane number. She took her scoring prowess to college, where she puts up 15.4 points per game for one of the countryβs best offensive teams. The sophomore has a true scorerβs mentality and is always hunting her shot. She can score from long range or off the bounce at the rim.
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β Utah Womenβs Basketball (@UTAHWBB) February 28, 2023
Six teams to watch, and why
Who to watch if you love scoring: Utah
The Utes are fourth in the country in points per game with 83.5, and they score in a variety of ways. Utah is a fun offensive team because it features both posts and guards who can score. Everyone can shoot 3s, and everyone can attack off the dribble. Who could forget the 124 points the Utes dropped on Oklahoma earlier this season?
Who to watch it you love efficiency: Indiana
Indiana just plays good basketball. Things start inside with Mackenzie Holmes, who shoots 68.8 percent from the field (second in the country) and scores 22.3 points per game. But the efficiency doesnβt stop with Holmes. As a team, Indiana shoots 49.8% from the field (also second in the country) and has a 1.42 assist to turnover ratio (seventh in the country).
Who to watch if you love 3-pointers: Florida Gulf Coast
The Eagles make 11.7 3-pointers per game, which is first in the country. The closest another NCAA Tournament team comes to that mark is Creighton, which makes nearly two less a contest at 9.8.
Who to watch if you love star power: Iowa
Between her overall talent and the way she interacts with the crowd, Caitlin Clark is a bonafide star. Tune in to watch her shoot from the logo, throw full-court passes and put up triple-doubles. In her last outing, Clark led Iowa to the Big Ten title with 30 points, 17 assets and 10 rebounds.
Who to watch if you love a favorite: South Carolina
The Gamecocks won last yearβs national title, and they are favored to do the same this season. They enter the tournament with an undefeated 32-0 record, and are beating their opponents by an average of 30.3 points (first in the country).