Who would have thought it possible? But it’s what I’m hearing on the street. Many people are more intrigued by the women’s tournament than the men’s.
There are so many more storylines with women’s basketball than with men’s. It’s tough not to pencil in Connecticut, Houston, and North Carolina for the Final Four. Purdue? The Big 10 hasn’t won the tournament in about a quarter-century, the league isn’t top-drawer nationally, and Purdue has a way of losing games it’s supposed to win—big. Remember Fairleigh Dickinson last year and Saint Peter’s in 2022?
But the women’s bracket is a different story. Several teams can make a case for being national champions. Plus, many interesting characters are worth watching, including Iowa star Caitlin Clark. Will she finish her decorated collegiate career as a national champion? We know that she’ll finish her college career as the NCAA Division I’s all-time leading scorer. She’s averaging 31.9 points going into the tournament.
As great as it all is, Clark would prefer a championship over anything. It would cap off a terrific tenure at Iowa, and winning a championship in her hometown college would mean something. She’s the pride of Iowa, and she’s the sentimental favorite to win the championship. Of course, there will be roadblocks. That’s what makes the women’s tournament stand out over the men’s right there. South Carolina, LSU, and Connecticut have a case for potentially winning the national championship.
Clark’s story has so enthralled us that we forget about the job Dawn Staley has done as South Carolina’s coach. After losing five starters to graduation, she had the Gamecocks go undefeated for a second straight season. To do this without 2023 WNBA No.1 draft pick Aliyah Boston is impressive. It’s hard to go undefeated twice, let alone once, so Staley’s work should be discussed here. That’s why I think South Carolina is the odds-on favorite to win it all. Like the men’s UConn team, they run their offense precisely and defend well.
We definitely can’t forget LSU. After all, the team did win the national championship last year. Say what you want about LSU coach Kim Mulkey (I’ve got no use for her as a coach and a person), but she’s one of the best coaches to grace college basketball. She knows what she’s doing at this time of the year. Count the Tigers out at your own risk. And who wouldn’t want a rematch of LSU and Iowa, especially if it means the right to go to the Final Four? Now that will get eyeballs, given the bad blood that took place in last year’s national championship game between Clark and Angel Reese.
Somehow, UConn has become yesterday’s news. When was the last time we heard about them? This time of year, it’s usually about UConn chasing another championship. The fact that hasn’t happened lately explains why the Huskies are overlooked. UConn coach Geno Auriemma is a Hall of Famer for a reason. You can bet he and his team will be heard from. But UConn isn’t even the #1 or #2 seed in this year’s tournament, and that (in and of itself) makes them dangerous. Auriemma will assuredly coach his team well. And don’t discount Paige Bueckers, who’ll have a chance to write her own story in the tournament. For sure, the Huskies will be heard from.
There are other programs with a chance to make a name for themselves in the tournament. Texas and UCLA are two. Then, there’s USC freshman sensation Juju Watkins. She’s the nation’s second-leading scorer behind Clark. It’ll be interesting to see how she fares, given her first taste of the NCAA Tournament. There are more stars, too, including Hannah Hidalgo (Notre Dame), Madison Booker (Texas), and Cameron Brink (Stanford).
Apart from Saint Peter’s, I am not interested in the men’s tournament. By the time we get into the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight next week, I’ll focus on MLB because Opening Day starts next week. But I’ll still follow the women’s game through to the championship.
My bet is that I won’t be alone.
