I enjoy watching the better women's teams play, but the problem is that there is such a clear difference between the top teams and everyone else that it's not really worth watching the first few rounds, because there are so few upsets.
Well this year there were zero upsets. It's #1 vs #2 in all 4 regions, tomorrow and monday. But the good news is, all 7 games here on out will be well worth watching.
Best one might be first:
Sun 3/31, 12:00pm: #1 Louisville vs #2 UConn in Albany. This is a grudge match par excellance, because Louisville dealt the Huskies their 2nd and most recent loss of the season (by 9 points, in Louisville). Despite having 3 losses on the year to UConn's 2, the Louisville Cardinals were given the 1 seed (but UConn stayed in their home region). Meanwhile, UConn was actually down heading into the 4th quarter of their most recent match, before kicking it up several notches to win by 8. Should be close, and it's going to have a great atmosphere.
Sun 3/31, 2:00pm: #1 MS State vs #2 Oregon in Portland OR. Oregon narrowly missed out on a 1-seed. MS State, meanwhile, took one of their only two losses on the season at Oregon back in December. MSST famously ended UConn's 111-game win streak in the Final Four 2 years ago. Going in as effectively a home game for the Ducks, this should be another crazy atmosphere.
Mon 4/1, 7:00pm: #1 Baylor vs #2 Iowa in Greensboro NC. I don't know much about the Iowa team this year, but Baylor plays some beautiful ball and are deservedly the #1 overall seed.
Mon 4/1, 9:00pm: #1 Notre Dame vs #2 Stanford in Chicago. A clash of storied women's programs, in what will play much like a home game for the defending national champions (ND). Notre Dame has absurd talent but has been inconsistent, leading to 3 losses on the year, two of them nearly inexplicable (and the third, a home loss to UConn by 18).
With the Men's final four being played Saturday night followed by the championship game on Monday 4/8, the Women will be back at it Friday night (fast turnaround) with title game Sunday night, which I think beats the older format of Sunday-to-Tuesday.
Well this year there were zero upsets. It's #1 vs #2 in all 4 regions, tomorrow and monday. But the good news is, all 7 games here on out will be well worth watching.
Best one might be first:
Sun 3/31, 12:00pm: #1 Louisville vs #2 UConn in Albany. This is a grudge match par excellance, because Louisville dealt the Huskies their 2nd and most recent loss of the season (by 9 points, in Louisville). Despite having 3 losses on the year to UConn's 2, the Louisville Cardinals were given the 1 seed (but UConn stayed in their home region). Meanwhile, UConn was actually down heading into the 4th quarter of their most recent match, before kicking it up several notches to win by 8. Should be close, and it's going to have a great atmosphere.
Sun 3/31, 2:00pm: #1 MS State vs #2 Oregon in Portland OR. Oregon narrowly missed out on a 1-seed. MS State, meanwhile, took one of their only two losses on the season at Oregon back in December. MSST famously ended UConn's 111-game win streak in the Final Four 2 years ago. Going in as effectively a home game for the Ducks, this should be another crazy atmosphere.
Mon 4/1, 7:00pm: #1 Baylor vs #2 Iowa in Greensboro NC. I don't know much about the Iowa team this year, but Baylor plays some beautiful ball and are deservedly the #1 overall seed.
Mon 4/1, 9:00pm: #1 Notre Dame vs #2 Stanford in Chicago. A clash of storied women's programs, in what will play much like a home game for the defending national champions (ND). Notre Dame has absurd talent but has been inconsistent, leading to 3 losses on the year, two of them nearly inexplicable (and the third, a home loss to UConn by 18).
With the Men's final four being played Saturday night followed by the championship game on Monday 4/8, the Women will be back at it Friday night (fast turnaround) with title game Sunday night, which I think beats the older format of Sunday-to-Tuesday.