Simply 16 groups stay within the 2025 girls’s NCAA Event. March Insanity started with 68 groups and we whittled down the sphere final weekend. Alongside the way in which, we noticed gamers face former groups, some squads make assertion wins, information damaged, historical past made, and one huge bummer of an unlucky damage.
March goes on. This weekend, eight groups might be despatched to Spokane, Washington, and one other eight to Birmingham, Alabama. When the mud lastly settles subsequent Monday evening, simply 4 groups will stay to vie for a nationwide championship.
We’re rating the 16 groups remaining, sorting them by their probabilities to win the nationwide title in Tampa, Florida.
16. Oklahoma
It’s been a enjoyable season for the Sooners – who by the way in which simply landed the nation’s No. 1 recruit in Aaliyah Chavez – and are within the Candy 16 for the primary time since 2013. Sadly for Raegan Beers and co., they’re about to run up in opposition to UConn, which has gained 12 video games in a row since dropping at rival Tennessee on Feb. 6. The Huskies are on a mission and Oklahoma is simply in the way in which.
15. Ole Miss
If there’s one factor that’s true about Ole Miss it’s that the Rebels don’t have any back-down in them. Coach Yo’s squad isn’t intimidated by anybody. However confidence may not be sufficient in opposition to Lauren Betts and the Bruins. Even when Ole Miss can pull off an upset, gifted and high-scoring groups in LSU or N.C. State awaits.
14. Kansas State
The Wildcats are within the Candy 16 for the primary time since 2002 and have an actual shot at upsetting a USC group that’s going to be enjoying with out famous person sophomore JuJu Watkins. However even when the Wildcats do advance to the Elite Eight, UConn probably awaits. And similar to when the Dying Star blew up Alderaan, the Huskies will zap the Wildcats.
13. Maryland
Brenda Frese is a superb coach, Shyanne Selliers is a gifted guard, and the Terps have numerous stable items round her. However South Carolina is up subsequent and, sadly for Maryland, we’ve seen this film earlier than.
12. USC
With out JuJu Watkins, there’s a very good probability that USC struggles in opposition to Kansas State. Even when they beat the Wildcats comfortably, UConn probably awaits. Even with Watkins again in December – a recreation that the Huskies’ Azzi Fudd solely performed in for eight minutes – USC narrowly gained by two factors. Sadly for the Trojans, attending to the Last 4 appears extremely unlikely now.
11. Tennessee
Kim Caldwell’s Woman Vols misplaced at Texas by simply 4 factors earlier this season and have an actual probability at pulling off an upset over the Longhorns within the Candy 16. But when that occurs, they’ll face the winner of Notre Dame and TCU. It’s not inconceivable for Tennessee to beat a kind of groups, however they’ll need to play a near-perfect recreation.
10. North Carolina
Let’s say the Tar Heels can beat Duke, which they did in an absolute rock battle earlier this season in Carmichael Enviornment with Alyssa Ustby and Reniya Kelly wholesome. Up subsequent – if we’re being trustworthy with ourselves – might be South Carolina. Now, this UNC group and this South Carolina group are very completely different from those that met within the second spherical final season, the place the Gamecocks completely bulldozed the Tar Heels. For one, this South Carolina roster doesn’t have Kamilla Cardoso and Ashlyn Watkins. Two, UNC isn’t decimated by accidents prefer it was a season in the past and might truly play greater than two scholarship guards. Will these variations be sufficient, or will Courtney Banghart drop to 0-4 in opposition to Daybreak Staley?
9. Duke
Okay, let’s flip that final level: Let’s assume Duke beats North Carolina and will get a matchup with South Carolina within the Elite Eight. The Blue Devils misplaced to the Gamecocks earlier this season in Columbia by 11 factors, however the since-injured Ashlyn Watkins performed in that recreation and ACC Rookie of the Yr Toby Fournier was ineffective for Duke in that first matchup. It’s additionally price noting that, in rematches this season after dropping the primary recreation, Kara Lawson is 4-0, notching wins in her second strive in opposition to North Carolina, Louisville, Notre Dame and N.C. State.
8. Texas
I do know Texas is a No. 1 seed, however even when they emerge from a Candy 16 battle with Tennessee unscathed, it’s considerably tough to think about them beating a group like Notre Dame or TCU within the Elite Eight. The Horned Frogs are enjoying with momentum and Notre Dame already beat the Longhorns by 10 earlier this season.
7. TCU
TCU beat Notre Dame earlier this season, however Liza Karlen and Maddy Westbeld didn’t play in that recreation for the Irish. And in opposition to a middle like Sedona Prince, having submit depth like that might make an actual distinction for Notre Dame. Within the Candy 16 for the primary time ever although, the Horned Frogs have already exceeded expectations and are enjoying with home cash.
6. LSU
Kim Mulkey’s Tigers ought to be ok with their path to the Last 4 in that they don’t need to face South Carolina or UConn in Spokane, and their first opponent – N.C. State – is a group they’ve already crushed. However the Wolfpack are a little bit of a special group since they noticed LSU again in November. For one, Tilda Trygger – who performed simply 4 minutes of their final assembly – is now the beginning heart for N.C. State and has confirmed to be greater than only a serviceable participant within the paint. Additionally, did y’all see what the Wolfpack did to Michigan State?
5. N.C. State
All the things appears to be clicking for the Wolfpack proper now, who’ve misplaced simply as soon as of their final 9 video games and defeated six NCAA Event groups in that span. Madison Hayes is coming off a career-best taking pictures efficiency, Saniya Rivers continues to do a little bit of all the things for them, and it’s March – so Aziaha James is enjoying effectively. The query for LSU and sure UCLA is, who’s going to cease all these guards?
4. UCLA
One may make the case that, with USC’s Watkins injured, UCLA’s Lauren Betts is the perfect participant left within the match. If she flexes her dominance within the Candy 16 and Elite Eight, there’s not a group in Spokane outfitted to deal with the 6-foot-7 heart on the peak of her powers.
3. South Carolina
Recollections of that February loss to UConn nonetheless linger, and people reminded within the second spherical that these Gamecocks are certainly weak once they began sluggish in opposition to Indiana and trailed the Hoosiers at halftime. South Carolina then, after all, stomped on the fuel within the second half, however the Gamecocks can’t afford to have sluggish halves in opposition to any of the groups within the Birmingham 2 area.
2. Notre Dame
The Irish appeared to have gotten their act collectively and performed a few of their greatest basketball of the season in a second-round win over Michigan. That’s the Notre Dame group we noticed that was ranked No. 1 within the nation earlier than dropping in double-overtime at N.C. State, and that’s the Notre Dame group that’s able to profitable this entire factor.
1. UConn
Most on-line sportsbooks made the Huskies the betting favourite to win the nationwide title after Watkins’ damage. And certainly, their path to the Last 4 simply bought quite a bit simpler. UConn is rolling and its smallest margin of victory throughout this 12-game win streak was by 19 factors in opposition to Creighton. One may simply make the case that UConn has a Massive Three – Paige Bueckers, Sarah Robust and Azzi Fudd – that’s nearly as good or higher than any trio within the nation. This could possibly be the 12 months that Geno Auriemma’s Huskies finish their nationwide title drought.