Mar. 17—Illinois women’s basketball beat writer and AP Top 25 voter Joe Vozzelli spotlights all four regions heading into the start of the NCAA tournament:
Regional 1: Fort Worth, Texas
The star player to know is … Sarah Strong. One of the leading favorites for National Player of the Year honors the 6-foot-2 sophomore forward is averaging 18.5 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists while shooting 60.1 percent from the field. Strong, alongside Azzi Fudd, have installed the Huskies as the lone undefeated team and reigning champion UConn enters the NCAA tournament on a 50-game winning streak ahead of a first-round game on Saturday against Texas San Antonio.
Advertisement
The dark horse team that could advance is … Ohio State. The easy pick might be Vanderbilt. The second-seeded Commodores have the nation’s leading scorer with Mikayla Blakes putting up 27.0 points per game. But the Buckeyes are also a tough out, thanks to Jaloni Cambridge and the fact No. 3 seed Ohio State can turn defense quickly into offense with their press, which makes coach Kevin McGuff’s team a potential matchup nightmare.
The team that will get to Phoenix is … UConn. It has to be, right? It really seems inevitable with how dominant the Huskies have been the past two seasons. Of potential interest would be if Vandy reached the Elite Eight and met the Huskies with a Final Four trip on the line. Commodores coach Shea Ralph is not only a former UConn player winning a national title in 2000 as the NCAA tournament’s Most Outstanding Player but Ralph was also a longtime Geno Auriemma assistant with the Hall of Fame coach a key mentor.
Regional 2: Sacramento, Calif.
The star player to know is … either Lauren Betts or Cotie McMahon. Their games are different with Betts more the traditional post player and shot blocker while McMahon is one of the most dynamic scorers in the women’s game. McMahon has twice dropped 30-plis points this season and should feel confident after leading Mississippi to the semifinals of the SEC tournament. The senior forward makes the Rebels a very dangerous No. 5 seed. Watch out Minnesota.
Advertisement
The dark horse team that could advance is … Duke. It’s been a steady progression for Kara Lawson’s program the last three years while reaching the second round (2023), Sweet 16 (2024) and Elite Eight (2025) before exiting. Could this be the year the Blue Devils make it all the way to the Final Four? Maybe. So much of how Duke wins games is by making opponents play the defensive style of game that suits it. That might not always be pretty. But it’s effective.
The team that will get to Phoenix is … UCLA. That the Bruins and UConn are on opposite sides of the bracket has only reinforced the notion that they are the most likely NCAA championship game matchup on April 5. There’s few teams in the country with the depth that Cori Close’s team can throw at you with Betts, Kiki Rice, Gabriela Jaquez, Gianna Kneepkens, Angela Dugalic and Charlisse Leger-Walker comprising arguably the best six-player rotation in the country.
Regional 3: Fort Worth, Texas
The star player to know is … Madison Booker. Very few players in the country have the skill set the 6-1 junior has in her bag with point guard capabilities in a forward’s body. That makes the Texas standout a fun player to watch at the NCAA tournament. The Ridgeland, Miss., native had had some monster games this season, including 31 points, 11 rebound, five assists, three steals and two blocked shots in an SEC tournament semifinal win against Ole Miss.
Advertisement
The dark horse team that could advance is …. Michigan. Because Olivia Olson, Syla Swords, Mila Holloway and Te’Yala Delfosse make up a strong youth movement in Ann Arbor. Perhaps it’s a year early for the Wolverines to make a Final Four run. Or perhaps not. Really the only team to give the Wolverines trouble this season has been Iowa. The Hawkeyes had Michigan’s number not only in the regular season but at the Big Ten tournament.
The team that will get to Phoenix is … Texas. It’s probably another year where all four of the No. 1 seeds on the women’s side reach the Final Four. A clear separation has existed all season it seems between UConn, UCLA, Texas and South Carolina and everyone else. A potential Texas-Michigan matchup in the Elite Eight would be intriguing for a lot of reasons, but the fact is Rori Harmon and Booker give Vic Schaefer’s Longhorns the clear advantage in experience.
Regional 4: Sacramento, Calif.
The star player to know is … Joyce Edwards, who is the star player South Carolina teams haven’t always had in the past under Dawn Staley. The strength of the Gamecocks has been their whole is greater than the sum of its parts approach (it’s led to three national titles). This season has belonged to the 6-3 sophomore forward from Camden, S.C., who’s true breakout year will likely land her First-Team All-American honors with Edwards producing 19.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.
Advertisement
The dark horse team that could advance is … TCU. Especially with how much of a difference great guard play can make in the NCAA tournament. Olivia Miles has reinvented herself with the Horned Frogs after an injury-plagued ending to her career with Notre Dame. That Miles is averaging 19.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 6.4 assists as a senior with TCU coming off an historic Elite Eight trip last season could help the Horned Frogs take that next step.
The team that will get to Phoenix is … likely South Carolina. A motivated Gamecocks team might be really hard to stop after South Carolina was basically blown out in the SEC tournament final against Texas. The Gamecocks’ only three losses this winter are to the Longhorns (twice) and Oklahoma (in overtime). Aforementioned TCU and No. 2 seed Iowa could play spoiler but South Carolina is loaded with experience and talent thanks to Edwards, Raven Johnson, Tessa Johnson, Ta’Niya Latson and Madina Okot.
