Women’s Basketball Sweet Sixteen: The Best of the Best

The women’s Sweet Sixteen is upon us, and we’ve got all the info you need to know about the best players and teams in the tournament!

The top four seeds in the women’s NCAA tournament

In the women’s NCAA tournament the top four seeds have made it to the Sweet Sixteen.
The top-ranked team in the nation is Baylor, and they’re joined by UConn, Notre Dame and Louisville as the number one seeds still alive in the tournament.
Baylor will take on South Carolina UConn will face off against Iowa State Notre Dame will battle it out with Texas A&M, and Louisville will face Oregon State
These are the best teams in the country, and it’s going to be a great set of games.

The teams that upset them in the Sweet Sixteen

Fourteen of the sixteen teams that started the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament are now gone, and we’re down to the Elite Eight.

This tournament has had its share of upsets, with some big-name teams falling to lower seeds. Here are the four biggest upsets of the tournament so far:

1. #6 Oregon State Beavers over #3 Tennessee Lady Vols
2. #7 Mueller State Bulldogs over #2 Stanford Cardinal
3. #5 Maryland Terrapins over #4 Louisville Cardinals
4. #8 Syracuse Orange over #1 Connecticut Huskies

The Cinderella stories of the tournament

In a tournament full of surprises, the Cinderella stories are what make the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament so special. From Gonzaga to Oregon, these underdogs fought their way into the Sweet Sixteen. These are their stories.

Gonzaga Bulldogs
The Gonzaga Bulldogs started the season unranked and finished it as one of the best teams in the country. They earned a number four seed in the tournament, but they proved that they were one of the best teams in the country by upsetting Oregon in the second round. The Bulldogs will now face off against Baylor in the Sweet Sixteen.

Oregon Ducks
The Oregon Ducks had a roller coaster ride of a season. They started off strong, but they struggled down the stretch and lost four of their last six games. Despite their late-season struggles, they still earned a number two seed in the tournament. However, their season came to an end in the second round when they were upset by Gonzaga.

Baylor Bears
The Baylor Bears were one of the best teams in the country all season long They earned a number one seed in the tournament, but they had to fight for their spot in the Sweet Sixteen. In a close game against Florida State Baylor managed to pull out a victory and advance to the next round. They will now face off against Gonzaga in the Sweet Sixteen.

Florida State Seminoles
The Florida State Seminoles had a solid season and earned a number five seed in the tournament. In their first game of the tournament, they were matched up against Baylor. After a close game Florida State came up just short and lost by two points.

The best players in the Sweet Sixteen

The Sweet Sixteen is the most anticipated round of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament The top sixteen teams in the country face off, with a chance to advance to the Elite Eight and Final Four.

This year’s Sweet Sixteen features some of the best players in the country. Connecticut’s Napheesa Collier is averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds per game Oregon’s Sabrina Ionescu is averaging 19 points, 8 assists, and 7 rebounds per game Louisville’s Asia Durr is averaging 21 points per game

These are just a few of the many talented players that will be on display in the Sweet Sixteen. Be sure to tune in to see who comes out on top!

The best matchups in the Sweet Sixteen

The NCAA women’s Basketball Tournament is down to the Sweet Sixteen, and there are some great matchups on tap.

In the East region, top-seeded Connecticut will take on Duke, while in the West region, second-seeded Stanford will face Texas.

In the Midwest region, third-seeded Louisville will take on Tennessee, while in the South region, fourth-seeded South Carolina will battle North Carolina

These are four of the best teams in the country, and it should be a great weekend of basketball.

The under-the-radar players to watch in the Sweet Sixteen

In a year when the women’s game has been as deep and talented as ever, there are plenty of storylines to follow heading into the Sweet Sixteen. But which players will be the most fun to watch in the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament?

1. Alanna Smith, Stanford Cardinal
The Cardinal forward was one of the best players in the country all season long, and she proved it again in Stanford’s Opening Round win over New Mexico State Smith is an excellent shooter with a quickrelease, and she has a knack for getting open looks even when she’s being closely guarded. She’s also a very good rebounder, which will be key against a tough Arkansas team that likes to crash the boards.

2. Chennedy Carter, Texas A&M Aggies
The talented freshman point guard is averaging nearly 20 points per game and she was simply unstoppable at times during Texas A&M’s win over Marquette in the first round. Carter is an incredible athlete with a high motor, and she has the ability to take over a game with her scoring or her playmaking abilities. She’ll be fun to watch matched up against fellow freshman Maria Conde of Iowa State

3. Tiana Mangakahia, Syracuse Orange
The Australian native is one of the best pure scorers in the country, and she proved it again in Syracuse’s win over Oklahoma State in the first round. Mangakahia is also an excellent passer, and she does a great job of finding her teammates when they’re open. She could have a big day against a Tennessee team that hasn’t been great at defending the perimeter this season.

The keys to victory in the Sweet Sixteen

In order to have a fighting chance in the Sweet Sixteen, your team needs to have certain key ingredients. Here are three of the most important:

1) A Dominant Center
A reliable big man or woman in the post is an absolute must in tournament time. Not only do they provide a physical presence down low, but they also tend to be great shot blockers and rebounders. Some of the most successful Sweet Sixteen teams in recent years have had players like this anchoring their defense, such as Kentucky’s Anthony Davis and Connecticut’s Emeka Okafor.

2) A Go-To Scorer
When the game is on the line and your team needs a basket, you need someone who can be counted on to get the job done. This is often your best player, and they need to be able to create their own shot when necessary. Some of the most clutch performers in tournament history have been relied on heavily in these situations, such as Duke’s Christian Laettner and Indiana’s Keith Smart.

3) A Experience
Having players who have been through the rigors of nt play before can be invaluable come Sweet Sixteen time. They know what it takes to win in this type of atmosphere, and they can help settle down younger teammates who may be feeling the pressure more. Teams like Louisville and Syracuse have traditionally done well in the tournament thanks in large part to their experienced rosters.

The coaches with the most at stake in the Sweet Sixteen

In the Sweet Sixteen round of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament the pressure is on for the coaches whose teams are still in contention for the National Championship For some coaches, this is their first time in the Sweet Sixteen. For others, it’s a chance to finally get over the hump and make it to the Elite Eight. But for all of them, this is an opportunity to prove that they are one of the best in the business.

Here are some of the coaches with the most at stake in the Sweet Sixteen:

Geno Auriemma, Connecticut Huskies
Auriemma is one of the most successful coaches in NCAA Women’s Basketball History with 11 National Championships to his name. But he has never won a National Championship while also coaching Team USA in Olympic years. With both Connecticut and Team USA still alive in their respective tournaments, Auriemma has a chance to make history.

Muffet McGraw, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
McGraw has been coaching Notre Dame since 1987, and she has led them to eight Final Fours and two National Championships. But she has never won a National Championship while also coaching Team USA in Olympic years. With both Notre Dame and Team USA still alive in their respective tournaments, McGraw has a chance to make history.

Kim Mulkey, Baylor Lady Bears
Mulkey is one of only two coaches (Pat Summitt being the other) to ever win an NCAA Women’s Basketball National Championship as a player and a coach. She also led Baylor to back-to-back National Championships in 2012 and 2013. But she has never won a National Championship while also coaching Team USA in Olympic years. With both Baylor and Team USA still alive in their respective tournaments, Mulkey has a chance to make history.

The history of the Sweet Sixteen

The Women’s Basketball Sweet Sixteen is a single-elimination tournament held annually to determine the National Championship of women’s collegiate basketball in the United States The tournament is currently composed of sixteen teams, with each team representing a different conference.

The first Women’s Basketball Sweet Sixteen was held in 1982, with only eight teams competing. The field expanded to twelve teams in 1985, then sixteen teams in 1988. The tournament has been held every year since its inception, except for 2020, when it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Women’s Basketball Sweet Sixteen is widely considered to be one of the most prestigious events in women’s collegiate basketball, and it has produced some of the sport’s greatest moments Some of the most memorable moments in tournament history include:
-In 1982, Louisiana Tech defeated Cheyney State for the inaugural Women’s Basketball Sweet Sixteen championship.
-In 1991, players from both Stanford and Rutgers came together to support Stanford player Melanie Huster after she tore her ACL during a game.
-In 2006, Florida defeated Ohio State in overtime to win the National Championship
-In 2010, UConn defeated Stanford in the Championship game which marked the sixth time that UConn had won the title.

A preview of the Elite Eight

This year’s Sweet Sixteen is stacked with talent. There are four number one seeds, and the overall level of play is extremely high. Here’s a preview of what to expect in the Elite Eight:

UConn vs. Oregon: This is a rematch of last year’s Elite Eight, which UConn won handily. Oregon has improved since then, but UConn is still the better team. Expect the Huskies to win by around 10 points.

Notre Dame vs. Ohio State Notre Dame is coming off a huge upset win over Baylor, while Ohio State narrowly escaped against Tennessee. The Buckeyes have more talent, but the Irish have been playing better as of late. This one could go either way, but I give the edge to Notre Dame

Baylor vs. Stanford: Baylor is one of the best Defensive Teams in the country, while Stanford can score with anyone. Both teams lost in the Elite Eight last year, so they’ll be hungry to get over the hump this time around. I think Baylor will win a close one.

Texas A&M vs. Louisville: This matchup features two of the hottest teams in the country. Texas A&M comes in on an 11-game Winning Streak while Louisville has won eight in a row. The Cardinals are slightly better defensively, but the Aggies have been more consistent offensively. This should be a great game but I think Louisville will come out on top.