Women’s March Madness Ranking, Schedule, and Season Highlights
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- Only 16 teams are left in the women's tournament.
- Last season's champion, South Carolina, earned the overall top seed on Selection Sunday. The Gamecocks and Virginia Tech Hokies are the only remaining No. 1 seeds.
- April 2 marks the end of the season, when two teams will compete for the national title in Dallas.
For women's sports, 2022 was a pivotal year. Women's college basketball, in particular, has gained momentum in the past year with increases in viewership, sponsorship deals, and coverage.
In the first full year of name, image, and likeness (NIL) rule changes, women's basketball accounted for over 15% of total NIL compensation across both men's and women's college sports, according to a report from Opendorse.
In 2022, 4.85 million people viewed the women's national championship game on ESPN networks, the highest number of viewers in almost two decades.
The excitement has only just begun for this years' women's March Madness tournament. During the opening week, Indiana and Stanford – half of the No. 1 seeded teams – were knocked out, and No. 9 Miami and No. 8 Ole Miss are still fighting.
Before the Sweet 16 is underway, make sure to note these important dates.
Women's College Basketball Schedule
| Sweet 16 | March 24-25 |
| Elite Eight | March 26-27 |
| Final Four | March 31 |
| NCAA Championship | April 2 |
Source: NCAA
Out of the 68 teams chosen to compete in the tournament on Selection Sunday, 52 have been eliminated.
Here are the teams that have locked in their spots in the Sweet 16 round.
| Greenville 1 | Greenville 2 | Seattle 1 | Seattle 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | Maryland | Notre Dame | UCLA |
| Utah | LSU | Villanova | Miami |
| Iowa | Louisville | Colorado | Ole Miss |
| Virginia Tech | UConn | Ohio State | Tennessee |
Unlike the men's tournament, the first and second rounds were held on college campuses from Columbia, S.C. all the way to Bloomington, Ind.
From here on out, games will be in Seattle, Wash. and in Greenville, South Carolina.
The national championship game will be held in Dallas on April 2.
Games of the Week
We've officially made it to regional play. Make sure to check in on these Sweet 16 matchups this weekend. The Elite Eight round starts on March 26.
Friday, March 24
- Villanova vs. Miami, 2:30 p.m.
- Utah vs. LSU, 5 p.m.
- Iowa vs. Colorado, 7:30 p.m.
- Louisville vs. Ole Miss, 10 p.m.
Saturday, March 25
- Maryland vs. Notre Dame, 11:30 a.m.
- South Carolina vs. UCLA, 2:00 p.m.
- UConn vs. Ohio State, 4 p.m.
- Virginia Tech vs. Tennessee, 6:30 p.m.
Sweet 16 Breakdown
- The South Carolina Gamecocks stayed at the top of the AP Poll rankings for the entire season and received the top overall seed heading into the tournament. They've kept their flawless record alive so far, but will face No. 4 UCLA on Saturday.
- Virginia Tech also received a No. 1 seed for the first time in history after taking home the ACC championship trophy for the first time ever. They'll play the Lady Volunteers for the second time this season on Saturday.
- The last time that Utah made the Sweet 16 was in 2006. Now they're headed to Greenville, South Carolina to take on the LSU Tigers for a chance at the Elite Eight.
- Even after falling to Iowa in the Big Ten Championship, the Ohio State Buckeyes have made a name for themselves in tournament play. With 1.8 seconds left against North Carolina in the second round, Jacy Sheldon scored a game-winning jumper to punch the Buckeyes' ticket to Seattle.
- The Colorado Buffs are still dancing after a big overtime win against No. 3 seed Duke. This is the seventh time in school history that the team has made it to the Sweet 16 round.
Player And Team Highlights
Tournament Standouts
- Maddy Siegrist from Villanova and Caitlin Clark from Iowa – two of the best shooters in the country – have collectively scored 114 points during the first and second rounds.
- Angel Reese, the "Bayou Barbie" from LSU, has been a problem for opponents throughout the tournament. She had 34 points against Hawaii and 25 against Michigan.
- Louisville's junior guard Hailey Van Lith put up 21 points against No. 4 Texas. She has shot 50% or better in both March Madness matchups.
- ACC Player of the Year Elizabeth Kitley led the Hokies to a No. 1 seed, scoring 18.2 points on average per game this season. She had 14 rebounds in each of the first two games of the tournament.
Regular-Season Record Holders
Discover the top performers from the regular season, including best shooters and rebounders in the country, according to statistics from the NCAA. As of March 21:
- Maddy Siegrist, the top scorer in the NCAA with an average of 29.2 points per game, has brought Villanova back into the national conversation. She has racked up over 2,700 points in her career as a Wildcat with a season high of 50 points in a single game.
- Lauren Gustin from BYU has 16.7 rebounds per game on average. She grabbed a career high of 27 rebounds against San Francisco at the beginning of March and now has the BYU single-season rebound record with more than 463 boards.
- Iowa has the highest-scoring offense in the country. They score on average 87.4 points per game. National Player of the Year contender Caitlin Clark scores 26.8 points per game on average. She had a season high of 45 points against North Carolina State in December.
- Clark also has the highest average assists per game and total assists on the season, at 291 assists.
- The South Carolina Gamecocks only allow 50.6 points per game on average.
What Has Made This Tournament Memorable
Ole Miss and Miami Bounce No. 1 Seeds
Two teams shocked the nation on opening weekend, knocking two No. 1 seeds out of the tournament. Ole Miss halted Stanford's 14-year streak in the Sweet 16, and No. 9 Miami shocked Indiana in a 70-68 victory.
Miami will take on Villanova this weekend, while Ole Miss will play No. 5 Louisville. For the Canes, this is the first time since 1992 that the team has advanced this far in the tournament. This will be Ole Miss' first taste of the Sweet 16 since 2007.
Just Champs Being Champs
Even though plenty of teams have impressed the nation this season, the 2022 national champs secured their position as the favorite heading into the Sweet 16.
Not only is South Carolina the only undefeated college basketball team in the country, the Gamecocks also held onto a 38-week position at No. 1 in the AP Polls. They secured massive wins in the regular season, including their overtime win early in the season against Stanford and their recent win against the Tennessee Volunteers in the SEC Championship.
Head coach Dawn Staley — seven-time SEC tournament title winner — is breaking records left and right this season, but she isn't done yet.
The Gamecocks picked up wins against No. 16 Norfolk State and No. 8 South Florida, both by more than 30 points. They'll face No. 4 UCLA on Saturday.
Tigers Hungry For The Title
Playing and coaching legend Kim Mulkey — the only person in the history of college basketball to win a national championship as a head coach, assistant coach, and player — was named the LSU women's basketball team head coach in 2021.
The No. 3 seeded Tigers took down their first two opponents in the tournament, by 23 and 24 points.
Angel Reese, sophomore forward and six-time SEC Player of the Week, has helped the Tigers achieve a nearly flawless season. She put up 25 points, 24 rebounds, and six rebounds against No. 6 Michigan.
The Tigers have to get past No. 2 Utah on Friday to keep their momentum moving toward the national championship.
Diamond Miller & Co. Shining On The Big Stage
In the first week of the season, Maryland was ranked No. 17 in the country. Since then, the Terrapins have truly made a name for themselves, ranked as a No. 2 seed in the tournament.
Senior Diamond Miller, National Player of the Year candidate, recently scored a game-high 24 points against No. 7 Arizona. Three other players scored in double digits against Arizona, leading them to a second-round victory.
