Reseeding the females’s Candy 16: South Carolina and

Most certainly the most chalk from the first two days of the females’s NCAA match has been erased. But no longer great.

Two No. 5 seeds and a No. 7 broke thru to the Candy 16. And the tip four seeds evolved to the regional semifinals in two areas — Albany 1 and Portland 4.

The right kind legend of the tourney revolves around the comebacks and shut calls. LSU and Duke each and each needed to beat double-digit deficits within the 2d round. Iowa, UCLA, Indiana, Stanford, Colorado and Baylor all trailed within the 2d half sooner than clinching a local within the Candy 16. UConn got a gradual scare from Syracuse.

Certain, the outcomes occupy mostly adopted the seeds. That doesn’t mean all of it used to be easy.

The finest if truth be told astronomical upset of the 2d round — No. 7 seed Duke bouncing No. 2 seed Ohio Impart in Columbus — shook issues up a bit as we reseed the discipline earlier than the regional semifinals. The No. 1s are the identical, but Iowa used to be shut to falling off the tip line with its squeaker at dwelling in opposition to West Virginia.

The actual news about few upsets within the first four days is that the next four sport days might well even be ancient. LSU vs. UCLA and Oregon Impart vs. Our Ladywith Texas vs. Stanford and Iowa vs. the Tigers or the Bruins doubtlessly on the horizon. A sport with Paige Bueckers and JuJu Watkins on the identical court docket might well well be a have to-stare.

Soak up how the unique bracket would take into epic with some gorgeous-tuning — and salvage willing to tip it off as soon as more Friday.

No. 1 seeds

South Carolina Gamecocks
Usual seed: No. 1 total (Set 1 in Albany)
NCAA match outcomes: Defeated 16-seed Presbyterian 91-39; defeated 8-seed North Carolina 88-41

Morning time Staley acknowledged after Sunday’s sport in opposition to North Carolina that it used to be the Gamecocks’ most productive performance in an awfully very long time. As antagonistic to its two victories over Kentucky, Sunday’s 47-point obtain is South Carolina’s most attention-grabbing margin of victory over a Vitality 5 opponent this season. It’s nice looking to factor within the Gamecocks taking half in any better than placing that lopsided obtain on the Tar Heels after beating them by correct seven early within the season. It could perchance in all probability also be nice looking to factor in someone beating the Gamecocks if they play at this level. For many of the season, the dialogue of South Carolina’s most productive player used to be about Kamilla Cardoso and The Gray Radio. The reply these days might well even be MiLaysia Fulwiley. The freshman, who used to be also the MVP of the SEC match, racked up 20 parts with four 3-pointers, 9 rebounds, 3 steals and 3 blocks, and she has led South Carolina in scoring in three of its past four games.

Up subsequent: 4-seed Indiana (Friday, 5 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Texas Longhorns
Usual seed: No. 1 (Set 4 in Portland)
NCAA match outcomes: Defeated 16-seed Drexel 82-42; defeated 8-seed Alabama 65-54

Madison Booker‘s transition from forward to point guard after Harmon Road‘s harm is worthy sufficient. That she knows precisely what her team needs of her sport to sport is savvy and basketball IQ that few gamers occupy, no longer to mention a freshman taking half in in her first NCAA match. She took correct 11 shots and chanced on teammates to the tune of 14 assists in opposition to Drexel. In the obtain over Alabama, she regarded for her shot straight away and scored eight of her 21 parts within the first quarter, in conjunction with the Longhorns’ first two buckets in a sport in which they never trailed.

Up subsequent: 4-seed Gonzaga (Friday, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN)

USC Trojans
Usual seed: No. 1 (Set 3 in Portland)
NCAA match outcomes: Defeated 16-seed Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 87-55; defeated 8-seed Kansas 73-55

The final time USC used to be within the Candy 16, JuJu Watkins wasn’t born but. But she completely has given rebirth to this method. Her 28 parts led the formulation Sunday, nonetheless it used to be her 5 parts gradual within the third quarter that mattered most. A sport that USC had totally controlled used to be come what might slipping away. Nine straight parts by Kansas decrease the Trojans lead to 1. A 3-pointer by Watkins adopted by two free throws restored the cushion. Watkins then assisted on Kayla Padilla‘s 3-pointer early within the fourth. The lead used to be reduction to 10, and USC used to be on its draw the Candy 16 for the first time since 1994.

Up subsequent: 5-seed Baylor (Saturday, 5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Iowa Hawkeyes
Usual seed: No. 1 (Set 2 in Albany)
NCAA match outcomes: Defeated Holy Frightening 91-65; defeated West Virginia 64-54

A command of relief used to be felt everywhere in the set Iowa when the Hawkeyes survived West Virginia. Caitlin Clark plays on. Her 32 parts did no longer reach with out considerations, because the Mountaineers outlined the game’s vogue: physical and plodding. That Clark equaled her season low with correct three assists attests to correct how actual West Virginia’s sport belief used to be. It wasn’t until a 12-2 Iowa trail within the final two minutes — sparked by a Sydney Affolter 3-point play and cemented by six Clark free throws — that a obtain in Clark’s final sport at Carver-Hawkeye Enviornment might well well be assured. Along the formulation, Clark handed Kelsey Plum but as soon as more, surroundings the epic for most parts in a single season. Iowa’s subsequent opponent, Colorado, represents any other light physical team — one the Hawkeyes beat in final year’s Candy 16.

Up subsequent: 5-seed Colorado (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)

No. 2 seeds

Notre Dame Battling Irish
Usual seed: No. 2 (Set 1 in Albany)
NCAA match outcomes: Defeated 15-seed Kent Impart 81-67; defeated 7-seed Be Miss 71-56

With most productive six healthy gamers, the formulation is easy for Notre Dame: Rely on your most productive gamers for manufacturing and end out of flawed peril. To date, so actual for the Irish, who occupy now won 10 consecutive games even with the slim roster. Hannah Hidalgo, Maddy Westbeld and Sonia Citron occupy scored 71% of Notre Dame’s parts thru two games, and no one has fouled out but. Essentially, Notre Dame place the Rebels on the free throw line most productive 11 occasions in a sport it dominated from initiate up to end. Fueled by Hidalgo and her nation-leading 4.6 steals per sport, Notre Dame boasts a top-10 defense in parts allowed per play and has gotten better within the postseason.

Up subsequent: 3-seed Oregon Impart (Friday, 2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)

UConn Huskies
Usual seed: No. 3 (Set 3 in Portland)
NCAA match outcomes: Defeated 14-seed Jackson Impart 86-64; defeated 6-seed Syracuse Orange 72-64

Is the shadow of Caitlin Clark so extensive that it come what might has rendered Paige Bueckers underrated? Bueckers, coming off an ACL harm that sidelined her for the total 2022-23 advertising and marketing and marketing campaign, is having a greater season than she did as a freshman in 2020-21, when she used to be the consensus nationwide player of the year (within the identical season Clark began her occupation at Iowa). And Bueckers has been even better in two match games, averaging 30.0 parts on 56.8% taking pictures; throw 11.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 3.5 steals in there too. No player, except in all probability Clark, has contributed more to a pair of wins than Bueckers, who might be taking half in in her third Candy 16 and the Thirtieth straight for the Huskies.

Up subsequent: 7-seed Duke (Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Stanford Cardinal
Usual seed: No. 2 (Set 4 in Portland)
NCAA match outcomes: Defeated 15-seed Norfolk Impart seventy 9-50; defeated 7-seed Iowa Impart 87-81 OT

In final year’s 2d round, Stanford misplaced at dwelling and did no longer attain even 50 parts. Sunday at Maples Pavilion, the Cardinal won a 2d-round sport in which one among their gamers nearly got to 50 by herself. With 41 parts and 16 rebounds, Kiki Iriafen carried Stanford into this method’s twenty ninth Candy 16 with a obtain over Iowa Impart in what used to be an instantaneous traditional. All-American Cameron Brink used to be in flawed peril the total sport and fouled out in regulation with correct eight parts. That left issues to Iriafen, who overlooked most productive two shots within the fourth quarter and beyond regular time and had 17 parts in that point. It marked the first 40-point sport for Iriafen, but she had scored over 30 twice this season, in conjunction with 36 in a shut obtain over Oregon Impart in a sport Brink overlooked. The Pac-12’s most improved player has 58 parts thru two games.

Up subsequent: 3-seed NC Impart (Friday, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)

UCLA Bruins
Usual seed: No. 2 (Set 2 in Albany)
NCAA match outcomes: Defeated 15-seed California Baptist 84-55; defeated 7-seed Creighton Bluejays 67-63

Two issues occupy change into evident about the Bruins over the last month: They assemble no longer appear like on the identical level they had been in November and December; they customarily’re tranquil actual sufficient, namely on defense, to salvage to the first Final Four in program historical past. Pointless to disclose, the caveat exists that the direction to Cleveland is blocked with LSU then perchance Iowa. UCLA’s defense, which totally shut down a mild, actual-taking pictures Creighton team, basically got the Bruins thru to a 2d consecuti ve Candy 16. Having a healthy and constantly productive Lauren Bettswho had 20 parts in opposition to the Bluejays, is the opposite key. At 6-foot-7, she is UCLA’s differentiator. No team left within the match except South Carolina with Kamilla Cardoso has a player with that dimension and likely influence.

Up subsequent: 3-seed LSU (Saturday, 1 p.m. ET, ABC)

No. 3 seeds

LSU Tigers
Usual seed: No. 3 (Set 2 in Albany)
NCAA match outcomes: Defeated 14-seed Rice 70-60; defeated 11-seed Center Tennessee 83-56

Kim Mulkey described a sluggish effort within the first round in opposition to Rice as “depraved” and “gruesome.” She might well even occupy described the first half in opposition to Center Tennessee the identical draw. Factual over a minute into the 2d half, the Convention USA champs led 41-32. Then LSU’s expertise took over in a flash and the outlook got severely better for the Tigers. Ten straight parts, 5 of which got here from freshman Mikaylah Williamsgave LSU the lead — and it used to be all Tigers from that point. The defense of the nationwide title used to be reduction on goal. Flau’jae Johnson led the formulation with 21 parts, and 76 of LSU’s 83 parts got here from four gamers: Johnson, Williams, Angel Reese and Aneesah Morrow.

Up subsequent: 2-seed UCLA (Saturday, 1 p.m. ET, ABC)

NC Impart Wolfpack
Usual seed: No. 3 (Set 4 in Portland)
NCAA match outcomes: Defeated 14-seed Chattanooga 64-forty five; defeated 6-seed Tennessee seventy 9-72

Presumably it wasn’t the Wolfpack’s offense struggling the past few games as great as they correct wished to salvage more from Saniya Rivers. In opposition to the Lady Vols, they did. Rivers did no longer hit double figures in any of NC Impart’s three ACC match games, and regardless of placing up 16 parts within the first round in opposition to Chattanooga, she tranquil did no longer take into epic like herself. But she completely did in tallying 20 parts, 6 rebounds and 3 blocks versus Tennessee. The Wolfpack’s 44.8% discipline purpose price used to be their highest since Feb 18. That incorporated 61% taking pictures sooner or later of a first half in which NC Impart regarded like a determined team than it did in Spherical 1. The guard trio of Rivers, Aziaha James and Zoe Brooks blended for 58 parts on Monday, and the Wolfpack regarded more just like the team that had convincing wins over fellow Candy 16 contributors Colorado, UConn, Notre Dame and Duke earlier this season.

Up subsequent: 2-seed Stanford (Friday, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Oregon Impart Beavers
Usual seed: No. 3 (Set 1 in Albany)
NCAA match outcomes: Defeated 14-seed Japanese Washington 73-51; defeated 6-seed Nebraska 61-51

In March 2023, Talia von Oelhoffen used to be having surgical draw to restore her knee whereas her team overlooked the NCAA match for the 2d straight year. Lickety-split-forward twelve months and she scored 19 parts and had eight assists to salvage the Beavers to their first Candy 16 in 5 years. As an early qualifying freshman, von Oelhoffen joined Oregon Impart in January 2021 (sooner or later of what must had been her 2d semester of her senior year of highschool) and occupy change into the team’s fourth-leading scorer. She had a complete of 10 parts in NCAA match games in opposition to Florida Impart and South Carolina. Now she’s the elder stateswoman on a unbiased-better team that depends heavily on two freshmen and two sophomores. One in every of the sophomores, Raegan Beersis Scott Rueck’s most productive player, but von Oelhoffen, with her expertise, might well even be his most major.

Up subsequent: 3-seed Notre Dame (Friday, 2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Indiana Hoosiers
Usual seed: No. 4 (Set 1 in Albany)
NCAA match outcomes: Defeated 13-seed Fairfield 89-56; defeated 5-seed Oklahoma 75-68

Indiana, one among essentially the most productive taking pictures groups within the country, used to be pushed constantly by the Sooners and eventually needed to expose to its defense. The Hoosiers are third nationally in 2-point discipline purpose percentage but overlooked 18 layups. They’re the leaders in 3-point percentage but overlooked 13 of 16 3s. This wasn’t speculated to be the formula to salvage Indiana to a third Candy 16 in four years; it used to be simply the winning one. Mackenzie Holmeswho carried the Hoosiers on offense, disrupted two Sooners shots and made a gradual take in a sport-deciding 10-0 trail. Holmes scored 29 parts, in conjunction with 20 within the 2d half, in a sport that used to be tied 10 occasions and had 21 lead adjustments.

Up subsequent: 1-seed South Carolina (Friday, 5 p.m. ET, ESPN)

No. 4 seeds

Gonzaga Bulldogs
Usual seed: No. 4 (Set 4 in Portland)
NCAA match outcomes: Defeated 13-seed UC Irvine 75-56; defeated 5-seed Utah 77-66

The third-most productive 3-point taking pictures team within the country hadn’t regarded love it these days. Gonzaga had been correct 12-for-43 from past the arc in its old two games. The drag ended in opposition to the Utes. The Zags equaled those 12 made 3s on correct 22 attempts, taking pictures themselves into this method’s first Candy 16 since 2015. That used to be the first year below unique coach Lisa Fortier after she had taken over for Kelly Graves. Sisters Kayleigh Truong and Kaylynne Truong — taking half in for the final time in McCarthey Athletic Heart in Spokane, Washington — blended to hit seven 3-pointers versus Utah, and post player Yvonne Ejim had 17 parts to elongate her trail of games scoring in double figures to 39.

Up subsequent: 1-seed Texas (Friday, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Duke Blue Devils
Usual seed: No. 7 (Set 3 in Portland)
NCAA match outcomes: Defeated 10-seed Richmond 72-61; defeated 2-seed Ohio Impart 75-63

Center Tennessee and Iowa Impart occupy essentially the most attention-grabbing comebacks in this NCAA match, however the Blue Devils are the lawful comeback youngsters. Down 9 on the half, they steamrolled Richmond within the 2d half of their first-round meeting. Then Duke fell within the reduction of Ohio Impart by 16 within the 2d quarter Sunday most productive to outscore the Buckeyes 43-27 on their dwelling floor within the 2d half to acquire going away. It used to be the 2d most attention-grabbing upset of a match that has been marked by so great chalk. Sophomore Reigan Richardson used to be Duke’s leading scorer within the usual season — at 12.4 PPG. She has more than doubled that (26.5 PPG) on 21-for-36 taking pictures in two games. Richardson used to be a 2d-team All-ACC honoree, but she joins Iriafen because the breakout stars of the match.

Up subsequent: 3-seed UConn

Baylor Bears
Usual seed: No. 5 (Set 3 in Portland)
NCAA match outcomes: Defeated 12-seed Vanderbilt 80-63; defeated 4-seed Virginia Tech 75-72

Jada Walker picked an opportune evening to occupy the game of her occupation. And she in point of fact had the game of her occupation in one half. In two years at Kentucky and one at Baylor, Walker had never scored 26 parts in a sport, no longer to mention in one half. On Sunday, those incorporated a half-court docket 3-pointer on the third-quarter buzzer and Baylor’s final 9 parts. The junior point guard carried out with 28 parts and three assists. Without Walker’s take hang of play, the Bears wouldn’t occupy survived a Hokies team taking half in with out superstar Elizabeth Kitley to salvage to their first Candy 16 below Nicki Collen.

Up subsequent: 1-seed USC (Saturday, 5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Colorado Buffaloes
Usual seed: No. 5 (Set 2 in Albany)
NCAA match outcomes: Defeated 12-seed Drake 86-72; defeated Kansas Impart 63-50

How actual used to be Colorado’s defense in opposition to Kansas Impart? The Buffaloes did no longer get for the first 6:18 of the fourth quarter of a actual sport — and tranquil won by double figures. They place the clamps on Wildcats superstar Ayoka Lee (10 parts, 9 shots) all sport long and pressured 22 turnovers, nonetheless it used to be the mere 15 parts Colorado allowed within the 2d half that won the game. That got the Buffs to their 2d straight Candy 16 after no longer having made it this some distance within the NCAA match in 20 years.

Up subsequent: 1-seed Iowa (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)