Big-time upsets in March? Not in the 2021 NCAA women's basketball tournament. With the Sweet 16 round set to begin Saturday, every No. 1 seed and No. 2 seed is still alive, while every team that was a No...
UConn guard Paige Bueckers passes during the first half of a college basketball game against Syracuse in the second round of the women's NCAA tournament at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Tuesday, March 23, 2021. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Freshman sensation Paige Bueckers has received high praise from one of the greatest players in Connecticut basketball history.
Former Huskies superstar Diana Taurasi called Bueckers "the best player in basketball already" because of how easy the game comes to her:
Bueckers has already been showered with accolades as she pursues a national championship in her first year with the Lady Huskies. The 19-year-old has been named Big East Player and Freshman of the Year, a first-team All-American and was named Most Outstanding Player in the Big East tournament.
Including two NCAA tournament games, Bueckers is averaging 19.9 points on 53.9 percent shooting (46.7 percent from three), 6.0 assists and 4.7 rebounds per contest.
Taurasi played for UConn from 2000 to 2004. She won three national titles, was named Most Outstanding Player in the tournament twice and was named Associated Press College Player of the Year for the 2002-03 season.
The Lady Huskies earned the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA women's tournament with a 26-1 record and will take on Iowa on Saturday with a berth in the Elite Eight at stake.
Through the first two rounds of the 2021 NCAA women's basketball tournament, every No. 1 seed and No. 2 seed has advanced to the Sweet 16...
NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament 2021: Odds, Picks for Wednesday's Bracket
Mar 24, 2021
Arizona guard Aari McDonald (2) runs up the court during the second half of the team's NCAA college basketball game against Washington State in the second round of the Pac-12 women's tournament Thursday, March 4, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)
Eight games remain on the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament slate before the competition progresses to a potentially epic Sweet 16 featuring a bevy of superstars and national title contenders.
First, the story of the second round must be written, and there's no shortage of interesting plot lines. Will we see either (or both) of No. 12 Belmont and No. 11 BYU advance after first-round upsets? How will Texas A&M respond after barely surviving a monumental upset bid from No. 15 Troy? And what can future WNBA stars Charli Collier and Aari McDonald do for encores after fantastic first-round efforts?
We'll find out those answers and more on Wednesday. For now, though, here's a look at the round-of-32 schedule for the day alongside some odds, picks and explanations.
Picks Against the Spread
No. 2 Maryland (-14.5) over No. 7 Alabama, 1 p.m. ET, ESPN2
No. 6 Oregon (-8.5) over No. 3 Georgia, 3 p.m. ET, ESPN2
No. 5 Missouri State (-10.5) over No. 13 Wright State, 3 p.m. ET, ESPNU
No. 12 Belmont (+14.5) over No. 4 Indiana, 5 p.m. ET, ESPNU
Bold represents the writer's pick against the spread. Betting lines are courtesy ofDraftKings Sportsbook as of midnight ET on Wednesday.
Games of the Day
No. 2 Texas A&M (-2.5) over No. 7 Iowa State
It's easy to be pessimistic about Texas A&M right now. The Aggies survived and advanced despite a fantastic first-round effort from No. 15 Troy, which outscored its national championship-contending opponents 45-35 in the second half.
The Trojans also were on the wrong end of the officiating whistle all night (25 personal fouls to the Aggies' 13) and should have had possession with seconds remaining after officials missed abackcourt violation. A Troy foul was called instead, and the Aggies escaped with the four-point win.
But let's keep this in mind: Texas A&M is 24-2 on the year and has a win against No. 1 seed South Carolina. The Aggies also have five players who score 10 or more points per game, and that doesn't even include Destiny Pitts (7.4 PPG, 47.1 percent three-point rate).
The Aggies will have a tough task against Cyclones superstar Ashley Jones (23.9 PPG, 9.2 RPG), but they have a potential answer in N'dea Jones (12.3 PPG, 10.3 RPG), the school'sall-time leading rebounder.
Texas A&M will right the ship and pull through here.
No. 2 Louisville (-5.5) over No. 7 Northwestern
Louisville may be a 5.5-point favorite, but Northwestern is a dangerous team thanks to its phenomenal backcourt of Veronica Burton and Lindsey Pulliam.
It was the Pulliam Show on Monday against UCF as she dropped 25 points in a relatively low-scoring affair (62-51). When she gets hot from the field, Northwestern can beat nearly anyone in this tournament. The same goes for Burton, the team's leader in points and assists.
The problem is Louisville is just a bear to defend, starting with Dana Evans (19.8 PPG, 4.1 APG) and continuing with three other players who score 10 or more points per game.
Evans, Hailey Van Lith and Kianna Smith have combined to make 156 three-pointers, and that trio is complemented by a productive frontcourt featuring Olivia Cochran (team-leading 6.6 RPG) and Elizabeth Dixon (second in boards and blocks). There's also defensive wizard/guard Elizabeth Balogun, who contributes team-high 39 blocks.
Perhaps the Burton-Gilliam backcourt gets Northwestern rolling, but Louisville's depth will simply be too much en route to a Sweet 16 appearance.
No. 6 Oregon (-8.5) over No. 3 Georgia
It's not every day you see a lower-seeded team favored by 8.5 points, but Oregon just crushed No. 11 South Dakota 67-47 after holding the Coyotes to one single point in the second quarter.
Georgia will present a far stiffer challenge, though, in part because of star center Jenna Staiti (14.7 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 3.1 BPG). She's had six or more blocks in a game five times this year.
Still, it's hard to ignore this line, because it means the sportsbooks think far more highly of Oregon than the seeding implies. To put it in context, No. 3 Arizona is only favored by one more point over a No. 11 seed in BYU.
Oregon is talented enough to be a top-three or top-four seed but dealt with (a) a midseason activity pause due toCOVID-19and (b) the loss of point guard Te-Hina Paopao, who has missed her last three games with a right foot injury and won't playWednesday.
But Erin Boley and Nyara Sabally combined for 39 points and the Ducks' defense shined in an easy win Monday. They sure made somedoubting writerslook foolish, but the same mistake won't be made twice. Oregon is the pick to win and cover.
No. 6 Texas (+7.5) over No. 3 UCLA
Anything is possible for Texas behind Collier, who averages 20.2 points and 11.8 rebounds per game. The likely future No. 1 overall WNBA draft pick is a walking bucket, with her 44 points against North Texas serving as Exhibit A.
UCLA may be in for a fight here, simply because the 6'5" Collier has a four-inch advantage over any of the starters. That opens the door for a classic Collier performance, one where she patrols the paint and propels Texas into the Sweet 16.
Texas is going to have its hands full on defense, though. For starters, Bruin stars Michaela Onyenwere and Charisma Osborne combine for 35.9 points and 13.2 rebounds per game. Onyenwere leads the team in points and boards, and Osborne paces the Bruins with 52 three-pointers.
And then there's Natalie Chou, who is averaging 10.2 points per game. She struggled in her final five games before the tournament, scoring just 5.8 PPG on 10-of-32 shooting. But that slump appears long gone after Chou had 15 points on 6-of-13 shooting in the first round against Wyoming.
Still, Collier will be the best player on the floor, with the X-factors being teammates Joanne Allen-Taylor (36-of-101 from three-point range) and Kyra Lambert (35-of-93). If Collier dominates and that duo gets going from beyond the arc, watch for Texas to cover and win outright.
Rest of the Slate
No. 2 Maryland (-14.5) over No. 7 Alabama
Maryland has gone 14-0 ever since losing to Ohio State on Jan. 25. The Terrapins' margins of victory have been as follows: 40, 36, 22, 45, 32, 18, 29, 12, 25, 27, 10, 33, 20, 53.
Alabama did have an impressive 80-71 win over North Carolina, with Jordan Lewis' 32 points leading the way. However, the Crimson Tide are running into a buzzsaw. There's no other way to put it, and there isn't much more to say aside from pointing to the Terps' sheer dominance of late. Look for Maryland to win and cover.
No. 5 Missouri State (-10.5) over No. 13 Wright State
Wright State is the lowest-seeded team remaining in the field following a shocking upset over No. 4 Arkansas. Credit the Raiders for advancing, but they get a really tough draw against a 22-2 Missouri State team with Final Four potential.
Missouri State has won 18 straight games and beat Maryland earlier this year. They feature a deep and well-rounded rotation led by Brice Calip (13.7 PPG, 4.0 APG, 2.25 SPG) and Jasmine Franklin (12.0 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 2.3 SPG). They'll be good enough to win and cover.
No. 12 Belmont (+14.5) over No. 4 Indiana
Belmont marked one of the tournament's most notable upsets so far after defeating No. 5 Gonzaga 64-59 behind 25 points and seven assists from Destinee Wells, who has been nothing short of spectacular (17.9 PPG, 4.7 APG, 2.5 SPG).
Belmont will need another heroic effort from Wells to defeat an Indiana team that nearly doubled VCU's point total in the first round (63-32). The Hoosiers have won 10 of 11 games and should prevail again here, but Wells will do enough to keep this in the single-digits.
No. 3 Arizona (-9.5) over No. 11 BYU
All Arizona star (and future high WNBA draft pick) Aari McDonald did in her 2021 NCAA tourney debut was score 20 points in just 24 minutes during a 79-44 rout of Stony Brook on Monday.
It isn't wise to doubt one of the game's best players in McDonald, who paces the Wildcats with 19.4 points and 4.5 assists per game.
A challenge against a tough BYU team that just upset Rutgers 69-66 won't be easy, but McDonald is the best player on the court and will end up clearing north of 20 points in a comfortable win.
For all the latest betting information and reaction, check outB/R Betting.
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NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament 2021: Odds, Picks for Tuesday's Bracket
Mar 23, 2021
Iowa guard Caitlin Clark (22) drives ahead of Central Michigan guard Maddy Watters (4) and guard Molly Davis (14) during the second half of a college basketball game in the first round of the women's NCAA tournament at the Alamodome, Sunday, March 21, 2021, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
The first day of the NCAA women's basketball tournament went all chalk as the higher-seeded teams punched a ticket to the second round. Now that those teams are back in action for the round of 32, perhaps Tuesday can provide some more surprises.
Here is the day's schedule and odds for each of the eight matchups:
No. 8 South Florida vs. No. 1 North Carolina State (-16.5), 3 p.m. ET, ESPN2
No. 5 Iowa (-8) vs. No. 4 Kentucky, 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPNU
No. 6 Michigan vs. No. 3 Tennessee (-6.5), 5 p.m. ET, ESPN2
No. 5 Georgia Tech vs. No. 4 West Virginia (-2.5), 5:30 p.m. ET, ESPNU
No. 7 Virginia Tech vs. No. 2 Baylor (-16), 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2
No. 8 Oregon State vs. No. 1 South Carolina (-7), 7 p.m. ET, ESPN
No. 8 Syracuse vs. No. 1 Connecticut (-20.5), 9 p.m. ET, ESPN
No. 8 Oklahoma State vs. No. 1 Stanford (-15.5), 9 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Bold represents the writer's pick against the spread. Betting lines are courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
With No. 1 Connecticut expected to cruise past Syracuse, many will be watching Iowa's game against Kentucky since fans could get to see Paige Bueckers vs. Caitlin Clark in the Sweet 16.
Of course, that shouldn't overshadow the fact the Hawkeyes will have to stop Wildcats star Rhyne Howard on Tuesday. Howard is averaging 20.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists, and the junior guard is fresh of a first-round victory over Idaho State in which she nearly posted a double-double (14 points, nine rebounds) to go along with five assists and four steals.
Clark was similarly excellent, going for 23 points, seven rebounds and seven assists as Iowa knocked out Central Michigan.
For casual fans, Iowa/Kentucky might be the one game you go out of your way to watch.
As the oddsmakers indicate, none of the four No. 1 seeds looks too vulnerable at the moment. UConn and Stanford each won by 43 points in the opening round. North Carolina State started a bit sluggish against North Carolina A&T but eventually hit its stride in the second half. And South Carolina encountered little trouble from Mercer.
The seven-point gap separating the Gamecocks from Oregon State is a somewhat surprising number.
Oregon State's 12-7 record is deceiving because of the strength of the Pac-12. According toHer Hoops Stats, the Beavers averaged 102.5 points per 100 possessions in the regular season and held opponents to a 43.7 percent effective field-goal rate.
Still, South Carolina is outscoring the opposition by 24.3 points per 100 possessions while playing against the fourth-toughest schedule in terms of opponent winning percentage, perHer Hoops Stats.
Aliyah Boston and Victaria Saxton scored 20 points apiece Sunday, with Boston adding 18 rebounds. If Boston and Saxton are controlling the game inside like that again, then the Gamecocks could make easy work of Oregon State.
For all the latest betting information and reaction, check outB/R Betting.
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NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament 2021: Odds, Picks for Monday's Bracket
Mar 22, 2021
Texas forward Charli Collier (35) runs the court against TCU during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Sunday, March 7, 2021, in Fort Worth, Texas. (AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)
The 2021 NCAA women's basketball tournament is entering its second day across Texas on Monday.
All four No. 1 seeds were in action on Sunday, with Stanford, Connecticut, North Carolina State and South Carolina punching their ticket to the second round.
Iowa's Caitlin Clark (23 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, two steals) and Tennessee's Rennia Davis (24 points, 14 rebounds, two assists) also delivered standout performances in winning efforts.
In general, the opening day provided little in the way of surprises since so many of the tourney's strongest contenders took the court. That should set the stage for a wilder closing finish to the first round of the Big Dance.
Monday Schedule
No. 14 Drexel vs. No. 3 Georgia (-19.5), 12 p.m. ET, ESPN
No. 11 BYU vs. No. 6 Rutgers (-9.5), 12 p.m. ET, ESPNU
No. 10 North Carolina (-1.5) vs. No. 7 Alabama, 12 p.m. ET, ESPN
No. 13 VCU vs. No. 4 Indiana (-18.5), 2 p.m. ET, ESPNU
No. 14 Stony Brook vs. No. 3 Arizona (-19.5), 2 p.m. ET, ESPN2
No. 13 Wright State vs. No. 4 Arkansas (-8.5), 2 p.m. ET, ESPN
No. 12 Belmont vs. No. 5 Gonzaga (-10.5), 4 p.m. ET, ESPN2
No. 15 Mount St. Mary's vs. No. 2 Maryland (-34.5), 4 p.m. ET, ESPN
No. 10 UCF vs. No. 7 Northwestern (-3.5), 4 p.m. ET, ESPNU
No. 10 Michigan State vs. No. 7 Iowa State (-2.5), 6 p.m. ET, ESPN
No. 15 Troy vs. No. 2 Texas A&M (-16.5), 6 p.m. ET, ESPN2
No. 12 UC Davis vs. No. 5 Missouri State (-9.5), 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPNU
No. 11 Bradley vs. No. 6 Texas (-8.5), 8 p.m. ET, ESPN2
No. 15 Marist vs. No. 2 Louisville (-19.5), 8 p.m. ET, ESPN
No. 11 South Dakota vs. No. 6 Oregon (-3.5), 10 p.m. ET, ESPN2
No. 14 Wyoming vs. No. 3 UCLA (-20.5), 10 p.m. ET, ESPN
When she announced her decision to return to Arizona for this season, Aari McDonald lamented how the Wildcats were unable to embark on an NCAA tournament run because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The program is now back in the Big Dance for the first time since 2005, and McDonald is a big reason why.
The 5'6" guard is averaging 19.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.5 assists. Her field-goal percentage has dipped from 45.8 to 38.9, but Arizona's schedule might have had something to do with that. Seventeen of the Wildcats' 21 games were against conference opponents, and they saw four games canceled midway through the year.
Finding a scoring rhythm can be tricky under those circumstances.
According to Her Hoops Stats, McDonald's 35.3 percent usage rate ranks seventh in Division I, so Arizona's hopes of a first-ever trip to the Elite Eight will rest squarely on her shoulders.
Charli Collier, Texas
Unlike in some years, there isn't a consensus No. 1 player in the 2021 WNBA draft. However, Charli Collier is the likeliest candidate to be the first name off the board on April 15.
The Texas center is putting up 20.1 points, 11.7 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. She has also flashed an ability to stretch the floor, going 13-of-41 from beyond the arc.
Collier has struggled in some of the Longhorns' toughest games, though.
In three matchups against Baylor, she had 17 total points on 5-of-14 shooting. She went 5-of-20 for 10 points and 17 rebounds in a 68-51 loss to Oklahoma State on Jan. 27. She had another double-double (14 points, 12 rebounds) against Texas A&M but missed seven of her 11 shots.
Those performances could be less an indictment and more a reflection of her supporting cast. Good teams can focus more of their attention on Collier inside without worrying about how Texas might hurt them from long range since the Longhorns are collectively hitting 32.1 percent of their threes.
Ashley Joens, Iowa State
When Iowa State reached the second round of the tournament in 2019, Ashley Joens ceded the spotlight to Big 12 Player of the Year Bridget Carleton. Now, it's time for Joens to take center stage.
Joens is ninth in Division I in scoring at 23.6 points per game while also averaging 9.2 rebounds. The 6-foot wing almost single-handedly carried the Cyclones to a 75-71 win over Baylor on Jan. 16, putting up 14 of her 27 points in the fourth quarter.
In general, Iowa State is a lot of fun to watch for neutral fans. The team is 21st in scoring (76.7 points per game) and 271st in scoring defense (70.8 points per game). The Cyclones' leaky defense would be a far bigger problem were it not for the explosiveness Joens provides.
Ashley Owusu, Maryland
Six different players are scoring in double figures, so it's not totally fair to single out just one player. However, the impressive depth available to head coach Brenda Frese makes Ashley Owusu's ability to stand out even more impressive.
Still only a sophomore, Owusu is the team leader in points (18.3) and assists (5.8) while averaging 5.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals.
Through her scoring and playmaking, she helps spearhead an offense that sits first in points per 100 possessions (122.1) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.69) and third in field-goal percentage (49.3), according to Her Hoops Stats.
In general, the Terrapins should be one of the teams you go out of your way to watch Monday.
It's been nearly a week since the 64-team field for this year's NCAA women's basketball tournament was set. Now, it's time for the action to begin. On Sunday, 16 first-round matchups will take place...
When the 2021 NCAA women's basketball tournament gets underway Sunday, all four No. 1 seeds will be in action...
NCAA Basketball Leaders Apologize for Amenity Disparities Between Men, Women
Mar 19, 2021
Dan Gavitt, NCAA vice president of men’s basketball, talks about events that are scheduled around the NCAA men's Final Four basketball tournament to be held in Indianapolis in April, during a press conference in Indianapolis, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2015. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
A number of prominent figures in the NCAA have apologized for the disparity in amenities provided to teams in the men's and women's basketball tournaments.
Per Connor Bran of NCAA.org, Lynn Holzman, NCAA vice president for women's basketball, opened a news conference Friday by addressing the situation.
"As a former women's basketball student-athlete, it's always been my priority to make this event the best possible experience for everyone involved," Holzman said. "We fell short this year in what we've been doing to prepare in the past 60 days for 64 teams to be here in San Antonio."
Dan Gavitt, NCAA senior vice president of basketball, also spoke about the disparities:
"We have intentionally organized basketball under one umbrella [at the NCAA] to ensure consistency and collaboration. When we fall short on these expectations, it's on me. I apologize to women's basketball student-athletes, coaches and the women's basketball committee for dropping the ball on the weight rooms in San Antonio."
The NCAA came under fire Thursday after multiple people, including Stanford associate Olympic sports performance coach Ali Kershner and Oregon forward Sedona Prince, showed the differences in amenities for women's teams compared to men's teams:
Earlier in the day, Molly Hensley-Clancy of the Washington Post shared an email sent by Suzette McQueen, chair of the NCAA committee on women's athletics, to NCAA President Mark Emmert that called on the organization to "immediately rectify the situation by providing equitable training facilities and services."
Alex Azziof NBC Sports reported other disparities between the two tournaments, including the food quality and participants' swag bags.
Holzman initially responded to the situation in a statement Thursday that said: "We acknowledge that some of the amenities teams would typically have access to have not been as available inside the controlled environment. In part, this is due to the limited space."
The statement also noted the NCAA was "actively working to enhance existing resources at practice courts, including additional weight training equipment."
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the NCAA is holding the men's and women's tournaments in single areas to reduce the amount of travel. The men's event, which began Thursday with the First Four games, is being held in and around Indianapolis.
The women's tournament is being held in San Antonio, Austin and San Marcos, Texas. First-round games will begin Sunday.
NCAA's Committee on Women's Athletics Wants Amenity Disparity Investigated
Mar 19, 2021
FILE - In this March 18, 2015, file photo, the NCAA logo is displayed at center court as work continues at The Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, for the NCAA college basketball tournament. The NCAA took a significant step toward allowing all Division I athletes to transfer one time without sitting out a season of competition. A plan to change the waiver process is expected to be presented to the Division I Council in April, 2020. If adopted, new criteria would go into effect for the 2020-21 academic year and be a boon for athletes in high-profile sports such as football and men's and women's basketball. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic, File)
Amid significant disparities in the amenities provided to the women's basketball teams participating in the NCAA tournament compared to the men's teams, the NCAA's committee on women's athletics is demanding an investigation into the situation.
Per the Washington Post's Molly Hensley, committee chair Suzette McQueen sent an email to NCAA president Mark Emmert stating the committee's "shock and disappointment over the disparate treatment of our women student-athletes participating in the NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament and the inequitable availability of strength training facilities":
NEW: The NCAA's committee on women's athletics sent a letter to NCAA president Mark Emmert today demanding an independent investigation into disparities at the basketball tournaments.
The situation "sets women's college athletics back across the country," the letter says. pic.twitter.com/MJKzPNGiML
The training facilities generated controversy after Stanford performance coach Ali Kershner posted an image on Instagram showing the differences in amenities for the men's and women's teams:
Stanford sports performance coach Ali Kerschner posted this to Instagram earlier today, comparing the men's and women's facilities in their respective bubbles.
Women's teams get six sets of dumbbells, yoga mats and a single stationary bike until the Sweet 16... pic.twitter.com/hOgdJfHXhh
NCAA vice president of women's basketball Lynn Holzman said in a statement on Thursday the women's amenities were limited "in part" due to limited space in the facilities where teams are staying and practicing.
Holzman added the NCAA's "original plan" was to increase the workout area space later in the tournament as teams get eliminated, but it is now "actively working to enhance existing resources."
The 2021 NCAA women's basketball tournament is being held in San Antonio, Austin and San Marcos, Texas. It is scheduled to begin on March 21 and run through April 4.
