Ok, now LADIES
Me & Katrina after spending all day Sunday breaking down the Big Dance
A lot of you might know about this thing we keep talking about…May Mania? what was it sorry? April Insanity? Oh! MARCH. March Madness yes yes ok I remember now. Did you know that women can also have march madness? As a treat? That’s right there is also a WOMEN’S college basketball tournament, which, if you’re from Connecticut you already knew because I guarantee your grandma is a huge UConn Bball fan. I’m not sure what it is about Geno Auriemma’s basketball Dynasty but women over 70 cannot get enough of that shit. Like every single one of them has the same New Haven register profile of the team from like 2007 taped on their fridge. This isn’t niche, it’s canon okay?
What you might not realize is that there is even other teams BESIDES UConn, which I know, seems wild. You’re telling me that there are MULTIPLE powerhouses of a women’s sport? In THIS economy? Yessiree baby that is Biden’s america. Now, we are just two gals with a blog and a dream, so we will not be going on as deep of a dive as we did with the men’s tournament (wow, do we hate women? Are we even feminists? etc etc), because again, we have real life jobs and do not get paid for this (but feel free to sponsor us @literallyanyone), BUT, we’re going to let you know who you should know and our picks for the title.
People have told you about a gazillion times that the past year has been unpredictable and crazy and things are more different than ever and…well this tourney is no different! Not to beat a dead horse, but the PanOpticon really fucked things up in the women’s game. Last year, and in general, the bracket is expected to be pretty straight forward: the top four teams are pretty dominant, their paths to victory are unmarred and well paved. This year, there are like…8 or so really great teams, the seeding of this bracket has been anyone’s guess, and there are a lot of sleeper hits sneaking in. This tournament is shaping up to be one of the wildest and most competitive in a really long time (maybe…ever?), which is yet another reason why you should be watching women’s sports.
WHO’S IN:
Ok so, UConn, obviously. The winningest school in the game, their coach (nice italiano boy Geno) has helped to create and maintain an INCREDIBLE program over 34 seasons. That being said, he did just test positive for COVID and is now set to miss the first two games. We told ya, the Paranormal has CHANGED the way this competitition is going! The UConn basketball team boasts alumni like Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore, Brianna Stewart…etc etc etc. They have the best player (IMO) CURRENTLY in the game, explosive freshman Paige Breucker, and, though this is slightly off topic, the rich will just get richer because next year they’re likely to snag Aza Fudd, who is the NEXT rising star. All of this, and their No. 1 seed, might lead you to believe UConn is unbeatable, but! Don’t play yourself, ya dang northeast elitist! Last year they weren’t a top contender, and even this year they’ve had a few stumbles. There are a lot of other great programs in the ladies game, including…
South Carolina, the other Boleyn girl of Women’s College bball. The gamecocks (or I guess the lady gamecocks? A mascot with the word cock in it seems inappropriate here) are another powerhouse, notable for their kick ass beloved coach Dawn Stanley. Since she took over in ‘08, the Carolina Chicks (I looked up their nickname, it’s just gamecock, but I’m just going to freestyle here a little so bear with me), have been pretty dang good, but have also had some heartbreak. One season they went undefeated, just to lose to ‘Cuse in the sweet 16. But the next year, in 2017, they won the whole dang thing! Last year, they were topped ranked (despite some random losses to shitty teams), but then, you know, the Panorama struck and the rest is history. This year, they’re poised to make a run, led by Aliyah Boston.
Texas A&M: After stealing the SEC regular season title away from the Gamecocks, the Lady Aggies (again, I’m free-styling) have pushed themselves up to a higher seed than expected, but failed to clinch that No. 1 spot, which was surprising! Well, it was surprising to me but I have done approx. 1 day of research so, take that with a grain of salt. The No. 2 seed puts a chip on their shoulder and something to prove: Aaliyah Wilson & Jordan Nixon are essential to their success.
Baylor, who, you might remember from our Big Dance Break(down) was one of the first universities to admit women. Well, looks like letting women read has FINALLY paid off, as the Bears have dominant teams in both the men and women’s tourneys this year. Da Bears are not exactly a sleeper hit, having won the tournament in 2019, but that doesn’t mean they haven’t faced some challenges. Luckily, they retained a lot of that championship roster, it is just a question of whether it will still be enough. They’re on a collision course with UConn, which puts them in a tricky spot.
Stanford won the Pac 12 championship and are gunning for a title. They come into the dance with a 25-2 record and haven’t lost a game since January. This is good team that got great at the right time, and they’re going to want to take that momentum to a title for the first time this millenium (they haven’t won since the early 90’s. Actually, they haven’t won since Katrina was born, which seems sus. Is Katrina sabotaging Stanford?????) Their coach, Tara VanDerveer has been with the Cardinals (side bar: it seems unfair that they’re the Cardinals AND the trees. PICK ONE) for 35 years, but has not had the same kind of success later in her tenure than she did early on. Can she turn this into a championship team? With a No. 1 seed in their pocket and Hannah Jump (appropriate last name) delivering 3’s, this team has the depth to win it all.
NC State: The terriers have had a pretty sparse schedule thanks to some Covid Cancellations, but they’re still ranked highly because they’ve played very well. They won their conference title for the second consecutive time, and it’s looking like that’s what made the difference in determining their placement. They’re the No. 3 seed overall, a reflection of the tough competition they faced in the ACC and their potential to make a run here thanks to Raina Perez (who ESPN has called “the darling of the NCAA tournament). Watch for their outside shooting, which has been an issue.
Maryland who have duo Diamond Miller & Ashley Owusu combing for a huge offensive threat. We’re talking like a team that is consistently scoring up in the 90 point range. The Terps have a versatile offense and a tight knit team, but their defense can lack. Their defensive woes are going to be the downfall of this team, it is just a matter of what opponent takes advantage of it- with teams like South Carolina, West Virginia & UCLA gunning for them in their region, their dance might end before the final four.
Louisville has failed to make a mark in their conference tourneys two years in a row. Cardinals will look to Dana Evans, their star player, to overcome their challengers.
Georgia beat Texas A&M in the SEC tournament, which has shaken things up for sure. With a veteran squad of mostly seniors starting, the Dawgs have to make it count this year. Key player: Jenna Staiti.
UCLA is, as anyone will tell ya, a great school for sports. The Lady Bruins basketball team are no exception, winning the Pac-12, but they’ve never made it to the final four. They tend to rely a little too much on Michaela Onyenwere.
Stephen F. Austin has climbed to the middle of the pack using ANALYTICS aka they actually make their free throws and they score a lot of field goals, which I respect. Sleeper team! I am not totally sure what the men’s mascot is but these are the Ladyjacks…??? Like a Lady Lumber Jack I guess? Anyway, they’re here because DEFENSE. You’ll want to watch them to see how that holds up against some of the unstoppable shooters in this bracket, but if it does (and they manage to score some points along the way)…you’re looking at a good ol fashion upset.
Florida Gulf Coast ugh JUST when I thought we had gotten rid of this school in the men’s game, they snuck back in here. This team is here because they shoot from 3 like nobody else. They’re a cinderella story to root for, and, if they’re on their game, definitely a bracket buster.
Jackson State is a sleeper that could be a game-changer and a bracket buster here. They have a really formidable defense, which could be the difference when push comes to shove. They’re also probably going to be ranked pretty low (63rd overall, out of, ya know, 64), which some people might take as an insult, but they’ll probably just love the underdog vibe. ESPN is convinced they’ll flame out, but anything can happen. IT’S MARCH FOR GOD’S SAKES.
BYU is dancing, but controversially. No one really expected this Bubble Team to sneak in (especially after losing in the WCC championship to Gonzaga), but they’re here and that means they’ve got something to prove. They’ll have to regain some confidence after recent stumbles, and Shaylee Gonzales will have to be on her A Game, for BYU to make this dance count.
WHO’S OUT:
Notably, the only undefeated team in D1 will not be viable as a contender because they just leveled up: California Baptist university recently became a division 1 squad and since then have gotten really good, really fast. However, because there are alREADY a lot of d1 teams to choose from, the NCAA requires 4 years of being D1 before you can qualify for stuff like this. Which kinda sucks but also makes sense. It’s good for the women’s game in general that there are more contenders, but it’s a bummer that structurally the biggest competition in the game doesn’t reflect that. Read more here.
The Ivy Leagues, who cancelled their athletic seasons for men and women, are also a big hole in this year’s bracket.
THE Ohio State is doing some time (self imposed) after recruiting violations by Patrick Klein (smh this never would have happened if a woman was in charge), which is a big loss for the tournament because they played a solid season.
Many teams in the Big East- with UConn back in the conference everyone else just looks shitty in comparison I guess. Instead of elevating the conference in the eyes of the Selection Committee, it looks like the Huskies have just stomped all over their conference homies (and looked great doing it, go off ladies!!!!!), so we’re not seeing a ton of Big East talent in the bracket.
Big Takeaways
Not to, as always, beat the same dead horse, but it is wild to see that this tournament happens at the same exact time (ish) as the men’s and yet….it gets…so…little…attention! We realize this post will fall on deaf ears, aka like 0 ears at all, but if you have the time to watch some of the women’s games, PLEASE do. We will also be trying to do so (even though all our funds are tied up in bracket pools and if Gonzaga loses I will have to take out a second mortgage on a house I don’t even own) BECAUSE:
1) Women are better dancers (Facts are facts)
2) The women’s game, even at a collegiate level, is a much more well rounded sport that supports the choices of players and helps them grow on and off the court. Most female basketball players graduate their four year institutions, and the best programs encourage that, unlike the (traditionally) best Men’s programs, such as Kentucky & Duke, which have championed their program’s success based off the One & Done method and
3) It’ll get you excited to watch the WBNA, the most diverse, woke, and under-appreciated league on television.
WATCH WOMEN’S SPORTS.
That is all.
