Cinderella Story: Virginia Joins Women's NCAA Sweet 16
Virginia's historic win over Iowa highlights a competitive Sweet 16. Lower seeds shine while top teams dominate their matchups.
The women's NCAA tournament has welcomed a surprising addition to the Sweet 16, as the Virginia Cavaliers, a No. 10 seed, made history by defeating No. 2 seed Iowa in a thrilling double-overtime match on Monday. This marks the first time a team from the First Four has advanced to the Sweet 16, continuing a trend where at least one No. 2 seed has been eliminated in three of the last four tournaments.
Virginia was not the only lower seed to find success; No. 6 seed Notre Dame triumphed over No. 3 seed Ohio State, and No. 5 seed Kentucky secured a victory against No. 4 seed West Virginia.
Meanwhile, the top seeds showcased their dominance at home. UConn, UCLA, Texas, and South Carolina each won their second-round games by an impressive average margin of 38.5 points, making any changes to their rankings at the top of the list impossible.
As the Sweet 16 approaches, the SEC and ACC lead the way with six and five teams, respectively.
The UConn Huskies, seeded No. 1 overall, defeated No. 16 UTSA 90-52 in the first round and followed that with a commanding 98-45 victory over No. 9 Syracuse. Star player Azzi Fudd excelled, scoring 36 points against Syracuse, including 26 in the first half. The Huskies are set to face North Carolina next.
UCLA, also a No. 1 seed, won its first-round game against No. 16 Cal Baptist 96-43 and edged out No. 8 Oklahoma State 87-68 in the second round. Despite not dominating as much as other top seeds, they maintained their No. 2 ranking due to their overall performance, with Lauren Betts scoring a career-high 35 points.
The Texas Longhorns, another No. 1 seed, overwhelmed No. 16 Missouri State 87-45 in the first round and followed up with a record-setting 100-58 win over No. 8 Oregon. Madison Booker shone with a career-high 40 points in the second round, highlighting a significant improvement in the team's three-point shooting during the tournament.
South Carolina, also a No. 1 seed, similarly dominated its opponents, defeating No. 16 Southern 103-34 and No. 9 USC 101-61. Joyce Edwards led the team with 23 points, continuing her impressive scoring streak.
In the No. 2 seed category, the LSU Tigers achieved remarkable victories, defeating No. 15 Jacksonville 116-58 and No. 7 Texas Tech 101-47. With 16 games scoring over 100 points this season, they are proving to be a formidable force in the tournament.
The Vanderbilt Commodores, another No. 2 seed, made history by reaching the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2009 after defeating No. 15 High Point and No. 7 Illinois. Mikayla Blakes was instrumental in their success, nearly achieving a triple-double.
The Michigan Wolverines, also a No. 2 seed, capitalized on NC State’s injuries to secure their place in the Sweet 16, defeating No. 15 Holy Cross and No. 7 NC State convincingly.