The women’s NCAA tournament has finished its annual spring cleaning (of the bottom half of the bracket) and now moves into the more intense stage of the proceedings. The two regionals in Birmingham have something for every hoops fan, no matter your taste.
Something old: There was a time when Tennessee Lady Vols were inarguably the best program in the nation and the Texas Longhorns were arguably No. 2. The year was 1989, and it was a kinder, gentler time in our fine nation, which is why nobody pointed out that the nation, as a whole, had absolutely horrendous haircuts. Tennessee won its second of eight championships under Pat Summitt. Texas, which won the title in ’86, advanced to its fourth straight Elite Eight under Jody Conradt.
The Vols have not made the Final Four since 2008. The Longhorns have not made it since ’03. They play Saturday.
Something new: South Carolina is, obviously, not a newcomer to this party. But the way the Gamecocks are trying to win a national championship is new. Their top two scorers, freshman Joyce Edwards and MiLaysia Fulwiley, come off the bench. Nine Gamecocks play at least 19 minutes per game and nobody averages more than 25. South Carolina plays Maryland on Friday.
Something borrowed: TCU’s top six scorers arrived via the transfer portal. If the Horned Frogs beat Notre Dame on Saturday, guard Hailey Van Lith will advance to her fifth straight Elite Eight. She made it that far three times with Louisville and once with LSU. TCU plays Notre Dame on Saturday.
Something blue: Duke and North Carolina, who hate each other, have never faced off in the women’s tournament, but they play Friday in Birmingham, where they will hate each other. The schools did play in the 2022 men’s Final Four, where North Carolina ended the career of Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski, giving Tar Heel fans a lifetime of satisfaction, which lasted around 10 minutes. The high for Friday’s winner might wear off even sooner: Whoever wins gets a likely matchup against South Carolina in the Elite Eight.
Perhaps the best way to look at this weekend is that there are nine good teams in Birmingham, and Dawn Staley is coaching two of them. The challenge in beating the Gamecocks is twofold: No matter who is on the floor, South Carolina is almost always more talented and always fresher.
The Gamecocks are trying to advance to their fifth consecutive Final Four, where they could win their third title in the last four seasons. The roster has turned over almost completely since South Carolina won the 2022 championship, but the results are frighteningly repetitive.
The Gamecocks have won 22 of their last 24 NCAA tournament games. Their last 15 tourney wins were by double digits. Their only two losses were to a national champion (2022 Stanford, by one point) and to Caitlin Clark and Iowa. So, if you have a national championship-caliber team or a generational talent, then congratulations: You have a chance! Otherwise … um … well …
The good news is that the Gamecocks cannot possibly take the suspense out of games they don’t play.
Tennessee-Texas is one of those matchups where the long term hovers over the moment. If the Longhorns win, it will solidify their standing as a top-five program, and if the Vols win, it would give first-year coach Kim Caldwell momentum that predecessors Kellie Harper and Holly Warlick rarely enjoyed. When TCU plays Notre Dame, the 5' 7" Van Lith could experience the strange sensation of facing a player who is shorter and better: 5' 6" Fighting Irish guard Hannah Hidalgo.
Duke-UNC would be fun no matter how good the teams were, but since they split their two regular-season meetings, there is reason to expect a close game. Also, they hate each other. Not sure if we mentioned that.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as The Birmingham Regionals Have Something for Every Hoops Fan .
