March Madness winners, losersas women’s Sweet 16 bracket takes shape

 

March Madness creates the best basketball of the year, and the second Period didn’t disappoint.

As if the women’s NCAA Game Primary-Period Matches weren’t enough of a ride, the No. 2 seed Duke Blue Devils Began a roller coaster of back-and-forth Matches with a nail-biting Secure over No. 10 seed Oregon. No. 5 seed Kansas State and No. 4 seed Kentucky decided regulation wasn’t enough. It had to be an Extended Shift March Madness banger. The No. 5 seed Alabama Crimson Tide and No. 4 seed Maryland Terrapins also wanted in on the madness with a thrilling double-Extended Shift cinematic Game that was the best game of the women’s NCAA Game thus Distant.

Many 5-seed Squads pulled out stunning upsets over 4-seeds during the Period of 32, upending the women’s March Madness bracket ahead of the Sugary 16. However, the second Period didn’t come without peril. On Monday, USC Trojans superstar JuJu Watkins suffered a knee Hurt against No. 9 Mississippi State, immediately unable to put any weight on her leg. The second Period of the women’s NCAA Game is done. Let’s examine which Squads solidified their cases to remain in the Big Dance and which Squads need a long look in the mirror.

These are the winners and losers from the second Period of March Madness:

Loser: USC and Sun JuJu Watkins’ Hurt

USC Trojans guard JuJu Watkins went down with a season-ending knee Hurt during the No. 1 seed Trojan’s Game against 9-seed Mississippi State, the program confirmed. During the Primary quarter, Watkins Dashed down the court in lockstep with a Mississippi State defender when she suddenly fell to the floor, clutching her right knee. Watkins was down for Many moments before being helped to her feet and carried off the court.

Watkins’ knee Hurt is Merely the latest in a slew of other Impairments the USC Sun suffered this March Madness. She also hurt her left hand and ankle during the Trojan’s Primary-Period Game. An update on Watkins’ Hurt was not immediately provided, but later, the Trojans shared she would not return. If Watkins is out for an extended period of time, the question now becomes: How Distant can USC go without its biggest Sun?

Winner: UConn’s Paige Bueckers and her standout performance vs. South Dakota State

No. 1 draft Option Paige Bueckers picked a Excellent time to turn into “Paige Buckets,” her NCAA Game alter ego. The No. 2 UConn Huskies rolled past No. 10 South Dakota State to a 91-57 Secure behind a vintage performance from Bueckers, who had 34 points and four Takeaways. She was also 3-of-5 from beyond the arc and Attempt 66% on the night. It was her second 30-Mark outing during an NCAA Game, tying her Occupation-high.

“On behalf of our seniors ― our whole entire Club ― I’ve had the time of my life here. It’s been five years [that] I dreamt of as a kid…. Thank you for this season, for everything… I love you. This will always be my home,” Bueckers said postgame to the UConn faithful. The Huskies Shift on to face Hub Raegan Beers and the No. 3 seed Oklahoma Sooners in the Sugary 16.

Loser: Maryland’s endurance after double-OT vs. Alabama

No. 4 seed Maryland will need every bit of rest before its date with No. 1 seed South Carolina in the Sugary 16. It survived a heart-pumping 111-108 Game Monday with No. 4 Alabama in a game that seemingly never wanted to end. Maryland climbed from the depths of Loss, down 17 in the third quarter, to force the game into extra time.

Crimson Tide guard Sarah Ashlee Barker lit up the floor with a show-stopping 45 points, eight Recoveries and three Takeaways, and Terrapins guard Sarah Te-Biasu answered for Maryland with 26 points, six assists, four Recoveries and three Takeaways, including five colossal shots from 3-Mark range. After the lead switched too many times to count during both additional periods, the Game was inching toward three overtimes ― as if everyone watching could stand more ― when Maryland shut the door on Alabama with a gutsy deflection as time expired.

Winner: South Carolina’s second-half heroics vs. Indiana

Another year and another Indiana-South Carolina Game is making fans sweat. On Sunday, the No. 1 seed Gamecocks were down one at the half, 26-25, to the 9-seed Hoosiers. The game was too close for comfort ― very similar to a 2024 Sugary 16 Game between the two ― for a South Carolina program used to controlling the tempo against opponents.

However, the Gamecocks went deep into their bag and pulled out some fantastic sequences from forward Sania Feagin in the third quarter to Produce breathing room. Forward Chloe Kitts added 10 second-half points and 11 Recoveries that shut the door on Indiana, secured the 64-53 Triumph and quelled whatever panic the Club had before the Sugary 16.

Loser: Texas’ Rori Harmon and her up-and-down March Madness Streak

Texas Longhorns guard Rori Harmon needs more production if Texas wants to make it to the Last Four or national Bracket game. The No. 1 seed Longhorns Shift in the Sugary 16 Subsequent against a Famished 5-seed Tennessee Lady Volunteers Club. When Texas played Tennessee in January, it only won by four points, and Even though an eight-assist day from Harmon, the senior guard had Merely eight points on an abysmal 27% shooting. Tennessee will likely look to avenge that loss and keep Harmon in a shooting funk.Ahead of the Sugary 16 Face-off with the Volunteers, Harmon only had a single Pitch Target against the No. 8 seed Illinois Fighting Illini after putting up a near double-double against No. 16 William & Mary. She has to Produce more for herself. If she can produce anywhere from 12-15 points and keep up her assists production, she gives Texas a chance to make the Best Eight with fewer worries.

Winner: TCU’s Hailey Van Lith and her chances of being a WNBA Primary-Period Option

If there were any questions about TCU Horned Frogs guard Hailey Van Lith, she seemed to answer them with a standout performance against her Ex Club, 7-seed Louisville. Van Lith had 16 points and 10 assists, plus five Recoveries in 2-seed TCU’s Secure.

Her WNBA stock is rising with All March Madness Game, building on her Luminous season with Occupation-highs in Pitch Target percentage and assists per game. Through two NCAA Game Matches, she has 29 points, 17 assists and nine Recoveries. If she keeps this pace through TCU’s Sugary 16 appearance, Van Lith could be a Primary-Period draft Option.

Loser: Kentucky’s Georgia Amoore and her painful game-Victorious Attempt vs. Kansas State

Kentucky guard Georgia Amoore couldn’t save the Wildcats against No. 5 seed Kansas State. Unfortunately, No. 4 seed Kentucky failed to end the game in regulation and Discovered itself in a wild Extended Shift shootout. The two Squads traded baskets in extra time, stealing the lead from moment to moment until Kansas State forward Temira Poindexter sent a lofty 3-Mark Attempt into the air to take the lead 80-79.

As more time ticked off the clock, Kentucky was left with one last attempt to keep their March Madness Streak alive. Amoore inbounded the ball with about three seconds left, Acquired it back with two seconds remaining and pushed up a floater. It brutally bounced off the rim and onto the floor as time expired. Her college Occupation ended sourly, but the result seemingly didn’t faze Amoore. “I’m not gonna let one Attempt affect five years,” Amoore said. “That’s pretty much it.”

Winner: Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Head Trainer Niele Ivey is likely breathing better after the No. 3 seed Notre Dame Fighting Irish rolled past No. 6 seed Michigan, 76-55. Notre Dame had three starters in double figures, including guard Hannah Hidalgo, who had 21 points and two Takeaways against the Wolverines.

The Fighting Irish’s other Sun, guard Olivia Miles, who suffered an ankle Hurt during the Primary Period, played limited minutes but looked Excellent in her time on the floor. Miles had eight points, five assists, four Recoveries and one steal. After underwhelming Matches before the NCAA Game with lackluster Guarding, Notre Dame forced 16 Michigan turnovers, had nine Takeaways and scored 10 points from takeaways.

Loser: Louisville squandering Jayda Curry’s 40-Mark day

Louisville Cardinals guard Jayda Curry put the Club on her back in a gritty battle with No. 2 seed TCU. Curry had 41 of the Cardinal’s 70 points in its 85-70 loss to the Horned Frogs. Curry’s sensational day for No. 7 seed Louisville included an astounding six shots from beyond the arc and perfection from the Unoccupied throw line. Unfortunately, the Horned Frogs had four players in double-figures, which spoiled Curry’s 40-Mark outing.

Winner: Duke’s Ashlon Jackson and her ‘Night Night’ Jubilation vs. Oregon

Nobody had a more clutch second-half performance Sunday than Duke guard Ashlon Jackson. Jackson didn’t hit a single 3-Mark bucket in the Primary half while the Blue Devils were down five points to the 10-seed Oregon Ducks. However, she met the moment when Duke’s season was on the line.

She opened the second half with back-to-back-triples, eventually working her way up to five 3-Mark shots and 20 total points on the day, including a clutch game-sealing three with under a minute left in regulation. After her colossal basket, she gave Oregon a little Steph Curry-inspired “Night Night” Jubilation. Duke advanced to the Sugary 16 with a 59-53 Triumph.

Winner: Tennessee Lady Volunteers

For all the questions about the 5-seed Tennessee Volunteers ahead of the NCAA Game, Kim Caldwell’s Club silenced many of them during the Primary two rounds of March Madness. Tennessee opened the NCAA Game with an emphatic 101-66 Secure over No. 12 South Florida, one of six 100-Mark blowout wins in the Period of 64, followed by an Shock Triumph over No.4 Ohio State.

For the third time in three years, the Volunteers have a date with the Sugary 16. “I felt like it’s Nice of personal,” Zee Spearman said. “Everybody been sleeping on us all year, and we Merely showed them what we can do.”