Women’s basketball has grown exponentially in recent years and the women’s sweet 16 is more exciting than ever. The NCAA women’s tournament has reached an important juncture.
Selection Sunday is in the rearview mirror. The second round has ended, and we are headed to Portland and Albany for the Sweet 16.
On the march to the National Championship, Rocket Mortgager Fieldhouse plays a critical role in March Madness. As we move into April, Cleveland becomes one of the more unlikely sites in women’s tournament history, especially for the Final Four and national championship. Let’s get into the field and look at who has navigated the ides of March so far.
Women’s Sweet 16 Overview: Key Highlights
Though the focus for these teams left in the women’s tournament is the Elite Eight and Final Four, teams had to win a few games to get here. Like the men’s tournament, 64 teams begin in March and hope to extend their season with a win.
There will be a ton of memorable moments from each round. One that stands out is the Louisville Cardinals in their 2013 March Madness run. As a No. 5 seed, Louisville beat two of the top seeds in the tournament. They not only reached the Final Four, but reached the national championship game. Unfortunately, they fell to champion UConn in the final.
The Sweet 16 often brings the best teams together into one location to carve out a clearer path to the Final Four. There are some surprising moments before we reach the final and each game is definitely contentious. The second round weeds teams out in this basketball tournament, transitioning from March Madness into the early stages of April.
Women’s Sweet 16 2024 Schedule
Before we can get into the women’s tournament and determine who will contend for the national championship, we need to know the schedule. Before the Final Four – coming from Cleveland, Ohio and Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse – here’s a look at the Sweet 16 schedule:
Friday
- (3) Oregon State vs. (2) Notre Dame – 2:30 PM
- (4) Indiana vs. (1) South Carolina – 5:00 PM
- (3) NC State vs. (2) Stanford – 7:30 PM
- (4) Gonzaga vs. (1) Texas – 10:00 PM
Saturday
- (3) LSU vs. (2) UCLA – 1:00 PM
- (5) Colorado vs. (1) Iowa – 3:30 PM
- (5) Baylor vs. (1) USC – 5:30 PM
- (7) Duke vs. (3) UConn – 8:00 PM
All eyes will be on Iowa as superstar Caitlin Clark plays in her final NCAA tournament. She has been a stud all season and is looking to make this her best March and April ever. She can put in an elite game at any point. South Carolina and USC, title favorites, will also be worth a watch. Portland/Albany is a great neutral site because fan bases from around the country will show up for the Friday and Saturday games to cheer their teams on to the Elite Eight.
Women’s Sweet 16 Brackets
Like the men, the women’s tournament is separated into four different brackets. Now that we have reached the Sweet 16 point of March Madness, everyone comes together to a single site for the Friday and Saturday games.
Everyone has played their way to Portland/Albany, and the march forward depends on who wins which games. The final Sunday in March will be a quiet one since there are no games, but it will set the stage for April and the Elite Eight.
Iowa perhaps has the best path to the national championship. They face No. 5 seed Colorado on Saturday and get the winner of LSU/UCLA. If they can continue through to the Final Four, they could get lucky and face one of the lower seeds in the tournament. But it all starts by focusing on the next game and getting that win.
Women’s Sweet 16 Matchup Overviews
What better way to determine who will move on from March and into April than by looking at the matchups? Though ESPN will have the top games of March Madness, there is a lot to know about these games heading into the final Sunday in March. Let’s take a quick look at each of the Sweet 16 games.
(3) Oregon State vs. (2) Notre Dame
This is a cool game because it is such a contrast in styles. Notre Dame plays tempo and likes to score in transition. Oregon State, meanwhile, is more about efficiency from 3-point range and around the rim. Oregon State’s guard tandem – Talia von Oelhoffen and Raegan Beers – is one of the best in the nation, too. It will be a test for freshman star Hannah Hidalgo and the Irish.
(4) Indiana vs. (1) South Carolina
South Carolina just beat North Carolina by nearly 50 points. They are the heavy favorites to win it all and look virtually unstoppable. The Hoosiers, meanwhile, have shown their own fight, especially in the win over Oklahoma. Three-point defense for the Hoosiers will be critical, especially facing Te-Hina Paopao and her 46.7% success rate from deep.
(3) NC State vs. (2) Stanford
NC State is a feel-good story for both the men and women this year. Beating Tennessee is definitely a big deal but now they get the Cardinal, one of the powerhouses in women’s college basketball. NC State struggled with Rickea Jackson of Tennessee and now must deal with Kiki Iriafen, who is coming off a career-high 41 points.
(4) Gonzaga vs. (1) Texas
Don’t sleep on the Zags. They are battle-tested and made its first Sweet 16 since 2015 after an 11-point win over Utah. They are second in the nation in three-point shooting percentage, which is a problem in any game. Texas, meanwhile, has been electric. Madison Booker has been a star and Texas is dominant in offensive rebounding, which could create a lot of problems for Gonzaga over the course of the game.
(3) LSU vs. (2) UCLA
The defending champions are coming off a game where they needed a big comeback. Now, they get a powerhouse in LSU. This is probably going to be the matchup of the Sweet 16. LSU has the current SEC Freshman of the Year and Player of the Year, plus a coach with a winning pedigree. This is going to be a heavyweight slugfest in every sense of the word.
(5) Colorado vs. (1) Iowa
Though Clark is a superstar, Iowa isn’t perfect. They had an awful offensive performance in the round of 32 but still got past West Virginia. We are at a stage where sleeping on a team like the Buffs will lead to a loss. Clark and the Hawkeyes need to be better if they are going to advance to the next round.
Check our prediction for this March Madness women’s sweet 16 rematch here.
March 24, 2023: Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark (22) during the NCAA women’s NCAA Regional Semifinal basketball game between the Colorado Buffaloes and Iowa Hawkeyes at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, WA. Iowa defeated Colorado 87-77 to advance to the the Elite 8. Steve Faber/CSM (Credit Image: © Steve Faber/CSM via ZUMA Press Wire) (Cal Sport Media via AP Images)
(5) Baylor vs. (1) USC
USC is one of the biggest teams in the tournament. They are big at every position, protect the paint well, and can get physical. With discipline, USC should be able to take control of this one. That said, Baylor has made it this far and can’t be taken lightly. This should be business as usual for USC, one of the favorites to win it all.
(7) Duke vs. (3) UConn
Paige Bueckers is a monster, averaging 30 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game so far. Many think that she has been the best player in the tournament so far. Duke is riding high after a major upset of Ohio State and plays tough, physical defense. That said, the question remains: can Duke’s offense keep up with UConn?
Locations of Women’s Sweet 16 Games Happening in 2024
Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Ohio will host the women’s tournament Final Four. The location will change for each stage, with the Sweet 16 being held at MVP Arena in Albany and MODA Center in Portland. We aren’t far from the championship game, but a lot can still happen.
It is common for sites of each round to change. Though many are looking ahead to Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Ohio, the Sweet 16 is important for creating a path to the NCAA championship.
Portland and Albany will be in focus as teams continue to strive for Cleveland in April. All eyes will be on ESPN when the Final Four is created and the biggest games of the year happen.
Clark on the sidelines at Crossover at Kinnick in March Madness 2023
Key Players and Teams to Watch
How can you talk about this tournament and not Clark? She is a mega-star, enjoying a record-breaking season. She’s just missing a national championship. With more than 31 PPG, Clark is doing all she can to make Iowa a must-watch throughout the tournament.
JuJu Watkins of USC is also a star. She helped push the Trojans to their first conference tournament title win since 2014. Watkins has shown the ability to stand out on the defensive end of the floor even when locked down offensively.
Cameron Brink of Stanford, Hannah Hidalgo of Notre Dame, Paige Bueckers of UConn, and Madison Booker of Texas are just a few of the names that stand out. Those who watch on ESPN are being treated to one of the best talent pools in women’s college basketball history.
How to Bet on Women’s Sweet 16 in 2024?
Putting a bet down on March Madness is very popular right now. If you want a few bucks down on the games or the tournament as a whole, the process is simple. Find a reputable sportsbook and take advantage of one of the top promotions.
Log into your account, find a game you want to pick, and put a few bucks down. Whether betting on the Friday games, the Saturday games, looking ahead to the next round, or thinking about the national championship, you can make things a little more exciting to watch.
Conclusion
Fans will be looking forward to the action on ESPN and in person at each site. Whether Portland, Albany, or Cleveland, the women’s tournament is drawing more eyes than ever before. The path to the Elite Eight and beyond is set before us.
Which teams will make their push to Ohio? Tune in on Friday and Saturday to find out which teams will be happy come Sunday and which will be playing in the next round. There is nothing quite like a basketball tournament to make April feel exciting.
