Women’s March Madness could have more upsets due to parity

More MarchMadness chaos in the women’s NCAA Tournament could be looming onthe horizon if the past few months of upsets are anyindication.

Upsetshaven’t been a hallmark of the women’s tournament. Since 2007, 11women’s teams seeded 10th or lower have reached the Sweet 16.That’s less than half the number of lower-seeded men’s team thathave made that run.

But signsare this year’s tournament is ripe for more surprises.

“The talentis spread out a little bit more now,” UConn coach Geno Auriemmasaid. “I think this might be one of the more exciting tournamentsin recent years.”

This seasonhas been full of eye-popping upsets, including 19 losses by top 10teams to unranked schools. That was the seventh most in a seasonsince 2000, according to Stats Perform. That continued a trend fromthe 2021-22 season when there were 24 — the second most over thatspan.

For theHuskies, it’s already been a historic year — not one they wouldwant to bookmark. Connecticut, beset by injuries for most of theseason, lost consecutive gamesfor the first time in 30 years,ending one of the most impressive streaks in sports history. One ofthose defeats came to unranked Marquette a few days after losing toNo. 1 South Carolina — the only unbeaten team heading into the NCAATournament.

TheGamecocks were the only team immune to the upset bug this season.Dawn Staley’s squad did face challenges, trailing at the half inthree contests and by double-digits in a few others.

“Well,until somebody beats South Carolina, they are still undefeated,”Auriemma said of the defending champions. “They’re still thefavorite as they should be.”

TheGamecocks are most likely be in the best position to get to theFinal Four in Dallas when the NCAA Tournament bracket is revealedon Sunday night. South Carolina will play its opening two games athome and are a lock to be playing the Sweet 16 and Elite Eightgames 90 minutes away in Greenville, South Carolina.

The NCAAdid its second reveal of the top 16 seeds for the tournament onFeb. 23 and since then only four teams — South Carolina, UConn,Virginia Tech and Iowa — didn’t lose games. It tookalast-second shot by CaitlinClarkagainst Indiana for the Hawkeyes to stay in thatgroup.

It wasn’tjust the top-ranked teams that were being beaten. Ten regularseason conference champions lost in their postseason tournaments,including several that didn’t even make it to the final. With somany favorites falling, the NCAA Tournament selection committeefaces some difficult decisions.

“Aschallenging as it makes it for us, it’s good for the game,”selection committee chair Lisa Peterson said in a phone interviewwith The Associated Press. “The only thing we can agree on rightaway is the number one overall seed. The upsets have inspired a lotmore in-depth conversations. There’s so many things that havehappened in the last few weeks that are exciting for the game.”

Last seasonthe Creighton women’s team made a run to the regional final as a10-seed. That was only the fifth time a double-digit seed had madeit that far. Auriemma thinks that could happen more often with theright draw.

“Whereyou’re seeded may be important, but who’s bracket you’re in and ifyou catch the wrong team at the wrong time could change it,” hesaid. “Years ago that didn’t matter as much as the favorites justrolled through.”