The Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament is almost complete and there are many headlines to follow as the number of teams gets smaller—and the games get bigger. Here are some of the emerging stories to key an eye on as we approach Day 4 of March Madness:
Can anyone take down South Carolina?
After going undefeated in the regular season and SEC Tournament, No. 1-seed South Carolina is looking to be the first team since 2016 UConn to finish a perfect season. The Gamecocks eviscerated their competition in the first round. But that was expected.
Then, the Gamecocks steamrolled No. 8-seed North Carolina in Sunday’s second-round matchup, holding the Tar Heels under 50 points. MiLaysia Fulwiley came off the bench and added 20 points and nine rebounds. With the way South Carolina has dominated their competition so far, is there a team that can take them down? Has there been a more impressive team to start the tournament?
A matchup with No. 3-seed Oregon State would be intriguing, as they are one of the more versatile defensive teams in the tournament, employing complex schemes that could pose problems. Conversely, Hannah Hidalgo is one of the most polarizing players in the country and her star power could be enough for No. 2-seed Notre Dame. To potentially earn a rematch with the Gamecocks, the Fighting Irish must first defeat No. 7-seed Ole Miss in Monday’s opening game, with tip off scheduled for 2 p.m. ET on ESPN.
The Gamecocks are must-see TV every night and it’s worth keeping an eye on them to see how far they can go. Their path to the national championship continues on Friday when they play the winner of Monday’s matchup between No. 5-seed Oklahoma and No. 4-seed Indiana. Catch Mackenzie Holmes and the Hoosiers against the Big 12 regular-season champion Sooners at 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Can Utah or Gonzaga win the Portland 4 Region?
It might surprise people to hear that No. 5-seed Utah or No. 4-seed Gonzaga could win their region and reach the Final Four, but it’s certainly not out of the question. Of all the remaining teams in the tournament, outside of Iowa, Utah and Gonzaga might be the most dangerous shooting teams. Not only are the Utes the most efficient shooting team in the Pac-12, but Utah also takes an absurd amount of 3s for college basketball standards.
Gonzaga isn’t too far behind; they don’t match the Utes in 3-point volume, but they shoot an impressive 40 percent from 3 as a team. Outside shooting is extremely important in the tournament and both teams have very respectable defenses—the perfect combination for a Final Four run.
What makes this even more exciting is that both teams have to go through each other to get to the Sweet Sixteen. The Utes will have to travel to Spokane, where the Bulldogs are undefeated at home this season. Utah will face off against Gonzaga on ESPN2 at 10:30 p.m. ET on Monday night.
Destined for an Iowa-LSU rematch?
We could be on the path for an Iowa vs. LSU rematch in the Elite Eight. Both teams won their opening round matchup. Unfortunately, we did not get the coveted Louisville-LSU matchup in the round of 32, but, given the drama surrounding last year’s national championship game, a rematch between these two teams would be the perfect March Madness wish. Caitlin Clark was impressive as always for No. 1-seed Iowa against No. 16-seed Holy Cross, finishing with a 27-point near triple-double in 31 minutes.
No. 3-seed LSU survived a close finish against No. 14-seed Rice, receiving solid contributions from Aneesah Morrow, Flau’jae Johnson and Mikaylah Williams. On Sunday, it was Angel Reese’s 20-point double-double that powered the Lady Tigers to a win against No. 11-seed Middle Tennessee. This is the strength of LSU; even with Hailey Van Lith struggling immensely to start the tournament, they have so many quality players to rely on every game.
With the star power on both sides, an Iowa-LSU rematch is certainly what almost everyone wants to see. However, Iowa first has to overcome No. 8-seed West Virginia, as the Hawkeyes meet the defensively-stout Mountaineers on Monday at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.
How far can JuJu take the Trojans?
JuJu Watkins has been one of the biggest stories in college basketball this season. The National Freshman of the Year, Watkins led the Trojans to their first Pac-12 Tournament title in 10 years. Now, they’re the No. 1 seed in the Portland 3 Region.
After a dominant opening round win against No. 16-seed Texas A&M Corpus Christi, you have to wonder how far the Trojans can go. Prior to the tournament, No. 4-seed Virginia Tech was the team many thought was going to win the region given their experience; however, without the injured Elizabeth Kitley, the Hokies fell to No. 5-seed Baylor on Sunday night. USC has a legitimate route to the national championship if they continue to play stifling defense and lean on Watkins for their offense. The Trojans will put that formula to the test against No. 8-seed Kansas on Monday night at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN.
No. 3-seed UConn has been decimated with injuries this season, but they are certainly not a team to ignore with Paige Bueckers still captaining the ship. Bueckers and the Huskies take on No. 6-seed Syracuse, led by super scorer Dyaisha Fair, on Monday at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN.
No. 7-seed Duke is another team in the Portland 3 Region with an absolutely elite defense. The Blue Devils defeated No. 2-seed Ohio State in Celeste Taylor’s revenge game on Sunday. Duke’s stifling defense and Reigan Richardson’s second-half performance willed them to one of the most impressive comebacks of the tournament.
Game information
No. 7-seed Ole Miss (24-8) vs. No. 2-seed Notre Dame (27-6)
When: Monday, Mar. 25 at 2 p.m. ET
Where: Purcell Pavilion in South Bend, IN
How to watch: ESPN
No. 6-seed Tennessee (20-12) vs. No. 3-seed NC State (28-6)
When: Monday, Mar. 25 at 4 p.m. ET
Where: Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh, NC
How to watch: ESPN
No. 6-seed Syracuse (24-7) vs. No. 3-seed UConn (30-5)
When: Monday, Mar. 25 at 6 p.m. ET
Where: Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, CT
How to watch: ESPN
No. 5-seed Oklahoma (23-9) vs. No. 4-seed Indiana (25-5)
When: Monday, Mar. 25 at 6:30 p.m. ET
Where: Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington, IN
How to watch: ESPN2
No. 8-seed West Virginia (25-7) vs. No. 1-seed Iowa (30-4)
When: Monday, Mar. 25 at 8 p.m. ET
Where: Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, IA
How to watch: ESPN
No. 7-seed Creighton (26-5) vs. No. 2-seed UCLA (26-6)
When: Monday, Mar. 25 at 8:30 p.m. ET
Where: Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, CA
How to watch: ESPN2
No. 8-seed Kansas (20-12) vs. No. 1-seed USC (27-5)
When: Monday, Mar. 25 at 10 p.m. ET
Where: Galen Center in Los Angeles, CA
How to watch: ESPN
No. 5-seed Utah (23-10) vs. No. 4-seed Gonzaga (31-3)
When: Monday, Mar. 25 at 10:30 p.m. ET
Where: McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane, WA
How to watch: ESPN2
