After a wild opening weekend of the women's NCAA Tournament, the Sweet 16 field features a mixture of regulars that includes all four No. 1 seeds — South Carolina, Louisville, N.C. State and Stanford — as well as newcomers South Dakota and Creighton.
While it was expected that the four No. 1s would advance to the regional semifinals, the two No. 10 seeds definitely were a surprise to many. In all, eight double-digit seeds won over the weekend, tying for the most all-time in the history of the tournament.
There's still a chance for a few others to join the mix Monday night by the time all the Sweet 16 matchups are set.
GREENSBORO REGION
Friday-Sunday
No. 10 seed Creighton will look to keep its run going as it faces No. 3 seed Iowa State. The Bluejays went to Iowa and shocked the sellout crowd of over 14,000 fans with a two-point win over the favored Hawkeyes. Many of the Creighton players are familiar with the Cyclones, including Iowa State star Ashley Joens, so the Bluejays shouldn't be phased.
This is the sixth trip to the regional semifinals for the Cyclones, but their first since 2010.
“I don’t know that I’ve ever wanted something professionally more in my life than to see these guys have that opportunity,” Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly said. “Sometimes in life, you earn things and you get it. Well, this group earned it and they got it.”
Overall No. 1 seed South Carolina and Aliyah Boston await the winner of North Carolina-Arizona. The Gamecocks have been playing stellar defense in the first two games of the tournament, holding Howard to a NCAA record-low 21 points and then following that up by only allowing Miami to score 33 in the second round.
SPOKANE REGION
Friday-Sunday
It will be a homecoming for Lexie and Lacie Hull when top-seeded Stanford heads to Spokane to face fourth-seeded Maryland. The Cardinal's senior twins will be key to the defending champions advancing.
The two teams met in the Bahamas over Thanksgiving weekend with Stanford coming away with a 19-point win. The Terrapins were short-handed for that game, missing a few starters and only having seven players available.
Now that they're healthy, coach Brenda Frese's squad has looked spectacular in the first two games of the tournament, averaging 95.5 points in the two wins.
Second-seeded Texas awaits the winner of LSU-Ohio State. The Longhorns have looked strong in their first two games.
BRIDGEPORT REGION
Saturday-Monday
North Carolina State is one of the deepest teams in the tournament and reached the Sweet 16 for the fourth straight time. Led by second-team All-American Elissa Cunane, the Wolfpack will face the winner of Notre Dame-Oklahoma.
The other game will pit the winners of UConn-UCF and Indiana-Princeton.
WICHITA REGION
Saturday-Monday
South Dakota is making its first appearance in the Sweet 16 after knocking off second-seeded Baylor in one of the biggest shockers of the tournament. The 10th-seeded Coyotes will face the winner of Michigan-Villanova.
The other regional semifinal will pit top seed Louisville against the winner of Tennessee-Belmont.
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