Nicely, the primary huge upset lastly bubbled up in girls’s March Insanity. However it got here from a staff nobody noticed coming … except you’re from Durham, North Carolina, that’s.
Seventh-seeded Duke shocked Ohio State 75-63 on the Buckeyes’ house flooring, sending the common season Huge Ten champ packing Sunday. Only a month in the past, Ohio State was a classy choose for the Last 4. Now the one Huge Ten groups nonetheless dancing are Iowa and Indiana, after Oregon State dispatched Nebraska, too.
In 2023, two No. 1 seeds, Stanford and Indiana, had been upset at house. Ohio State won’t have been a high seed, however dropping at house within the postseason, particularly once you pack the stands with 8,333 loud supporters, is hard. However contemplate this good for the ladies’s recreation total, as parity continues to enhance.
In any other case, NCAA Event rookies are arising huge, veterans are doubling their common output and one of the seen faces in all of school sports activities is refusing to let the defending champs fall within the second spherical. Learn on for extra winners and losers.
WINNERS
Nicki Collen, Baylor
In her third season as a university head coach, Nicki Collen is headed to the Candy 16. That’s a powerful accomplishment for anybody, nevertheless it’s particularly significant for Collen, who adopted a legend in Kim Mulkey. Collen was employed after Mulkey, who gained three titles at Baylor and turned the Bears right into a powerhouse, left for LSU. Collen got here to Baylor after 5 years within the WNBA; earlier than that she had an extended profession as a university assistant. The Bears have been strong however removed from tremendous throughout Collen’s tenure in Waco, Texas, however a win like Sunday’s — Baylor upset Virginia Tech on the Hokies’ house flooring — might pay dividends for a very long time.
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Reigan Richardson, Duke
Speak about an excellent two-game stretch. The junior guard for the seventh-seeded Blue Devils scored 53 factors in Duke’s first two NCAA Event wins, serving to the Blue Devils to the Candy 16 for the primary time since 2018. On Sunday, Richardson scored 28 factors and grabbed seven rebounds in serving to Duke pull off an upset over second-seeded Ohio State, which was enjoying at house. This got here after she scored 25 factors and grabbed seven rebounds in Duke’s come-from-behind 72-61 win over Richmond within the first spherical. It’s an particularly spectacular stretch for Richardson contemplating she averages 12.4 factors and a pair of.5 rebounds.
OPINION:Will anyone beat South Carolina? It certain would not appear to be it as Gamecocks march on
Angel Reese, LSU
When her staff wanted her most, the defending Most Excellent Participant was, nicely, excellent. Reese scored 20 factors and grabbed 11 rebounds in LSU’s 83-56 win over Center Tennessee State, a recreation wherein the Tigers trailed by as a lot as 9. Down 36-32 at halftime, Reese had simply six factors and 6 boards, all defensive. However she turned it on within the second half, grabbing offensive boards and attending to the road — LSU shot 37 free throws in comparison with simply 9 makes an attempt for MTSU. She additionally grabbed two steals and blocked one shot.
“I didn’t need to let my staff down,” Reese mentioned. “I had one other off evening scoring however I used to be simply doing no matter I might to assist the staff. Getting steals, getting within the passing lanes, assist my level guard.
“Like I mentioned, I don’t need to let my staff down. I didn’t need this to be my final recreation.”
New children on the block
You simply by no means understand how first-timers are going to fare come NCAA Event time. The stakes are heightened when it’s win or go house, after which there’s the strain of wanting to maintain profitable for his or her senior teammates. For some, it’s an excessive amount of.
However not for essentially the most heralded newcomers on this yr’s match.
Freshman MiLaysia Fulwiley and Tessa Johnson led South Carolina, with Fulwiley scoring a team-high 20 and the 2 combining to go 7-of-12 from 3-point vary.
Elsewhere, Oregon State’s Timea Gardiner, enjoying in her first match, had 17 factors and 4 blocks within the Beavers’ win over Nebraska. Duke’s Delaney Thomas, one other freshman, scored eight factors and grabbed eight rebounds, whereas teammate Taina Mair, a sophomore switch from Boston School enjoying in her first NCAA Event, chipped in 11 factors and 4 assists. And Texas freshman Madison Booker had a double-double within the Longhorns’ win over Alabama, scoring 21 and grabbing 10 rebounds.
“I believe it is the theme of ladies’s basketball at this level, the place you’ve got acquired a variety of younger gamers who’re coming in and making an affect. They grew up watching the NCAA Event. They grew up watching the WNBA. So to get their alternative to play on a giant stage, they ready themselves for it,” South Carolina coach Daybreak Staley mentioned.
“And it is the proper state of affairs. All of the freshmen, all of the freshmen which can be within the nationwide highlight, they picked good conditions wherein they’ll shine.”
LOSERS
Ohio State guards
Speak about a tough outing on the perimeter. The Buckeyes hit only one 3 your complete recreation, taking pictures a depressing 9% (1-of-11) from the perimeter in a 75-63 upset loss to Duke. Jacy Sheldon, Ohio State’s All-American guard, was 1-of-4 from deep and even worse, former Duke standout Celeste Taylor was 0-for-4. In the meantime, Duke hit 5 3s because the Blue Devils pulled off one of many greatest upsets of the match.
North Carolina
We’re not attempting to pile on, North Carolina. Trustworthy. And we really feel unhealthy on your damage woes. It was going to be powerful to beat South Carolina even at full power.
However did you see the rating? Do you know South Carolina’s bench outscored your complete staff?
Lopsided scores and stats like this often do not pop up exterior of the First 4, particularly from a staff in one of many Energy 6 conferences. Right here’s hoping you get wholesome.
Accidents
They stink at any time. However they actually, actually stink right now of yr.
To not take something away from Baylor, however the recreation in opposition to Virginia Tech would have been fully completely different if three-time ACC participant of the yr Elizabeth Kitley hadn’t blown out her ACL within the Hokies’ ultimate recreation of the common season. North Carolina was going to have a tall process in opposition to total No. 1 seed South Carolina even at full power, however the rating most likely wouldn’t have been as cringeworthy because it was.
And Notre Dame dropping Kylee Watson — one other ACL — within the ACC match won’t be as devastating because it was to lose Olivia Miles forward of March Insanity final yr. However it’s not very best, both, and we’ll see how the Combating Irish make up for her absence in opposition to Ole Miss on Monday.