UCLA and USC enter the postseason as nationwide championship contenders. After that, the outlook turns a bit bleak for the western third of the nation.
If 11 groups from the Mountain and Pacific time zones take part within the NCAA Match when the sector is introduced Sunday, it’s potential that 9 may lose within the first spherical. None of them — except for the Bruins and Trojans, after all — could be favored to achieve the Candy 16.
So, it’s championship aspirations or wishful pondering for the area in an occasion providing monetary rewards for the primary time primarily based on choice and development.
Stanford received the 2021 NCAA title with Arizona because the runner-up when each had been within the Pac-12. Now, it’s former Pac-12 groups carrying the expectations for the Huge Ten and the West.
Prime-ranked UCLA and No. 4 USC are projected by ESPN to obtain No. 1 seeds on Sunday, together with defending champion South Carolina and Texas.
Each L.A. groups will host sub-regionals (March 21-24), which funnel to the Spokane regional (March 28-31) and, maybe, a fourth head-to-head assembly within the Remaining 4 (April 4-6 in Tampa).
UCLA clamped down defensively on USC within the Huge Ten Match title sport March 9, successful 72-67. With that, the Bruins (30-2) avenged their solely losses of the season. The Trojans took the regular-season sequence by scores of 71-60 on Feb. 13 and 80-67 on March 1.
USC (28-3) additionally misplaced to eighth-ranked Notre Dame in November and at Iowa, on Caitlin Clark’s jersey retirement day, in February.
Each faculties hosted sub-regional final spring, as nicely. The Trojans reached the Elite Eight earlier than shedding to Connecticut whereas UCLA exited within the Candy 16, falling to LSU.
USC received back-to-back NCAA championships in 1983-84 in the course of the Cheryl Miller period. UCLA made it to the Elite Eight in 1999 and 2018.
ESPN initiatives Cal (25-8) and Utah (22-8) as No. 8 seeds, the best positions for any crew from the area aside from UCLA and USC. If that turns into actuality, the Bears and Utes will open the event in toss-up video games in opposition to No. 9 seeds after which, with a win, face a No. 1 seed on its dwelling ground within the second spherical.
Past that, it would take a seeding upset for any Western crew to make the second spherical.
Oregon (19-11) and Washington (19-13) are projected as No. 10 and 11 seeds, respectively, adopted by mid-major convention automated qualifiers Grand Canyon (No. 12), San Diego State (No. 13), Montana State (No. 13), Oregon State (No. 14) and Hawaii (No. 16).
Oregon State (19-15) knocked off West Coast Convention co-champions Gonzaga and Portland to win the convention event in its first season as an affiliate member. The Beavers made the Elite Eight in 2024, as members of the Pac-12, earlier than shedding to South Carolina. After the season, they misplaced three starters to the switch portal.
Even so, coach Scott Rueck confirmed his prowess in reworking a crew that went 4-7 in non-conference play to consecutive victories over 20-win groups when it mattered most.
San Diego State (25-9) upset Mountain West regular-season champion UNLV within the event semifinals, then outlasted Wyoming 72-68 in triple additional time Wednesday to clinch an NCAA automated bid.
Within the Huge Sky event closing, regular-season champion Montana State (30-3) beat rival Montana 58-57 on a buzzer-beater.
UNLV, Arizona and Colorado are on the NCAA bubble, in keeping with ESPN. Stanford (16-14) misplaced within the first spherical of the ACC event and can miss the NCAAs for the primary time since 1987, Tara VanDerveer’s second season as coach.
That ends a 36-year participation streak, second longest within the nation behind Tennessee. Cardinal coach Kate Paye’s first season was a disappointment.
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Gonzaga (22-10) can even miss the NCAAs, albeit for the primary time in simply 9 years.
If Grand Canyon (30-2) provides the Western Athletic Convention event title to its regular-season crown, the Lopes will make their March Insanity debut. (The WAC event concludes Saturday in Las Vegas.)
The Huge West Match can even end Saturday with Hawaii (22-8) a slight favourite.
The WBIT event will characteristic a 32-team area with bills paid by the NCAA. One other 48 groups shall be chosen for the WNIT. So further faculties from the West will get an opportunity for postseason expertise.
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