Editor’s note: This article is part of a Bracket Central series that provides an in-depth look at preparations for the men’s and women’s NCAA tournaments, as well as analysis and picks during the tournament.
As expected, it was a very tough first round matchup, especially as all four No. 1 seeds showed complete dominance. But from here, things get more challenging. After all, it was just three years ago that second-round games turned chaotic, when No. 9 Miami eliminated No. 1 Indiana and No. 8 Mississippi defeated No. 1 Stanford. This batch of No. 1 seeds looks ready to withstand frustrating bidding, but some of the other top 16 seeds don’t. Let’s see how everyone fared after the first round:
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connecticut husky
It’s hard to take too much away from the 90-52 victory in the first round, but one thing is for sure: UConn is still the team to beat. The Huskies have relied heavily on Sarah Strong and Azie Forde this season, but Ashlyn Scheider, Blanca Quinones and Kayleigh Hecker all provided help against the USTA. Hecker’s performance was particularly impressive, scoring 11 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds and 3 steals off the bench. This is a good sign for the Huskies. They need everyone, not just their two stars, to defend their title.
UCLA Bruins
As expected, UCLA defeated their rival Cal Baptist 96-43 in the first round. But the Bruins started off poorly, leading by just six points midway through the second quarter and leading by 10 points at halftime. Regardless of what coach Corey Close said at halftime, UCLA outscored the Lancers 52-9 the rest of the way. A slow start isn’t an issue for the No. 16 seed, but it can’t keep happening. UCLA is pursuing the program’s first NCAA championship, and that requires perfection. The Bruins are expected to come out strong against Oklahoma State on Monday.
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Texas Longhorns
Defense has been the Longhorns’ calling card all season long, and it was on full display in an 87-45 victory over No. 16 Missouri State. They held the Bears to 29% shooting from the field and 20% from beyond the arc, while also causing 19 turnovers, which ultimately allowed the Bears to score 28 points. The road ahead in Texas is challenging. The Longhorns should beat Oregon State easily, but will then face either Kentucky or West Virginia. The Wildcats have experience against Texas State in the SEC, coming off a relatively close performance in February, losing 64-53. West Virginia, meanwhile, is one of the best defenses in the country. Texas is playing well, but will have less room for mistakes going forward.
south carolina gamecocks
The Gamecocks are in good shape as they prepare for a second-round matchup against USC, whom they defeated by 17 points earlier in the season. USC has struggled as of late, while South Carolina has improved all season. If nothing else, the Gamecocks will face Oklahoma in the Sweet 16, a rematch of the Jan. 22 game that Oklahoma won 94-82 in overtime. If they meet again, expect Dawn Staley to make adjustments.
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brigadier general vanderbilt
Mikayla Blakes is the type of player who can definitely lead the team in March. She’s nearly defenseless, and when she gets hot (which happens often), the other Commodores drain her energy. In the first round against No. 15 High Point, Blake scored 30 points. It was her 12th game this season where she scored at least 30 points. Blake is surrounded by talented players like freshman point guard Aubrey Galvin and three-point shooter Justin Pisot, but they will go wherever Blake takes them. Luckily for Vandy, she seems ready for a further run.
Duke Blue Devils
The Blue Devils opened the season with a 58-52 loss to Baylor, but this team is much different than the one that faced the Bears on Sunday. Duke has made significant progress since the loss and is cruising to a comfortable win over Charleston. Meanwhile, Baylor had to claw its way to victory against Nebraska, winning 67-62. The first time these two teams met, senior Ashlon Jackson struggled, shooting 1-for-9 from three-point range. Looking forward to Jackson’s revenge game this time.
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Louisiana State University Tigers
Several top-seeded teams got off to slow starts in the first round, including UCLA, the top seed in the LSU region. The Tigers did not suffer such a fate, outscoring Jacksonville 34-14 in the first quarter. The team’s momentum didn’t wane, as LSU outscored Jacksonville in each of the remaining three quarters. Sure, it’s a lower level opponent, but the ability to start hot and finish hot is a big plus in March. LSU also received strong performances from big men Kate Koval and Grace Knox, which bodes well for the upcoming game against Texas Tech. The Red Raiders are a smaller team, so the backcourt game will be crucial for LSU.
michigan wolverines
The Wolverines came out strong against Holy Cross, with four players scoring in double figures while holding the Crusaders to 37 percent shooting. But their next game won’t be easy. Despite being a seventh seed and a 21-10 record, NC State still has a lot of talent. Forward Camille Pierre is especially difficult to deal with. The 6-foot-2 forward is averaging 16.8 points and 12 rebounds per game. The Wolverines will need a strong defensive performance from Ashley Sofelcanic to limit Pierre.
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Oklahoma Sooners
It might be tempting for the Sooners to look ahead to a Sweet 16 game against South Carolina. But Michigan State is a formidable opponent. The Spartans have a stellar guard core, led by three double-digit scorers in Kennedy Blair, Rashonda Jones and Jalin Brown. They meshed well with Oklahoma State’s defenders. However, with 6-foot-5 center Raegan Beers, the Sooners have an advantage in the paint. They need to make her a priority against Michigan State.
TCU Horned Frogs
Olivia Myers had another triple-double with 12 points, 16 rebounds and 14 assists in the first round against UC San Diego. Next up is Washington, which could cause trouble for the Horned Frogs. Both teams have great defenders, so this game may also come down to the paint. Freshman forward Brynn McGaughey has been solid all season for Washington, but with a 6-3 record, she ceded her height advantage to 6-7 Clara Silva and the rest of TCU’s big men. That might be the difference in the game.
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Ohio State Buckeyes
I can’t imagine a better guard matchup than Ohio State’s Jaloni Cambridge versus Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo. Notre Dame is playing its best basketball of the season, and so are the Buckeyes, who just beat Howard 75-54. Hidalgo and Cambridge will likely cancel each other out, so this game may come down to their supporting cast. If Ohio State beats the Irish, things will become more difficult, as Vanderbilt will likely advance to the Sweet 16.
Louisville Cardinals
The Cardinals got off to a slow start in their first-round game against Vermont, trailing 17-16 entering the second quarter. The main concern with Louisville remains the same: This team is extremely talented, but also relatively inexperienced. One of the young players, sophomore forward Mackenly Randolph, had his best game of the season, finishing with 20 points and 11 rebounds. That’s a good sign for Louisville, which needs a versatile interior player to contend with Alabama’s 6-4 junior Essence Cody in the next round.
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west virginia climbers
The Mountaineers will have their hands full against two of Kentucky’s elite big men in Clara Stryker and Teoni Key. But the Wildcats will also face challenges from West Virginia’s defense. The SEC is a tough conference, but Kentucky still hasn’t faced a defensive backfield like the Mountaineers. Taking care of the ball will be crucial for the Wildcats. If West Virginia can speed up the game and cause chaos on defense, the Mountaineers could be headed for their first Sweet 16 appearance since 1992.
North Carolina Tar Heels
After beating West Virginia 82-51 in the first round, the Tar Heels turned their attention to Maryland and the question “Who can guard Oluchi Okananwa?” The Terrapins guard excels at breaking down defenses and scoring at the rim or on fast breaks. Containing her must be UNC’s No. 1 priority. Fortunately for the Tar Heels, they have met Okananwa before, as she played for Duke during her previous two seasons. However, not so lucky, Okananwa scored 12 points, 12 rebounds and a three-pointer at the buzzer in the last game. UNC can’t get Okananwa hot.
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minnesota golden gophers
The Gophers got off to a slow start against Green Bay but ended the game on a 30-9 run. They can’t afford to get off to such a start against Mississippi State, a team that’s already a tough opponent to deal with. Cody McMahon has one of the most difficult individual matchups in the country, and the Gophers will have a hard time stopping her. The senior forward averages 19.7 points per game, using her strength and speed to get to the basket. The Gophers will need to play full-team defense to contain McMahon and give themselves a chance to win.
iowa hawkeyes
Time to worry about Hawkeye. It’s one thing to lose to UCLA in the Big Ten championship game, but it’s another thing to barely beat No. 15 seed Fairleigh Dickinson in the first round. Sophomore center Ava Hayden once again had a strong performance, finishing with 29 points and seven rebounds, while senior forward Hannah Sturker had 13 points and 16 rebounds. But the Hawkeyes need more from their linebackers. Next up is Virginia, who fared much better than the No. 10 seed. Forward Sa’Myah Smith matched up well with Iowa’s big men, and guard Kymora Johnson scored 28 points. The Hawkeyes have their work cut out for them.
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This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
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