Final Four promises talent-laden treat
Technically, when it comes to seeding, there’s not much madness left.
For years, the argument against women’s basketball has been that when it came to the postseason, the bracket was too predictable.
And if one were to just glance at the 2022 Final Four, they’d probably think that argument holds up.
Three No. 1 seeds (South Carolina, Stanford and Louisville) and one No. 2 seed (Connecticut) advanced to Minneapolis for the national semifinals, as Cinderella was sent home. But this season, when there’s been no obvious favorite, a (mostly) chalk bracket is what we should want. Since November, there’s been about half a dozen teams in the national championship conversation — and as it turns out, all of the teams in Minneapolis were part of that talk.
This tournament, we had our upsets early, and often, headlined by two 10 seeds, Creighton and South Dakota, making deep, unexpected runs. Multiple higher seeded teams weren’t just upset but upset on their home floor in the second round (hello Arizona and LSU), more proof that parity is growing every season. There have been shocking losses (Iowa falling to Creighton) and crazy, chaotic wins (NC State with a steal and score to beat Notre Dame) and everything in between. We haven’t seen any buzzer beaters (yet) but there’s been plenty of heartbreak, reminding us why this is the most compelling part of the sports calendar.
Now, it’s time to let the superstars shine and trust that they’ll treat us to one heck of a Final Four.
There are terrific storylines from each team. Paige Bueckers, UConn’s super
sophomore, is from a Minneapolis suburb, and will try to help UConn end its national title drought in her hometown. In a stunning stat considering March Madness is a single-elimination tournament, the Huskies are headed to their 14th consecutive Final Four.
Meanwhile, Stanford is headed to its 14th Final Four under Tara VanDerveer, the all-time winningest coach in women’s
college basketball. The Cardinal, led by 2021 Final Four Most Outstanding Player and point-forward Haley Jones, is trying to repeat as national champion, widely considered one of the toughest tasks in sports. Besides Jones, Stanford also has two of the best defensive players in the country in senior guard Anna Wilson and sophomore forward Cameron Brink.
Louisville’s Jeff Walz has been to the Final Four three other times, but the program is still searching for its first national championship. Hailey Van Lith, the Cardinals’ sophomore guard and maybe the grittiest, most competitive player in all of women’s college basketball, would like to change that. Louisville’s roster was bolstered this year by transfers, and no one stands out more than Emily Engstler.
And then of course there is South Carolina, ranked No. 1 all year and led by Hall of Famer Dawn Staley. Aliyah Boston, the best and most dominant two-way player in the country, anchors the Gamecocks, who are hungry to build a dynasty in Columbia, South Carolina. But you better not overlook Brea Beal, one of the best perimeter defenders in the country, and point guard Destanni Henderson, who acts as an extension of Staley on the floor.
Though South Carolina won its regional final over 10th-seeded Creighton by 30 points, we were treated to three terrific Elite Eight games. Will any game in the Final Four top UConn’s 91-87 win over No. 1 seed NC State, the first-ever double overtime regional final in the women’s tournament?
My money is on yes.
It seems that with every major sporting event, more and more people catch on to the fact that women’s sports are not only worthy of attention but often, putting on a better show than their male counterparts. Two of the men’s Elite Eight games were decided by 20 points or more; every women’s Elite Eight game, save for South Carolina’s romp over Creighton, went down to the wire.
So maybe March Madness is over, at least technically, for the women.
But it’s likely that we’ve still got April exhilaration coming our way.