Reseeding Sweet 16: South Carolina still No. 1
The 2024 NFL draft is still a month away, but the annual “Player Selection Meeting” is now clearly the league-wide focus with only a few prominent stragglers still hanging out in the free agent market.
And while some teams have already addressed quite a few of their significant issues by signing or trading for established veterans, quite a few others must seemingly rely on the draft to flesh out meaningful areas of their depth charts heading into the upcoming season.
Here are 10 clubs, listed alphabetically, that likely need to have strong drafts in the aftermath of what they accomplished — or maybe didn’t — during free agency:
Carolina Panthers: Thanks to a 2-15 season, they most definitely earned the top pick of the draft. Unfortunately, the Chicago Bears will make that selection for Carolina due to last year’s trade that enabled the Panthers to take QB Bryce Young No. 1 overall.
That decision and what occurred in its wake are largely responsible for a new organizational chart in Charlotte, one that’s not off to a
Welcome to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament, where the games are sweet, the players are hungry and, according to the data, viewers can’t get enough of women’s basketball.
There wasn’t much madness in the first two rounds of the women’s tournament, save for second-seeded Ohio State getting beat at home, which was definitely a shocker. And yes, technically Baylor winning at Virginia Tech was an upset according to seeds, but given than the Hokies were missing the three-time ACC player of the year, a lot of people expected that outcome.
Does a lack of upset action mean we’re due for chaos the next four days? One can only hope – unless you’re rooting for the overall top seeded South Carolina Gamecocks.
We can argue at a different time if that’s fun.
For now, let’s reseed the tournament based on which teams are left.
1. South Carolina
You’re not surprised, are you? The Gamecocks haven’t forgotten they were upset last year and in fact they still seem upset about it. They’re taking it out on anyone in their way – look out, Indiana – and seem eager to prove there won’t be a repeat of last spring.
See SWEET 16, Page 2B
2. Southern Cal
The Trojans have survived everything this season, from the toughest conference in America to a stifling zone Monday night designed to slow super freshman JuJu Watkins. But USC, playing in its first Sweet 16 since 1994, is much more than one player, and the Trojans will be ready to show that versus Baylor.
3. UConn
Geno Auriemma, who has coached a few impressive players in his time, said it best: The Huskies have got the best player in America in Paige Bueckers, and it's hard to argue with the numbers. They'll go as far as she can carry them.
4. Texas
The Longhorns have yet to play like they're missing an All-American, even though Rori Harmon is one of the most impactful players in the country on both ends of the floor. It helps that in Harmon's absence, UT crowned another All-American in freshman Madison Booker. So far, Booker's postseason inexperience hasn't been an issue.
5. LSU
You don't have to like them, or their coach, to know the Tigers are plenty talented. Led by double-double queen Angel Reese, the defending national champs still haven't played a complete game this season against top competition – is that coming in Albany?
6. Iowa
It's Caitlin Clark and everyone else – there's maybe one other future WNBA player on this roster in sophomore Hannah Stuelke, but that's it. But Clark is so spectacular, described as a generational player by nearly everyone who watches her, that she might be able to lead Iowa back to the Final Four.
7. North Carolina State
In a loaded ACC, the quietly excellent Wolfpack are often overlooked. We should probably stop doing that, given that N.C. State has five players who score in double figures, with any of them capable of taking over a game.
8. Oregon State
The Beavers, picked to finish 10th in the Pac-12 this season, have that always coveted inside-out attack and, according to the numbers, are the second-best defensive team left in the tournament, behind only South Carolina. They were rolling in mid-February before sophomore center Raegan Beers broke her nose and missed a few games, stalling their momentum. Can they get back to that level of play?
9. Colorado
As the joke goes, bring your football pads to match up with this team. The Buffs are tough, physical and make you work hard for every basket. They are also battle tested and have one of the best on-ball defenders in the country in Jaylyn Sherrod. But is it enough?
10. Gonzaga
Can we stop calling the Zags a midmajor team already? GU has one of the best and most experienced lineups in the country behind forward Yvonne Ejim and twin guards Kayleigh and Kaylynne Truong. If they knock off topseeded Texas, will they finally get the respect they deserve?
11. Notre Dame
The Irish are practically playing on fumes at this point, having lost another player (forward Kylee Watson) to a season-ending injury just before the NCAA Tournament. They've got a spectacular freshman point guard in Hannah Hidalgo, who has yet to well, play like a freshman. Is that coming at some point?
12. UCLA
There's no question the Bruins, led by the best sophomore class in the country, are deep on talent. But they have a history of underachieving, which makes many leery of picking them to the Final Four. Can Lauren Betts and Charisma Osborne help change that narrative?
The Bears are here because of terrific late-game execution and the play of Jada Walker, who had a career game in the second round. It doesn't seem very realistic that scenario repeats itself.
14. Stanford
The Cardinal needed 41 points and 16 rebounds from Kiki Iriafen to survive Iowa State on its home floor, partially because its All-American couldn't stay on the floor. Stanford can't advance in the NCAA Tournament if Cameron Brink is on the bench in foul trouble; the Cardinal's guards aren't good enough to cover for her.
15. Indiana
The Hoosiers are one of a handful of teams to handle Iowa this year, which is certainly an impressive accomplishment, but does anyone really think they can hang with South Carolina and the Gamecocks' athleticism?
16. Duke
It's amazing that the Blue Devils have made it this far, and they've got the play of Reigan Richardson to thank for it. But the road likely ends here, given that at 68.8 points per game, Duke ranks 111th in scoring offense nationally. That's 34 spots behind Oregon State, the other lowest scoring team left in the tournament.