Tag: 2023 March Madness Women’s NCAA tournament

First Four: Sacred Heart Women’s Basketball makes history for school

The Sacred Heart University Pioneers women’s basketball team makes history.

The Sacred Heart University Pioneers women’s basketball team notched their first NCAA Tournament win at the Division I level, which is a first for either the men’s or women’s basketball programs. It was also the first March Madness win for a Northeast Conference women’s team.

They played against Southern University, one of two HBCUs in the 2023 March Madness Women’s D1 NCAA tournament, and defeated them 57-47. They are now the underdog of the West Regional as the No. 16 seed and play No. 1 seeded Stanford at 7:30 p.m. ET on March 17th airing live on ESPN2.

Senior guard Olivia Tucker led the Pioneers with 13 points and freshman guard Ny’Ceara Pryor had 10 assists, eight rebounds, and 11 points. Junior forward Kelsey Wood added 10 points.

“I am so proud of our team’s effort. It was a true battle tonight. I am so proud of how our team rallied to make history tonight,” said SHU’s 10th year head coach Jessica Mannetti.

“We just made history, and we are not done with this story,” said Ny’Ceara Pryor, the NEC Player, Rookie and Defensive Player of the Year.

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Look: These women’s college basketball stats may surprise you

LSU’s Angel Reese leads D1 women’s basketball with the most double-doubles with 28 through 30 games with BYU’s Lauren Gustin coming second with 26 double-doubles in 32 games.

The stage is set for the 2023 March Madness Women’s Division 1 NCAA tournament. The First Four games are Wednesday and Thursday, March 15-16. Before the action gets underway, we compiled some interesting statistics for the basketball aficionado.

All stats are current through games Sunday, March 12, 2023. While players like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, and teams like the University of Connecticut and South Carolina being on the list aren’t surprising, some other teams and players are a bit less expected.

Villanova’s Maddy Siegrist holds the top spot in points per game with 28.9. Following a close second is Drexel’s Keishana Washington with 27.2 and rounding out the top three is the University of Iowa’s Caitlin Clark with 27.0.

While the top-scoring offense is Iowa with 87.5 per game, the top-scoring defense is HBCU Norfolk State with their opponent’s points per game being 50.

LSU’s Angel Reese leads D1 women’s basketball with the most double-doubles with 28 through 30 games with BYU’s Lauren Gustin coming second with 26 double-doubles in 32 games. The two then switch rankings when it comes to rebounds per game with Gustin taking the top spot with 16.6 and Reese taking second with 15.5.

BYU was not selected on Sunday to attend the tournament, so they will compete in the 2023 WNIT Postseason Tournament and will host the Rice Owls on Friday, March 17 at 7 p.m. in the Round of 64. Drexel women’s basketball also continues their season in the WNIT against Fordham on Thursday, March 16 at 7:00 pm ET.

Iowa, LSU, Villanova, and Norfolk State will all be in the 2023 March Madness Women’s Division 1 NCAA tournament, however, so you can catch Reese, Clark, Washington, and Siegrist in action.

For the full information on tournament including the schedule and how to watch the games, see our article here.

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LSU player named to AP All-America First-Team

Louisiana State University’s women’s basketball player Angel Reese was named to the Associated Press All-America First Team.

Louisiana State University’s women’s basketball player Angel Reese was named to the Associated Press All-America First Team. Reese is also on the All-SEC First Team and All-Defensive Team.

She transferred to LSU from Maryland as the nation’s No. 1 impact transfer and led the SEC with 23.4 points per game and 15.5 rebounds per game. Reese is also a finalist for the Katrina McClain Award as one of the nation’s top five players and a semifinalist for the Naismith Player of the Year Award.

Her double-double records are impressive as well. In the first 23 games of the season, she recorded a double-double in each game which is the longest streak in LSU history and the longest streak by an SEC player ever to begin a season.

Reese has 27 double-doubles through 28 games, tied with Sylvia Fowles, for the most ever in a season by an LSU player. She received seven SEC Player of the Week honors throughout the season.

As per LSU’s press release, “Reese is the only NBA, WNBA or Division I men’s or women’s player in the last 20 years to have at least 30+ points, 15+ rebounds, 4+ assists, 4+ steals and shoot over 80-percent in the same game.”

LSU finished the regular season ranked 9th amongst Division 1 NCAA women’s basketball teams with a 28-2 record. They will play their first game in the 2023 March Madness women’s NCAA tournament against Hawaii at 5:30 pm ET on ESPN2 on Mar. 17, in the first round of the tournament.

HBCU March Madness Women’s NCAA Championship History

A look at how HBCU’s performed in the NCAA women’s basketball tournament.

The first Division 1 NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship tournament took place in 1982. The matchup was between Louisiana Tech, who ended being crowned champion, and Cheyney State. This first-ever matchup set another record, that is still held today. Cheyney State was and remains, the only HBCU to make it to the championship game and to the Final Four. Cheyney State made it back to the tournament and won one game in 1983 and three games to advance to the Final Four in 1984.

Howard University and Jackson State also appeared in the 1982 tournament, but only Cheyney State made it to the last dance. Since then, there have been 19 HBCU women’s basketball programs that have played in the March Madness bracket. Hampton as the most appearances in the tournament for an HBCU with 9 appearances, but have yet to win a game.

Appearances HBCU
9 Hampton
6 Grambling State
6 Howard
6 Jackson State
6 Prairie View A&M
5 North Carolina A&T
5 Southern
3 Alabama State
3 Alcorn State
3 Cheyney
3 Coppin State
3 Tennessee State
2 Florida A&M
1 Bethune-Cookman
1 Delaware State
1 Norfolk State
1 Savannah State
1 South Carolina State
1 Texas Southern

Howard is the only HBCU to win a tournament game since the bracket expanded to 64 teams in 1994. The Bison won their game in the inaugural First Four game of the 2022 tournament, defeating Incarnate Word 55-51.

The first four games of the 2023 March Madness Women’s tournament start Wednesday and Thursday, Mar. 15-16. This will be the 42nd women’s tournament in NCAA history.

This year, there are a few HBCUs in the tournament with Southern University being in a First Four game.

In the second round Norfolk State, an HBCU, battles against South Carolina at 2 p.m. on ESPN.

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Everything you need to know about the 2023 March Madness Women’s NCAA tournament

College Sports Wire is getting you ready for the Women’s NCAA Tournament.

Selection Sunday has ended, the games are scheduled, and it is almost time for March Madness. The stage is set for the 2023 March Madness Women’s NCAA tournament. While the South Carolina Gamecocks look to go back-to-back some strong contenders are peaking at just the right time.

You can download your own bracket here.

The First Four games are Wednesday and Thursday, March 15-16.

The first round is Friday and Saturday, March 17-18.

The second round is Sunday and Monday, March 19-20. Then the field narrows down to 16 teams taking place Friday and Saturday, March 24-25. The field narrows down further and the Elite 8 takes the stage Sunday and Monday, March 26-27. Starting this year, the Sweet 16 & Elite Eight are held at two sites per year, with eight teams competing at each site.

Round City Venue Dates Host
Regional Greenville, S.C. Bon Secours Wellness Arena March 24 – 27 Southern Conference and Furman
Regional Greenville, S.C. Climate Pledge Arena March 24 – 27 Seattle and Seattle Sports Commission
Final Four Dallas American Airlines Center March 31 and April 2 Big 12 Conference and the Dallas Sports Commission

The Final Four is at 7 and 9:30 p.m. ET on Friday, March 31 on ESPN at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. Then the national championship game is at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 2 on ABC in Dallas, Texas at the American Airlines Center.

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