Tag: NCAAW Tournament

Cheryl Miller warns JuJu Watkins to remember 1 thing as her fame and trajectory with USC grows

Cheryl Miller has a passionate warning for JuJu Watkins as her young, blossoming career progresses.

JuJu Watkins is an incredible talent whose prowess has propelled the USC Trojans women’s basketball team back into top basketball conversations. However, earning that amount of superstardom comes with a mountain of attention and fame that USC legend Cheryl Miller wants JuJu to know should never compromise her ability to maintain a sense of self.

IT’S BRACKET MADNESS: Enter USA TODAY’s NCAA tournament bracket contest for a chance at $1 million prize.

JuJu Watkins is a hooper. She’s gritty. She’s tough. She’s dynamic on the floor. However, as she’s been seemingly breaking every USC women’s basketball record and scoring the most points by a freshman in NCAA history — surpassing Caitlin Clark — it can be hard to remember that Warkins is just 18 years old.

That’s why Hall of Famer Cheryl Miller recently asked JuJu if she has taken quiet time for herself. When she struggled to answer, Miller offered some advice.

Per Sean Hurd of ESPN, this is what Miller shared with JuJu:

“I want you to find that quiet space where no one else [is], where it’s your time to exhale…I’m not worried about the physical. You’re a young kid, and you’re going to continue to grow into your body. But it’s the mental fatigue that I worry from you. It’s not a basketball…It’s the business aspect. That’s what I need from you, to find that quiet space.”

SURVIVOR POOL: Free to enter. $2,500 to win. Can you survive the madness?

Dawn Staley celebrated Caitlin Clark’s greatness for growing women’s basketball ahead of March Madness

“I think she’s the greatest of her time.”

Dawn Staley knows generational talent when she sees it, and it’s why she told The Dan Patrick Show that Caitlin Clark is the greatest of her time.

Dawn Staley has never been short of praise for Caitlin Clark. In February, she was without words for Clark’s magnificent performance when she broke the women’s NCAA scoring record. Staley later told local media that Clark would go down in history as arguably the best player to grace women’s college basketball. South Carolina’s head coach recently doubled down again with praise for Clark when she spoke with Dan Patrick on The Dan Patrick Show about just how big Caitlin’s impact on college basketball has been.

IT’S BRACKET MADNESS: Enter USA TODAY’s NCAA tournament bracket contest for a chance at $1 million prize.

Here’s what she had to say about Clark:

“I think she’s the greatest of her time. Now, I don’t want to ruffle anybody’s feathers…You know we’ve got a rich history of women’s basketball. We got a player in Breanna Stewart, who won four national titles, and you cannot forget about all the contributors of our game. Caitlin Clark’s brought a lot of eyes to our game, and I’m really grateful for her talent. I do think she’s incredible. Remarkable. Eye-catching.”

SURVIVOR POOL: Free to enter. $2,500 to win. Can you survive the madness?

Cameras captured the awkward moment Kim Mulkey had to tell Angel Reese LSU earned a No. 3 seed in women’s March Madness

Realization coming in 3…2…1…

On Selection Sunday, the selection committee revealed that LSU earned a top seed in the Albany 2 region. Angel Reese was so excited upon hearing the announcement that LSU earned the No. 2 seed that she started clapping and smiling. That’s when Kim Mulkey had to break it to her that the team actually earned the No. 3. seed.

The Selection Sunday reactions have been dropping all over social media, and the LSU Lady Tigers reacting to their journey is making the rounds. First, it was Hailey Van Lith trolling her former team for being in the same region as LSU and having to play Middle Tennessee.

Now, more footage of that moment is surfacing, and Angel Reese can be seen giddily telling Kim Mulkey and Van Lith that the Tigers were a No. 2 seed. Kim Mulkey quickly clarifies that LSU actually has a No. 3 seed. In real time, Reese starts to understand the gravity of the situation, and her face awkwardly turns from happiness to sadness. (See the 34-second mark of the clip below.)

The 1 women’s team from 2023’s Elite Eight that didn’t make this year’s tournament

Only one women’s team from last year’s Elite Eight missed this year’s tournament.

The 2024 women’s NCAA tournament field is set, and there are plenty of returning teams from last year’s Elite Eight.

Seven teams in total returned to contend for a national title this year, including Iowa, LSU, South Carolina, Virginia Tech, Ohio State, Louisville and Maryland.

However, one team didn’t make the cut and opted not to participate in the WBIT this season, and that’s Miami.

Our Mitchell Northam named Miami as one of the three major snubs on the women’s side this year, a team that made it to the Elite Eight as a nine-seed last March.

The team lost to LSU in that tournament, who went on to win the national title.

Lip-readers think LSU’s Hailey Van Lith trolled Louisville (her former team) during Selection Sunday

Some internet sleuths think they uncovered what Hailey Van Lith said about her former team.

LSU is going to have a TIME playing the Albany 2 region. It’s pretty brutal. Still, that doesn’t mean they can’t poke fun at anybody else’s NCAA tournament matchups. Senior Guard Hailey Van Lith saw who her previous team, the Louisville Cardinals, was playing on Sunday, and lip-readers think they know what she said about Louisville’s upcoming journey.

IT’S BRACKET MADNESS: Enter USA TODAY’s NCAA tournament bracket contest for a chance at $1 million prize.

Hailey Van Lith is not afraid to express her feelings. At the beginning of the season, she told nearby cameras that “everybody gets free smoke.” So, it’s not shocking that the LSU transfer, who joined the Lady Tigers in the offseason after three seasons with the Louisville Cardinals, had thoughts about her former team’s NCAA tournament schedule.

As the Selection Sunday reveal happened, cameras caught Van Lith chatting it up with head coach Kim Mulkey and Angel Reese. Lip-readers think she was speaking about Lousiville’s first-round matchup with Middle Tennessee and told Mulkey and Reese, “Middle Tennessee is gonna whoop their [expletive.]”

(Warning: NSFW language.)

SURVIVOR POOL: Free to enter. $2,500 to win. Can you survive the madness?

West Virginia’s Mark Kellogg sent a direct warning to Caitlin Clark and that’s probably a terrible idea

File this under things you don’t do.

West Virginia head coach Mark Kellogg is totally amped about playing Caitlin Clark and Iowa in the NCAA tournament. Still, his most recent trash talk shows he’s learned absolutely nothing from the people who have leveled words at Clark before.

We really shouldn’t have to repeat this, but Caitlin Clark is not new to this. SHE’S TRUE TO THIS. (She eats trash talk for breakfast!) If you’re going to talk trash about someone, at least wait until the game is done and you’ve beaten them. Apparently, West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Mark Kellogg missed that memo.

IT’S BRACKET MADNESS: Enter USA TODAY’s NCAA tournament bracket contest for a chance at $1 million prize.

After the initial matchups for the Albany 2 region were revealed on Sunday, Kellogg — who actually has to beat Princeton before his team plays Iowa — told several people that he wants to send Caitlin Clark home.

SURVIVOR POOL: Free to enter. $2,500 to win. Can you survive the madness?

Hoops fans have already started to plot a LSU-Iowa rematch after Selection Sunday’s region reveal

This is so incredibly chaotic, but women’s basketball fans are here for it.

Selection Sunday brought all the drama when the ESPN broadcast crew unveiled the Albany 2 region. The Iowa Hawkeyes snagged the No. 1 seed, but the reigning national champion LSU Tigers are the No. 3 seed. Right on cue, women’s basketball fans are already plotting a rematch of last year’s big game.

IT’S BRACKET MADNESS: Enter USA TODAY’s NCAA tournament bracket contest for a chance at $1 million prize.

The NCAA selection committee clearly has a few tricks up their sleeves. They revealed the Region 2 teams playing in Albany, New York on Sunday. Fans quickly realized that a rematch of the 2023 national championship was possible. Iowa was revealed as the top seed, but LSU was not far behind them as a No. 3 seed. Another popcorn-worthy matchup could be on the way if both teams can get through the gauntlet of good squads ahead of them.

Here’s what fans had to say about the intriguing potential matchup:


Here are some more thoughts: 

The 2024 NCAA women’s tournament printable bracket: Get in on March Madness fun

Get your bracket for the 2024 NCAA women’s tournament!

March Madness season is officially here!

We now know the full 68-team list that is headed to college basketball’s premier tournament, which means it’s time to fill out your March Madness brackets! The first round of the 2024 NCAA women’s tournament begins on March 22, so there’s not much longer until the action begins.

IT’S BRACKET MADNESS: Enter USA TODAY’s NCAA tournament bracket contest for a chance at $1 million prize.

If you’re looking to fill out a bracket of your own, here’s a printable blank one — courtesy USA TODAY — for you to use as you see fit! You can download the blank PDF file here.

SURVIVOR POOL: Free to enter. $2,500 to win. Can you survive the madness?

Selection Sunday 2024 announcers: Who’s on ESPN’s broadcast of the women’s March Madness bracket reveal?

Here’s who’s on the ESPN broadcast.

It’s March Madness time! WOOHOO!

That’s right, the 2024 women’s NCAA tournament bracket reveal is coming, with every team, region and seeding unveiled on Sunday at 8 p.m. Eastern on ESPN. It’s always a fun time to see teams celebrating making it to the Big Dance.

IT’S BRACKET MADNESS: Enter USA TODAY’s NCAA tournament bracket contest for a chance at $1 million prize.

And if you’re here, you’re probably wondering: who are those folks you’re seeing revealing the teams on Sunday?

Fear not. You’ve come to the right place for that info.

Elle Duncan will be hosting, and she’ll be joined by Rebecca Lobo, Carolyn Peck, Andraya Carter and Charlie Creme.

There you have it! Enjoy the Selection Sunday show!

Where is the 2024 women’s basketball Final Four?

Hint: LeBron James began his NBA career there.

March is here, which means the women’s college basketball season is closing in on its finish.

The season has been a great one, full thrills and highlights, and one that grew the sport’s audience in leaps and bounds. We’ve seen upsets, like Portland breaking Gonzaga’s long win streak and Maryland’s win over Ohio State. We’ve witnessed excellence in team building as Dawn Staley’s South Carolina Gamecocks completed a second-straight undefeated regular season (which ended with some fireworks in the SEC Tournament). And we’ve seen individual greatness in Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, the owner of the NCAA’s all-time scoring record.

As March Madness gets underway, you might be wondering, where does this season end for the women? Where’s the Final Four?

The answer is Cleveland, Ohio.

IT’S BRACKET MADNESS: Enter USA TODAY’s NCAA tournament bracket contest for a chance at $1 million prize.

Rocket Mortgage Field House — the home of the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers — will host the Final Four on April 5, and the national championship game on April 7.

ESPN will broadcast this year’s Final Four games at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Friday night. ABC will then carry the national championship at 3 p.m. on Sunday.

It’s the second time Clevland has hosted the Final Four. In 2007, Pat Summitt’s Tennessee defeated Rutgers there for the national title.