Women’s Sweet 16 preview
With the Sweet 16 upon us, USA Today Sports’ Tony Anderson previews a few of the top matchups we’re most looking forward to.
Sports Seriously
The women’s NCAA tournament rolls into the Sweet 16 with four games Friday, including two top seeds in action. Undefeated South Carolina faces No. 4 Indiana ahead of No. 1 Texas squaring off with No. 4 Gonzaga. No. 2 Notre Dame starts the day against No. 3 Oregon State. Cameron Brink and No. 2 Stanford face No. 3 NC State in prime time.
Women’s March Madness games are airing and streaming across ESPN’s family of channels. USA TODAY Sports will provide the latest news, scores, analysis and more all day. Follow along.
STREAM: March Madness on ESPN+ and Fubo
March Madness women’s games today
Here is the full schedule for Friday’s NCAA women’s tournament games.
How to watch women’s NCAA Tournament games
ESPN will broadcast all four of Friday’s Sweet 16 games.
Sweet 16 predictions
The madness is back today, and games only get sweeter from here on out − that’s our prediction at least. It feels like we’re due for some buzzer-beaters or overtime battles. Maybe both. This round of the women’s NCAA Tournament has pretty much everything you could want, from longtime powerhouses dancing deep for the umpteenth time to programs trying to make the second weekend a regular destination. There’s savvy seniors, phenomenal freshmen and everything in between. Here are some bold predictions for round 1 of the Sweet 16, which tips off Friday at 2:30 pm ET. — Lindsay Schnell
USA TODAY Sports experts Nancy Armor and Lindsay Schnell are split on who will win this Sweet 16 matchup. Armor says Notre Dame will win while Schnell has Oregon State capturing the victory.
NCAA women’s March Madness bracket
You can find the complete women’s March Madness bracket here.
Women’s March Madness schedule
Here is the scoreboard and schedule for today’s Sweet 16 games in the NCAA women’s tournament.
Notre Dame is the favorite to defeat Oregon State in Friday’s March Madness matchup, according to the BetMGM college basketball odds.
Women’s March Madness players to watch today
- Notre Dame G Hannah Hidalgo (23.3 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 4.6 spg), the most annoying on-ball defender in the country who can get to the rim whenever she wants
- Indiana F Mackenzie Holmes (20.0 ppg, 66.7% FG), a force in the paint
- USC G Mckenzie Forbes (13.5 ppg, 3.3 apg), who pretty much only hits big shots in big moments
- NC State guard Saniya Rivers (12.4 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 3.9 apg), whose athleticism is typically good for at least one jaw-dropping highlight per game
- Gonzaga twin Gs Kayleigh (11.9 ppg, 4.5 apg) and Kaylynne Truong (11.6 ppg, 5.9 apg), whose stats, like them, are nearly identical.
- South Carolina G Te-Hina Paopao (47.1% from 3), the most impactful transfer of the 2023-24 season
- Oregon State G Talia von Oelhoffen (10.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 4.7 apg), one of the best defensive guards in the country who hit one of the biggest shots in the regular season.
- Stanford F Cameron Brink (17.8 ppg, 12.0 rpg), the projected No. 2 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft who is a handful at both ends of the floor
— Lindsay Schnell
Shocking as it was for anyone to see the Francis Scott Key bridge collapse, it was particularly so for Angel Reese. The LSU star is a Baltimore native, and said her aunt used to drive on the Key bridge every day to get to work.
“And we drive over it to get to her house,” Reese said Friday. “So I’m not sure the route she’s taking right now or if she’s been able to go to work since then, but my prayers are to everyone that hasn’t been found yet and the ones that are found and are still suffering from injuries .”
The bridge collapsed early Tuesday after it was struck by a cargo ship that had lost power. The ship was able to radio ahead, allowing traffic onto the bridge to be stopped, but eight constructions plunged into the river. Two were rescued but six died. Four of the workers remain missing.
“I’m praying for Baltimore right now, and I hope everything gets resolved,” Reese said. — Nancy Armour
The UCLA Bruins’ body clocks are really going to be messed up. UCLA, the No. 2 seed in the Albany 2 regional, was already going to have to deal with a three-hour time change. Then the Bruins’ flight was delayed, causing them to get to Albany, NY, more than two hours later than scheduled Thursday. UCLA was first up for media interviews Friday morning, too.
“I’ve got some red eyes and those kinds of things,” said coach Cori Close, whose team faces No. 3 LSU on Saturday. “But the reality is that we’re playing in the Sweet 16. We’ve got a chance to do amazing things. So I’m not going to let two and a half hours get in the way of that.
“I just think it’s a reality, and if you’re focused on things that are out of your control, as Coach Wooden will say, it will adversely affect the things that are under your control,” she said, referring to legendary UCLA coach John Wooden. “That’s part of sports and life, and the tougher more together team wins, and I’m not going to let anything like travel get in the way.”
Her players agreed.
“Just a little adversity,” Lauren Betts said. “We’ll be fine.” — Nancy Armour
