The primary sport of the 2024 ladies’s NCAA Match featured near-madness. No. 8 seed North Carolina led No. 9 seed Michigan State by 12 factors with lower than 4 minutes to play. Then, poof. UNC dedicated 4 turnovers, missed 5 free throws and allowed the Spartans to chop the result in 1 with solely eight seconds remaining. UNC nonetheless superior, however maybe the tight ending was a harbinger of what’s to return over the following three weeks. With wild finishes, well timed taking pictures (and premature errors), upsets might be aplenty.
As The Athletic did throughout convention tournaments, we’ll be offering briefings to maintain you on high of crucial developments within the first and second rounds. Reside blogs will observe beginning within the Candy 16. Right here’s what it is advisable find out about Friday’s first-round video games:
Because the bracket was revealed final Sunday night time, LSU’s Hailey Van Lith appeared to make a prediction about her old fashioned. If the Tigers and Louisville —the group Van Lith transferred from after three seasons — received their first-round video games, they’d meet in Baton Rouge within the second spherical. However Van Lith was caught on video showing to say (in so many phrases) that she didn’t anticipate a reunion.
“Center Tennessee is gonna whoop they ass”- Hailey Van Lith pic.twitter.com/xnxDAilpQE
— No Context Louisville Cardinals (@CardsOOC) March 18, 2024
If social media lip-read appropriately, Van Lith appropriately prognosticated. Friday’s contest between No. 11 seed Center Tennessee and No. 6 seed Louisville wasn’t a blowout, by any means. However after main by 18 factors halfway via the second quarter, Louisville allowed the Blue Raiders to return again for a uncommon first-round upset in ladies’s March Insanity. The 71-69 Center Tennessee victory tied the fourth-largest comeback in ladies’s NCAA Match historical past. (It was the third-largest till Iowa State’s comeback later Friday jumped it.)
One other form of historical past was made, too — one which invitations broader conversations in regards to the Cardinals. Coach Jeff Walz was 14-0 in first-round video games since taking up at Louisville in 2007. This system had been to the Candy 16 in six consecutive tournaments and is the one group to play within the final 5 Elite Eights. These streaks are over. Now questions shall be requested about what went mistaken and what’s subsequent for the Cardinals.
GO DEEPER
No. 11 Center Tennessee knocks off Louisville ladies
In a few of their most marquee video games this season, the Cardinals usually have been tormented by turnovers. That they had 21 giveaways in opposition to UConn in mid-December and overcame a 22-turnover efficiency in opposition to Notre Dame in early February. Towards the Preventing Irish within the ACC match quarterfinals, Louisville dedicated 19 turnovers.
After that 9-point defeat, Walz teed-off on his group. “Should you don’t give a sh—, then it’s arduous,” he stated. “We consider new methods to show the ball over. Now we have turned the ball over 5 straight video games on an inbounds cross after a made basket. It’s particular.” He facetiously urged that fining a participant $500 per turnover may result in modifications. “It’s lack of focus,” Walz stated this week when requested about the principle explanation for such errors.
Towards Center Tennessee, sufficient changes weren’t made. Though Louisville completed with 14 turnovers general, 5 of them got here within the fourth quarter. Earlier than a flurry of late baskets, Louisville had as many giveaways within the last interval as subject objectives. “We haven’t been enjoying with effort like we must always have in a pair video games we misplaced this 12 months,” senior ahead Olivia Cochran informed reporters on Thursday.
Effort was much less of a problem on Friday (although it’s honest to surprise why a match group had such lapses to start with). As an alternative, turnovers, foul bother and sub-par 3-point taking pictures sunk the Cardinals. Louisville’s offense rushed pictures as effectively, with a late 3-point try by Cochran (her sixth of the complete season) emblematic of a few of Louisville’s woes.
Following the disappointing exit, Louisville’s roster nearly actually will look completely different subsequent season. Guards Kiki Jefferson and Nina Rickards are grad college students. Ahead Olivia Cochran is a senior, although she may return for an additional season. Russell, one other senior, was emphatic after the sport that she’s returning. Walz added guard Jayda Curry within the switch portal final offseason, however Curry’s manufacturing dipped considerably as she went from being a beginning 15-point per sport scorer at Cal in 2022-23 to a reserve position this 12 months, averaging solely 9.2 factors in 21.9 minutes per sport.
In an emotional post-game information convention, Russell backed Walz and vowed Louisville’s 2024-25 season wouldn’t finish like this.
“I don’t care who’s listening, I don’t care who’s watching, we’re coming again,” she stated. “(Walz is) an awesome — I wish to swear, sorry — he’s an awesome f-ing coach and that’s why we’re coming again. I don’t care what different folks need to say, I don’t care what coaches are saying, different groups. Recruits, if you wish to win, come right here. I don’t care. This can be a completely different season, a special group. We’re going to carry our group to a better normal. We’re leaders right here, that’s what’s going to occur subsequent 12 months. That’s a promise.”
Walz is bringing in two top-100 recruits and can seemingly search the portal for extra expertise. Because the winningest coach in program historical past, Walz signed a contract extension in March 2022 that runs via the 2028-29 season. In fact, the close by Kentucky opening has led to hypothesis about whether or not he’d make a transfer.
Walz dismissed these rumors earlier than the NCAA Match. “Folks can put no matter up on social media and it doesn’t matter,” he stated. “No one has contacted me. I’ve been right here for 17 years. I plan to retire right here, or I plan to get fired right here. It’s one of many two, and I’ve stated it for years.”
Friday’s loss received’t spur both motion. However it is going to power Walz and his employees to zero in on why the Cardinals misplaced focus to start with.
– Ben Pickman
Ought to LSU be anxious after squeaking by Rice?
By no means one to mince phrases, LSU coach Kim Mulkey was sincere in her postgame ESPN interview as she assessed the third-seeded Tigers’ 70-60 win over No. 14 seed Rice on Friday. “That was a foul efficiency immediately,” she stated.
LSU superior regardless of committing a season-high 24 turnovers. Twice, Mulkey stated she noticed her gamers show “quite a lot of egocentric play.” Star ahead Angel Reese dedicated a team-high six turnovers, whereas Mikaylah Williams and Van Lith every had 5 giveaways. Mulkey stated LSU’s efficiency wasn’t indicative of the Tigers’ current play. That’s true — it was coming off an SEC match championship sport look — however the 10-point victory margin in opposition to Rice belied simply how shut LSU was from being upset. With 1:58 to play, the Owls trailed by solely 6 factors.
The Tigers wish to develop into the primary repeat champions since UConn in 2015 and 2016. However what’s particularly regarding is that Rice didn’t play its greatest sport both and was nonetheless inside hanging distance. The Owls, who earned a spot within the subject of 68 after a Cinderella run via the AAC match, scored solely 6 first-quarter factors. They shot solely 35.4 p.c from the sector and 29.6 p.c on 3-pointers. Although their effort was valiant, they amassed 18 turnovers and have been whistled for 25 fouls.
Two seasons in the past as a No. 3 seed, the Tigers eked out a 6-point first-round victory in opposition to Jackson State in Baton Rouge. LSU misplaced to Ohio State in its subsequent sport by 15 factors. No LSU participant who suffered that loss remains to be on the roster, however Mulkey hopes to keep away from an identical destiny when LSU faces Center Tennessee on Sunday. “Perhaps they obtained it out of their system,” she stated of LSU’s issues.
The Blue Raiders have received 20 consecutive video games, are among the many nation’s top-10 defenses in limiting opponents’ factors per sport, they usually’re among the finest 2-point defensive groups. Within the common season, they defeated Energy 6 faculties Tennessee, DePaul and Houston, and saved it going with the first-round victory in opposition to Louisville.
Mulkey stated she was attempting to maintain her composure and confused that at this stage of the season, the purpose is just advancing. In that regard, Friday’s purpose was achieved. However she additionally issued a warning about what the weekend may carry. “We higher repair it earlier than we play Center Tennessee,” she stated.
-Ben Pickman
Can any freshman outdo Audi Crooks?
Heading into the NCAA Match, the expectation was that quite a lot of star freshmen have been able to having a marquee efficiency to announce themselves on the March stage. However the first names that have been usually talked about have been USC’s JuJu Watkins, Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo or Texas’ Madison Booker, even perhaps South Carolina’s MiLaysia Fulwiley.
After Day 1 of first-round video games, all of them are wanting up at Audi Crooks. The Iowa State middle put collectively one of many most interesting scoring performances in postseason historical past, not to mention for a first-year participant. As she led the Cyclones to a 93-86 opening-round win over Maryland, Crooks scored 40 factors on 18-of-20 taking pictures, tying the report held by Brittney Griner for many factors in a match sport by a Huge 12 participant. Solely 13 gamers have ever exceeded 40 factors within the match’s historical past, and none of them was a freshman.
CROOKS COOKED ‼️⚡️
️@AudiCrooks dropped 40 PTS + 12 REB to steer @CycloneWBB to their win over Maryland.#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/woXYzN09eF— NCAA March Insanity (@MarchMadnessWBB) March 23, 2024
Iowa State trailed by 20 factors within the first half because the Terrapins obtained off to a scorching taking pictures begin from lengthy vary. However the Cyclones saved methodically exploiting their benefit inside, trusting that Maryland would cool off. What wouldn’t change was Crooks’ capability to dominate inside. At 6-foot-3, she is taller than each Terrapins rotation participant; moreover, the Maryland bigs wish to play on the perimeter and are uncomfortable inside, particularly in opposition to gamers of Crooks’ ability stage.
The Terrapins made solely two 3-pointers within the second half, and Crooks saved cooking, simply sealing her defenders, retaining the ball excessive and ending cleanly. What transpired was the second-largest comeback in match historical past, and a signature second for nation’s greatest freshman massive.
In her postgame interview, Crooks was requested what coach Invoice Fennelly informed gamers at halftime once they trailed by 16. In line with Crooks, hesaid, “If that is the way you wish to exit, then that’s as much as you.”
It actually wasn’t how Crooks needed to finish her freshman season, one through which she set an Iowa State report for factors as a rookie. She saved the tempo up Friday and now has set an ordinary for the remainder of the standout first-year class to fulfill for the rest of the postseason.
— Sabreena Service provider
Has Ohio State regained momentum?
Ohio State wasn’t overlooking Maine coming into Friday’s first-round sport in Columbus. After ending the season with consecutive losses, the second-seeded Buckeyes wanted an excellent displaying to construct match confidence. An 80-57 victory to open the match served that objective.
Maine was a robust defensive group this season, giving up simply 56 factors per sport, however the Buckeyes pressured 22 turnovers and was the primary group to attain 80 factors in opposition to No. 15 seed Maine.
Ohio State nonetheless has a protracted highway to go to achieve its objectives, a sport in opposition to No. 7 seed Duke within the second spherical is first, however Friday’s efficiency was Ohio State close to its greatest. Cotie McMahon obtained going early. Jacy Sheldon was enjoying like an All-American and had 19 factors regardless of taking pictures simply 2 of seven from deep. Celeste Taylor (who had six steals), Taylor Thierry, Madison Greene and others all made massive contributions.However Ohio State’s solely going to go so far as its depth takes it.
The Buckeyes appeared to have regained some confidence after a quarterfinal exit within the Huge Ten match and a loss at Iowa proper earlier than that. If this win is the beginning of the Buckeyes returning to their early 2024 kind, they might be a troublesome out for match opponents.
– Cameron Teague Robinson
(Photograph of Jeff Walz: Andy Hancock / NCAA Images / NCAA Images by way of Getty Photographs)