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Minneapolis, Minn. Happy March Madness to all college basketball fans. With the Women’s NCAA play-in games beginning Wednesday night and the round of 64 kicking off on Friday, here is an in-depth look at the four top seeds in the tournament.
Western #1 Seed Stanford Cardinal
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Coming in at #1 in the west is the Stanford Cardinal and it is well deserved. Stanford is the reigning champions of the women’s college basketball world and they have done a great job of defending their crown this season.
The Cardinal’s come in with a 28-3 record that is built off a current 20 game winning streak. Stanford is one of the most experienced teams in the tournament by bringing back a majority of their roster from their national championship team.
Stanford is a safe bet to win opening weekend as the Cardinals have made it to the round of 32 every year since the 2006-2007 season.
Key Players
The Pac 12 Champions boast a roster loaded with talent, with their best players bringing home accolades this past season.
Haley Jones
Jones, a junior, averaged 13.1 points per game, 7.9 rebounds per game, 3.7 assists per game. These numbers earned her Pac-12 player of the year honors, and a spot on the Pac-12 All first team.
Cameron Brink
Brink, a sophomore, averaged 13.6 ppg, eight RPG, 1.1 APG while shooting 56.2%. Although, what makes Brinks unique is her defensive dominance boasting 2.7 blocks per game. Her excellent ability to defend the paint earned her Pac-12 defensive player of the year honors and a spot on the Pac-12 All first team.
The Cardinal’s first game will take place Friday at 11 a.m. PST versus Montana State.
Eastern #1 Seed North Carolina State Wolfpack
Ethan Hyman/Raleigh Observer
This past season was NC State’s first time being the ACC regular season and tournament champion since 1985. The Wolfpack achieved this by finishing 29-3 on the season.
NC State won a tough ACC and boasted an impressive 68-59 regular-season win over fellow #1 seed Louisville University.
The Wolfpack has gotten hot at the right time as the team hasn’t lost since February 1st.
Key Players
Elizabeth Cunane
Cunane, a senior, averaged 13.8 ppg, 7.7 RPG on an impressive 52.6% shooting from the field. Her excellent play earned her second place in ACC player of the year voting and a spot on the All-ACC first team.
Diamond Johnson
Johnson, a sophomore, averaged 10.9 ppg, 4.2 RPG, and 1.3 steals per game. A transfer from Rutgers University, Johnson found much success in her first year earning an Honorable Mention for the ACC all-conference team.
North Carolina State’s first game will be Saturday at 11 a.m. PST versus the winner of Longwood and Mount St. Mary’s
Southern #1 Seed South Carolina Gamecocks
Sean Rayford/Ap Photos
South Carolina has the best defense in the nation, with five fewer points allowed per game than Stanford’s second-best defense. Their excellent defensive play helped them finish with a 29-2 record on the year.
The Gamecocks have an impressive resume of wins defeating multiple top-ranked teams like Connecticut, Stanford, LSU, Maryland, and NC State.
Key Players
Aliyah Boston
Boston, a junior, averaged 16.8 ppg, 12 RPG, 1.3 SPG, and 2.6 BPG. Boston is also an efficient scorer from the field, shooting 54% on the year.
This season Boston showed that she is one of the best players in the nation as she earned SEC player of the year and defensive player of the year honors.
Destanni Henderson
Henderson, a senior, averaged 11.3 ppg,3.4 RPG,4.3 APG, and 1.3 SPG. Henderson has been lethal beyond the arc for the Gamecocks shooting 40.6% from three-point range.
Henderson’s fantastic play throughout the year earned her first-team All-SEC honors.
The Gamecocks will face off against Howard University on Friday at 11 a.m. PST.
Midwest #1 Seed Louisville Cardinals
Nick Evans/ACC Network
With an average victory margin of 17.1 points per game, the Cardinals have not just been defeating their opponents; they have been embarrassing them. Louisville boasts a 25-4 record, and their offense and defense both rank top 10 in the nation per Hoopstats.com,
The Cardinals have a history of success in the NCAA tournament having made the Elite Eight in the previous three seasons.
Key Players
Emily Engstler
Engstler, a senior, averaged 11.5 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 2.4 SPG, 1.8 BPG. A transfer from Syracuse Engstler has been a pivotal addition for the Cardinals placing third in ACC player of the year voting.
She also earned first-team All-ACC honors this season.
Hailey Van Lith
Van Lith, a sophomore, averaged 13.6 ppg, 3.3 RPG, and 1.1 SPG. In her second year, she has improved her game on the offensive end averaging a career-high in points and assists.
Van Lith’s improvement in her game didn’t go unnoticed as she was awarded First Team All- ACC.
The Louisville Cardinals will play this Friday versus the University of Albany at 3 p.m. PST.
