The NCAA women’s landscape currently has four superpower teams: the UConn Huskies, the UCLA Bruins, the Texas Longhorns and the South Carolina Gamecocks. They have been in their own top tier all season, competing for positioning in terms of the order in which they would be seeded in the postseason.
While these four teams are the favorites to reach the Final Four in Phoenix, Arizona, it is also called March Madness for a reason. You never know what could happen when you put these teams in a sudden-death bracket to determine a Final Four. One bad day or one extremely good day for an opponent can result in an upset that will change the projection of the Final Four results. There are also some matchups in the bracket that could spell trouble for the top four teams in the country.
So which teams have the potential to be the dark horses and cause an upset in the Final Four?
The Michigan Wolverines have one of the best young duos in the country with Syla Swords and Olivia Olson. The pair, who made first-team All-Big 10, have led Michigan to a top-16 finish and two spots in their region.
This Michigan team LOVES a big moment. They brought undefeated No. 1 UConn to the brink of a loss this season, losing by just one possession. They gave Notre Dame a run for their money in last year’s NCAA tournament and will now host the first two rounds of action this weekend. Their motivation and drive to perform in big moments makes them a perfect candidate for an obscure team, especially when you consider the region they were drawn to.
If Michigan makes it to the Elite Eight, they could face Texas, and that’s an extremely intriguing matchup. Texas relies more on defense than offense, sometimes resulting in low-scoring games. With Michigan’s shooting ability, quickness, and the pace they set in a game, they could end up beating a team like Texas.
Oklahoma being in the same corner of the bracket as South Carolina could have huge ramifications on the planned Final Four. South Carolina has suffered three losses this season: two to Texas and one to Oklahoma. That game went to overtime and Sooners freshman Aaliyah Chavez scored 15 points in that period to secure a big win for her team.
Oklahoma also has the position advantage against South Carolina, something women’s basketball fans aren’t used to saying. OU’s Raegan Beers averages 15.7 points per game in less than 25 minutes per game. That lead may be enough to cause the biggest Sweet Sixteen upset since Ohio State eliminated UConn a few years ago.
West Virginia Mountaineers
West Virginia has been a pesky distributor all season, leading to a fourth-place finish in their region. They beat No. 15 Duke to start the season, No. 11 Iowa State in January, No. 14 Baylor in February and defeated No. 10 TCU to win the Big-12 Tournament Championship in March. What’s one more surprise to add to the list?
They put themselves in the corner of the bracket where they will have to beat five-seeded Kentucky in the second round to (most likely) face Texas in the Sweet Sixteen. If they make it to the Sweet Sixteen, it will surely be an annoying watch.
WV is another team, like Texas, that plays tough defense, trying to prevent their opponents’ biggest stars from making offensive runs. This clash of styles between these two teams could present a difficult challenge.