As we head down the final stretch in the women’s college basketball season, there are many teams still fighting for a chance to make the big dance. With March around the corner, take a look and see where some teams stand. As of now, South Carolina, Indiana, Stanford and UConn are projected as one seeds.
The dominance of South Carolina
The top-ranked team since the preseason, the South Carolina Gamecocks have been dominant all year. Currently sitting at 27-0, South Carolina have been successful through their excellent two-way play. The Gamecocks are seventh in the country in scoring and are the top defensive team, holding opponents to just 49.5 points per game. The +32.4 differential by South Carolina is best in the nation by 3.9 points. The final two games for the Gamecocks before the SEC Tournament are against Tennessee and Georgia.
FOUGHT. TO. THE. ๐ฝ๐โ๐๐โ. pic.twitter.com/yDFB7kx3Ig
— South Carolina Women's Basketball (@GamecockWBB) February 19, 2023
How do the other SEC teams fare in the latest projections?
The latest bracketology of the 2023 Women’s Basketball Tournament has 8 SEC teams in the field, including the undefeated Gamecocks. LSU, who is ranked fifth in the country, projects as a two seed. For the teams just outside the AP Top 25, Tennessee is currently a seven seed, while Alabama and Ole Miss are at eight. The other three SEC teams that sit on the bubble are: Georgia, Arkansas and Mississippi State.
The Georgia Lady Bulldogs sit on the 11-seed line heading into the final week of the regular season. They are one of four teams that have a last four bye. Since their overtime loss at LSU, Georgia has won their last four games. The Lady Bulldogs head into the final week of the regular season with a 19-9 record and face Auburn on Thursday for their next matchup. Their season finale is in Columbia against South Carolina.
The Arkansas Razorbacks are on the bubble as a last four in team. Arkansas started out the season 17-3 and were cruising along. However, the Razorbacks have lost 7 of their last 9 games in conference play, which has hurt their position. Their next game will be crucial, as it is a road game against another team on the bubble, Mississippi State. After that game, they host Texas A&M to close out the season.
The last team on the right side of the bubble is the Mississippi State Bulldogs. They are the last team in at the moment, according to the ESPN Women’s Bracketology. Unlike Arkansas, Mississippi State has been performing better in recent weeks. The Bulldogs are 19-8 and have won 4 of their last 5 games. Mississippi State hopes for a win on senior night against Arkansas, before they finish the season at Baton Rouge against LSU.
16. Ohio State
17. UCLA
18. Gonzaga
19. Texas
20. Iowa State
21. Colorado
22. North Carolina
23. Florida State
24. UNLV
25. Illinois #NCAAWBB pic.twitter.com/k7Wx2P8d0M— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) February 20, 2023