Day 1 of the 2022 NCAA Match is within the books. Let’s relive a wild Friday that instantly lived as much as the newly-acquired March Insanity moniker.
It was a banner day for the mid-majors
4 of the primary six contests resulted in wins for the lower-seeded groups, although we’re loath to label all of them upsets; in every matchup, a mid-major crew took out an opponent from a Energy 5 convention, because the ACC, Pac-12, SEC, and Large Ten all fell as favorites.
No. 10 South Dakota placed on an offensive clinic in Waco
For those who’re unfamiliar with fifth-year senior Chloe Lamb, the Coyote guard — and Summit League participant of the 12 months — has been probably the most environment friendly scorers in Division I all through her school profession. She mixed that with elite playmaking and ball management as a senior — her 1.88 assist-to-turnover ratio positioned her within the 96th percentile of gamers, per Her Hoop Stats — and that command of the offense was clear within the first spherical of the match, a 75-61 win in opposition to No. 7 Ole Miss.
Lamb and fellow tremendous senior Hannah Sjerven mixed for 40 factors, Sjerven getting her 20 on good 7-of-7 capturing. The 2 have been in sync all through, they usually scored or assisted on all of South Dakota’s first 11 factors because the Coyotes raced out to an 11-2 lead. When the Rebels bought again to inside one possession at 19-16, Lamb and Sjerven shortly reeled off one other six factors to maintain Ole Miss at bay.
That is the primary NCAA Match win for South Dakota in this system’s historical past, and the Coyotes have been capable of lean on the expertise of their tremendous seniors, each of whom have skilled a number of first-round losses, to get the job completed.
No. 10 Creighton used pseudo-homecourt benefit to edge No. 7 Colorado
Again within the fall, the Bluejays got here to Carter-Hawkeye Area and performed a closed scrimmage in opposition to Iowa. The outcomes weren’t made public, however the rumor was that sophomore guard Morgan Maly was fairly comfy within the constructing. Whether or not that fable is true or not, Maly actually had her jumper going the second time round in Iowa Metropolis.
Maly led Creighton in scoring with 20 factors off the bench because the Bluejays eked previous the Buffaloes in a recreation that was nearer than the 84-74 ultimate rating would counsel. Creighton benefited from 41 factors off the bench in comparison with 20 for Colorado, utilizing that additional depth to outlast a dynamic outing from Jaylyn Sherrod, whose 27 factors led all scorers. Sherrod’s 5 assists have been additionally a game-high, however her particular person brilliance couldn’t counteract a collective effort from the Bluejays. The Buffaloes have been even when Sherrod performed and outscored by 10 within the 13 minutes that she sat.
NO. 12 FGCU despatched a message to the choice committee
How does a ranked crew find yourself as a No. 12 seed? That’s a query that felt unanswerable after the Eagles survived in opposition to a gifted Virginia Tech crew that deserved higher than a first-round matchup in opposition to the Twenty third-ranked crew within the ultimate AP ballot.
The Hokies, led by Elizabeth Kitley’s 42 factors, gave FGCU all the pieces they’d. Finally, the Eagles used the mathematics benefit, outscoring Virginia Tech by 27 factors from past the arc — together with a Karli Seay three-pointer with 27 seconds (becoming) to play — to win 84-81 and advance to the second spherical.
No. 9 Gonzaga set the tempo in opposition to No. 8 Nebraska
The Zags and the Cornhuskers represented two ends of the spectrum coming into their first-round matchup. Gonzaga had the Twelfth-best defensive score within the nation, per Her Hoop Stats, and likes to work the clock, averaging 66.3 possessions per recreation. Nebraska, however, had the Tenth-best offensive score within the nation and performs up and right down to the tune of 72.9 possessions per recreation. The crew capable of dictate its tempo would possible emerge victorious.
The entire variety of possessions within the first spherical matchup ended up at 126, or 63 per crew, and unsurprisingly, the Zags have been ready to make use of that to their benefit, comfortably incomes a 68-55 win. The Cornhuskers fell 23 factors beneath their season common, unable to attain even one level in transition, as Gonzaga efficiently mucked up the sport and Nebraska’s possibilities of successful together with it. Now, the Zags will check out that method in opposition to No. 1 Louisville on Sunday.
The highest seeds left little question of their dominance
Insanity arrived within the girls’s bracket, however not on the highest two traces. The no. 1 and no. 2 seeds that took the courtroom Friday — South Carolina, Iowa, Stanford, Texas, Louisville, and Baylor — have been possessed, decided to validate their seeding and set a robust tone for what every crew hopes is at the very least a visit to Minneapolis.
South Carolina opened the sport 20-0, gained every of its first two quarters 22-2, and held Howard to 21 factors whole. That set information for the the fewest factors allowed in a half and in a recreation in girls’s NCAA Match historical past.
To not be outdone, Stanford additionally began its recreation off 20-0, blanking No. 16 Montana State for the primary 10:43 till a Taylor Janssen jumper. Oh, and Fran Belibi did this.
Fellow No. 1 seed Louisville gained its recreation by 32 factors with 4 starters ending in double figures, capping a day when head coach Jeff Walz signed a contract extension by 2028-29. No. 2 Texas was up 39-18 on the half earlier than letting its foot off the gasoline, whereas Baylor did no such factor in opposition to Hawai’i, crushing the No. 15 seed 89-49 because of a 34-8 third quarter. Iowa had the identical margin of victory with a bit of extra sauce in opposition to No. 15 Illinois State, successful 98-58 as Caitlin Clark, Monika Czinano, and Gabbie Marshall mixed for 58 factors of their very own.
Every of those six groups had an affordable hope of a nationwide title coming into the match, and nothing has modified.
5 standout gamers from Day 1
Kierstan Bell, FGCU: It’s not simply the 22 factors and eight rebounds whereas coping with foul hassle, and even the help to Karli Seay for the three that sealed the sport. For Bell to have the heart to take this three from the wing when her crew was trailing by two, nail it, after which not have Florida Gulf Coast path the remainder of the way in which? She’s a star.
Aliyah Boston, South Carolina: The presumptive nationwide participant of the 12 months prolonged her consecutive double-doubles streak to 25 in solely 18 minutes. Good luck in opposition to a well-rested Gamecocks squad, Miami.
Ashley Joens, Iowa State: Okay, possibly she makes use of numerous elbow, however while you play all 40 minutes and tally 36 factors and 15 rebounds, some aggressive play is forgiven. And Iowa State needing all the pieces Joens gave in a surprisingly nervy 78-71 win over UT Arlington.
Kennady McQueen, Utah: 20 factors on solely 9 shot makes an attempt together with six rebounds and 4 assists because the Utes methodically ripped aside No. 10 Arkansas, 92-69.
The Maryland beginning lineup: A little bit of a cheat, however laborious to choose a favourite when each starter scored double digits. Ashley Owusu had 24 factors, Katie Benzan made 5 threes, Angel Reese had 9 rebounds, and the Terps regarded terrifying in a 102-71 win over No. 13 Delaware.
Three extra standouts in shedding efforts
Jasmine Dickey, Delaware: A one-woman band in opposition to 5 sturdy from the Terrapins wasn’t going to finish effectively, however Dickey was at the very least as much as the problem, placing up 31 factors and 10 rebounds. She will get her shot from nearly anyplace.
Starr Jacobs, UT Arlington: Jacobs and the Mavericks put an actual scare into the center of the Cyclones with their relentless strain on the basket. Jacobs discovered her solution to the ring time and time once more, incomes 11 free-throw makes an attempt within the course of. A number of extra makes and UT Arlington would have accomplished one of many largest upsets in match historical past.
Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech: 42 factors — greater than the whole scores of two No. 16 seeds Friday — because the ACC participant of the 12 months did her greatest to hold the Hokies to the second spherical. We’d not see one other scoring efficiency like this one for the remainder of March.
Three moments we gained’t neglect from Day 1
Karli Seay’s three-pointer to carry off Virginia Tech in what was indisputably the sport of the day.
Emily Ryan’s threes late for Iowa State, and Washington Mystics head coach Mike Thibault’s growing disbelief that the Girl Mavericks stored going below on Ryan in violation of the scouting report.
Fran Belibi’s block and dunk, and the response from the Stanford bench. You do you, Kiki Iriafen.
The Tara VanDerveer three-point watch
Stanford head coach Tara VanDerveer declared that she is going to donate $10 for each three-pointer made throughout the NCAA Match to a Ukrainian humanitarian fund, and challenged different coaches and followers to do one thing comparable.
Over the primary three days of the match — Spherical 1 and the First 4 — groups have made 257 three-pointers, leading to a donation of $2,570 from the winningest girls’s coach of all-time.
