NCAA Wichita regional preview: Louisville, Baylor, Michigan

Welcome to essentially the most wide-open area of NCAA Event! Let’s dive into the Wichita Regional, the place your Last 4 guess is nearly as good as mine.

How the No. 1 seed obtained right here

The Louisville Cardinals earned the ultimate prime seed within the Wichita area considerably by default after Baylor misplaced within the closing of its convention event. However that shouldn’t diminish what the Cardinals achieved all through the course of the common season contemplating Louisville was a one seed in the course of the newest pre-Choice Sunday bracket reveal on Feb. 28. One other workforce was going to should take the highest line away from the Cardinals, and nobody did.

That is the third time in 4 tournaments that Louisville has been a No. 1 seed, the lone exception coming final season when the Cardinals have been a two seed. This 12 months’s Louisville squad beat 5 groups with a prime 25 NET ranking and boasts a top-10 offensive and defensive ranking, per Her Hoop Stats.

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The Cardinals have ten gamers averaging double-digit minutes, and just one (Norika Konno) missed greater than two video games, giving the ACC’s second-best squad at the least a nine-deep rotation on any given night time. The three-headed monster of Hailey Van Lith, Kianna Smith, and Emily Engstler offers the scoring, every averaging at the least 11.5 factors per sport, with Engstler additionally chipping 9.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per contest.

Louisville’s 4 losses got here by a mixed 14 factors this season, however that small margin can also be trigger for some concern. The Cardinals blew a result in Stanford within the Elite Eight of final 12 months’s event, and in addition surrendered late results in North Carolina, NC State, and Miami this season. That would give different groups on this area some hope, despite Louisville’s in any other case sterling resume.

Who’re the challengers to Louisville?

No. 2 Baylor was poised to leap the Cardinals for the highest seed in Wichita till the Woman Bears suffered a stunning loss to Texas within the Large 12 event closing, together with an damage scare to NaLyssa Smith. Luckily, Smith seems to be high-quality, and she or he is a power to be reckoned with, having completed top-3 in Division I in complete factors and rebounds. Jordan Lewis, Sarah Andrews, and Queen Egbo all additionally chip in double-digit factors, with Lewis and Andrews as the first playmakers and Egbo serving to Smith on the glass.

Baylor performed one of many hardest schedules within the nation and nonetheless emerged with 27 wins, fourth-most in Division I, together with probably the most environment friendly offenses within the nation regardless of altering their shot profile below first-year head coach Nikki Collen. The Bears can nonetheless dominate opponents inside — look no additional than Smith, a presumptive WNBA lottery choose, and Egbo — however they’ve extra selection to their offense this 12 months, making them much more formidable as they adapt to opponents within the event.

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The No. 3 Wolverines have related top-end expertise to Baylor, with Naz Hillmon becoming a member of Smith as a first-team All-American. However Michigan isn’t at its finest proper now: the workforce misplaced 4 of its final six video games and continues to be smarting about lacking out on a share of the Large Ten title attributable to imbalanced scheduling. Leigha Brown, the workforce’s second-leading scorer, returned from a leg damage that value her most of February and hasn’t been herself but. If she isn’t able to contribute, the Wolverines may have much more to remorse trying again on 2022.

Becoming a member of them within the unhealthy damage luck division is No. 4 Tennessee. The Woman Vols have been rolling till Keyen Inexperienced went down for the season. Now, they’re additionally with out Jordan Horston, the workforce’s main scorer and rebounder, and it isn’t clear what Horston’s availability can be for the opening rounds. Tamari Key’s presence means Tennessee can all the time grasp its hat on protection — Key has been among the many nation’s leaders in blocked pictures every of the previous three seasons — however there are questions on the offensive finish with Horston’s standing in flux.

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After which there are the Oregon Geese, whose mediocre file belies their expertise stage. The Geese have been a top-10 workforce within the preseason due to the presence of Endyia Rogers, Nyara Sabally, and Te-Hina Paopao, however accidents meant the workforce by no means actually coalesced. Everybody on Oregon is wholesome now, although, and head coach Kelly Graves has a behavior of figuring issues out in March. This Geese squad has firepower and expertise and the assumption that their finest is but to come back.

Any lower-seeded groups to keep watch over?

Brigham Younger is everybody’s favourite No. 6 seed with the eighth-best scoring offense within the nation, led by Shaylee Gonzales. Who doesn’t love an underdog, particularly one which places up a whole lot of factors? The automated bid within the WCC truly went to Gonzaga, although, after the Bulldogs upset the Cougars within the event closing. Possibly that win will give No. 9 Gonzaga some momentum heading into the Large Dance.

The No. 7 Ole Miss Rebels have top-of-the-line facilities within the nation in Shakira Austin. No. 11 Villanova was the final workforce to beat UConn, even when the Wildcats did get trucked by the Huskies within the rematch. And the No. 13 Buffalo Bulls have Dyaisha Honest, one other finalist for the Becky Hammon mid-major participant of the 12 months, together with BYU’s Gonzales.

Gamers to look at

Emily Engstler, Louisville: Will get it completed on each ends of the ground for the Playing cards

NaLyssa Smith, Baylor: She had 24 double-doubles this season, together with one 20-20 sport

Te-Hina Paopao, Oregon: One of the vital thrilling guards in Division I

Jaz Shelley, Nebraska: This Cornhusker makes an impression all over the place on the court docket

Maddy Siegrist, Villanova: She will accumulate factors in a rush