Centers of attention
Attention old-school basketball purists: This NCAA tournament field features a big assortment of big players who could make a big difference. In a game dominated by spacing and long-range shooting, there are a number of bigs who add the inside to the inside-out game. A sampling: Ayoka Lee (Kansas State), Aliyah Boston (South Carolina), Elissa Cunane (North Carolina State), Monika Czinano (Iowa) and Naz Hillmon (Michigan).
Will the slipper fit?
Seems everyone's favorite potential Cinderella team in this field is Kentucky, which ran through the SEC conference tournament. But consider Princeton, which just so happens to be opening the tournament against No. 6 seed Kentucky in the Bridgeport regional. Some feel the Tigers' 17-game winning streak and outstanding defense merited better than an 11 seed. Well, here's the chance for them to prove those people right.
Great early matchup
How about sixth-seeded BYU vs. No. 11 Villanova in the Wichita regional? Villanova (23-8) barely got into the tournament, but now that the Wildcats are here, watch Villanova 6-1 wing Maddie Siegrist and BYU guard Shaylee Gonzales. Siegrist was player of the year in the Big East Conference. She is second in the nation in scoring (25.5). Gonzales, POY in the West Coast Conference, is averaging 18.7 points, 5.9 rebounds. 4.3 assists and 2.3 steals.
Dream matchup
It has to be South Carolina meeting Iowa in the finals of the Greensboro bracket. The top contenders for national player of the year in Boston and Caitlin Clark (Iowa), with the right to play in the Final Four on the line? Can you imagine how many Iowans would flock to the Twin Cities should the Hawkeyes win?
Big Ten's best chance
It might not be Iowa. Consider Indiana. The Hoosiers battled through a season that included playing without forward Mackenzie Holmes for much of the season following knee surgery. She's back. And the Hoosiers have the experience, having defeated top-seeded North Carolina State 73-70 in last year's Sweet Sixteen.
