Some teams are riding the momentum of having won their conference tournament championship.
Some are hoping the break after the conference tournaments enables them to regain their season-long form after experiencing some slippage down the stretch.
And everyone is hoping to be as healthy and rejuvenated as possible for the NCAA Women’s Tournament.
The 68-team bracket was released Sunday night and revealed eight teams most likely to make it to Tampa for the Final Four:
South Carolina (30-3)
It’s not just that the Gamecocks are the defending national champions, though head coach Dawn Staley’s program’s pedigree is a significant asset.
What’s more significant is the way South Carolina finished the season to clinch a No. 1 seed. After an 87-58 home loss to UConn last month, the Gamecocks won their last seven games by an average of 22 points.
Chloe Kitts was the MVP of the SEC tournament, but it’s South Carolina’s balance with Sania Feagin, MyLasia Fulwiley, freshman Joyce Edwards and others that is one of the team’s biggest advantages.
UCLA (30-2)
Only one team has been able to beat the Bruins this season, and crosstown rival Southern California did it twice in the regular season. But UCLA rebounded from those games and defeated the Trojans in the Big Ten tournament championship game, holding them to 22 points in the second half.
Center Lauren Betts and an experienced supporting cast have everything they need to bring the school to the NCAA Final Four for the first time.
Betts has been a dominant force for the No. 1 overall seed on both ends of the floor, being named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and the league tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.
Southern California (28-3)
Somewhere along the line, the two L.A. rivals could easily meet again. If so, it would be in the Elite Eight in Spokane, Wash.
The Big Ten regular-season champion Trojans had won nine straight games before the loss to UCLA and earned a No. 1 seed. Sophomore star guard JuJu Watkins, who averages 24.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists, has what it takes to lead her team to Tampa.
UConn (31-3)
It wasn’t that long ago that the Huskies would automatically be penciled in for a trip to the Final Four — and probably for a national championship. But head coach Geno Auriemma’s program hasn’t won a title since 2016.
No. 2 seed UConn has had bad luck with injuries as Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd have both missed dozens of games during the last four seasons. But their availability and the arrival of standout freshman forward Sarah Strong have the Huskies positioned to make a deep run.
TCU (31-3)
At the start of the season, the Horned Frogs were unranked and would have been a long shot at best to be on this list. But they made it easily as a No. 2 seed after winning the Big 12 regular-season and tournament titles, defeating Baylor in their last game.
Hailey Van Lith, a transfer from LSU/Louisville, and fellow senior Sedona Prince lead TCU, which has won its last 10 games and is one of the better defensive teams in the country.
Texas (31-3)
The Longhorns, a No. 1 seed that split two regular-season games with South Carolina, won 15 games in a row between their regular-season setback and the loss to the Gamecocks in the SEC tournament title game.
Texas, which tied South Carolina for the conference regular-season title, definitely has the defense to contend for the national championship. If sophomore forward Madison Booker can lead a more consistent offense — after the Longhorns finished 10th in scoring (71.3 ppg) and last in 3-pointers made (48) in 16 SEC games — they could more easily wind up in Tampa.
Notre Dame (26-5)
The Fighting Irish wound up a No. 3 seed despite losing three of their last five games, including a semifinal loss to eventual champion Duke in the ACC tournament.
Their perimeter play, led by sophomore guard Hannah Hidalgo’s 3-point prowess and senior guard Olivia Miles’ leadership, will put them in position to make a deep run as long as the frontcourt does its part.
LSU (28-5)
The third-seeded Tigers might have the largest space between their potential ceiling and their potential floor, depending on the ability of their star players to stay healthy.
They held guard Flau’Jae Johnson out of the SEC tournament because of shin soreness and they lost fellow All-SEC first-team player Aneesah Morrow, the nation’s leader in rebounding average and double-doubles, after she aggravated a mid-foot sprain in a semifinal loss to Texas. Even short-handed, they hung with the then-No. 1-ranked Longhorns before losing 56-49, giving both players another day to heal and rest.
Head coach Kim Mulkey said both players will be ready to go for the NCAA Tournament.
–Field Level Media
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