Simply how dominant has Sturdy been in her first 12 months at UConn? Amongst all of the inexperienced persons in program historical past, she is the one one to rank most sensible 5 in issues, rebounds and assists — and he or she is also within the most sensible 5 for UConn inexperienced persons in steals and blocks. She additionally has had a powerful begin to her NCAA match occupation with a mixed 35 issues, 19 rebounds, 10 assists, 7 blocks and three steals via two rounds. — Philippou
The SEC Participant of the Yr had 20 issues in each the Longhorns’ NCAA first-round victory over William & Mary and the second-round win towards Illinois. She used to be 17-of-29 (58.6%) from the sphere within the two video games and had a mixed 20 rebounds. SEC foe Tennessee is subsequent. The Longhorns received their regular-season assembly 80-76 on Jan. 23 in Austin, Texas. Booker had 26 issues on 11-of-22 taking pictures in that sport and performed all 40 mins. — Voepel
Miles’ score is according to how she has carried out this season and what she may well be the remainder of the NCAA match. She has struggled via Notre Dame’s first two video games. An ankle harm suffered within the fourth quarter of the opening-round sport towards Stephen F. Austin has contributed to Miles’ 5.0 issues in keeping with sport reasonable and 20% box purpose taking pictures. She has had a step forward season as a 3-point shooter (40.1% 3-pointers) and performs with a courtroom imaginative and prescient few possess. — Creme
With out Watkins, a lot more duty is on Iriafen to guide the Trojans as they forge towards their moment consecutive Elite 8 look. She stepped up vastly Monday after Watkins went down along with her knee harm, hanging up 36 issues and 9 forums towards Mississippi State. Particularly, Iriafen has scored extra issues at a extra environment friendly clip with out Watkins at the ground (38.7 in keeping with 40 mins, 61% from the sphere) than once they each percentage it (23.4, 49%). — Philippou
Taking part in towards this system she used to be with for 3 NCAA match runs should were tricky, however Van Lith made it glance simple towards Louisville. She treated the Cardinals’ double-team efforts comfortably on her strategy to a 16-point, 10-assist double-double, the primary of her 19-game NCAA match occupation. Subsequent up is Notre Dame in a rematch of a sport in overdue November that TCU received with a overdue comeback — and a victory that served as a coming-out birthday celebration for the Horned Frogs. It used to be additionally the day that Van Lith — with 21 issues and seven assists whilst going up towards Hidalgo and Miles — confirmed the varsity basketball global that her difficult season at LSU used to be up to now and he or she used to be again a number of the elite guards within the nation. — Creme
Identical to her teammate Morrow, Johnson hasn’t wasted any time since coming back from harm. She shows a degree of explosiveness and taking pictures contact that makes her nearly unstoppable — and he or she’s similarly just right at putting in her teammates. Within the around of 32, Johnson scored 11 of her 13 issues in the second one part, additionally appearing her talent to take over the sport. She’s averaging 17.5 issues, 3.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.5 steals and a couple of blocks in 21 mins in the course of the first two video games of the match. — Andrews
As just right as James has been within the steady season the previous two years for NC State, she has been even higher within the NCAA match. She’s averaging 20.5 issues via two NCAA video games — towards Vermont and Michigan State — after averaging 23.5 in 5 video games ultimate season when the Wolfpack made the Ultimate 4. NC State’s guard-focused offense will face LSU subsequent; the Tigers beat the Wolfpack 82-65 on Nov. 27 in a Bahamas match. James had 13 issues and four assists however shot 4-of-13 from the sphere in that sport. She’s surely searching for a greater efficiency Friday towards the Tigers. — Voepel
Guard | 5-foot-11 | graduate
Stats: 13.4 PPG, 45.3% 3FG, 1.8 APG
Previous to Saturday, Fudd hadn’t performed within the NCAA match since 2023, when Ohio State disappointed UConn within the Candy 16. She has had a powerful go back this 12 months, recording 44 issues around the Huskies’ first two video games on 9-for-14 taking pictures from the 3-point arc. Of all of the three-players combos who’ve performed no less than 400 mins in combination in Department I ladies’s basketball this season, Bueckers, Fudd and Sturdy have the most efficient web potency at plus-50.9. — Philippou
Middle | 6-foot-4 | junior
Stats: 17.5 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 64.5% FG
Most sensible tales of the week from 
Get unique get right of entry to to 1000’s of top class articles a 12 months from most sensible writers.
• Males’s/ladies’s NCAAs: Sizzling, chilly groups »
• We requested: Best possible QBs in faculty soccer? »
• Most sensible NHL possibilities in NCAA tourney are… »
Extra ESPN+ content material »
Just like she has achieved all season, Beers morphed into regardless of the Sooners wanted within the NCAA match. Within the opener towards Florida Gulf Coast, she used to be a scorer, dominating the smaller Eagles on the rim. The sport towards Iowa used to be extra perimeter-oriented (the groups mixed for 21 3-pointers), however that would possibly were as a result of Beers used to be there to offer protection to the paint. She blocked 4 pictures and the Hawkeyes’ put up gamers weren’t giant elements. Rebounding has been a continuing for Beers; her 15.5 RPG within the match is the most efficient in March Insanity. — Creme
Ahead | 6-foot-3 | freshman
Stats: 13.2 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 55.0% FG
Edwards has come into her personal for the Gamecocks this season, and they have loved each little bit of it as they have adjusted to lifestyles with out posts Kamilla Cardoso (graduated) and Ashlyn Watkins (injured). Whilst she uncharacteristically struggled in South Carolina’s second-round matchup towards Indiana, Edwards installed a powerful 22-point effort towards Tennessee Tech. A assured, thriving Edwards will pass a long way in serving to the Gamecocks repeat as champions. — Philippou
Ahead | 5-foot-11 | junior
Stats: 13.1PPG, 4.9 APG, 50.0% FG
Rice has achieved precisely what the Bruins have wanted her to do, scoring 23 issues and recording 7 assists in UCLA’s second-round matchup towards Richmond. She additionally knocked down a season-high 4 3-pointers, many capitalizing at the catch-and-shoot alternatives she were given. The 2-man sport she has advanced with Betts has been a very powerful for the Bruins’ dominance this season. — Andrews
Middle | 6-foot-7 | graduate
Stats: 17.5 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 3.0 BPG
Prince had a mixed 34 issues, 14 rebounds and six blocks within the Frogs’ NCAA early around wins over FDU and Louisville. She used to be 14-of-23 from the sphere (60.9%), just a little higher than her total season taking pictures share (58.8). Prince must have a notable inner merit towards Notre Dame within the Candy 16. She did when TCU beat the Irish 76-68 within the Cayman Islands Vintage on Nov. 29. Prince had 20 issues and seasons highs of 20 rebounds and eight blocks in that sport. — Voepel
Guard | 6-foot | sophomore
Stats: 17.4 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 3.3 APG
Williams has been the Tigers’ maximum dependable 3-point shooter this season, which has endured within the NCAA match. She used to be a mixed 6-of-6 from at the back of the arc in LSU’s early-round victories over San Diego State and Florida State. Williams had 13 issues towards the Aztecs and 28 towards the Seminoles. NC State is up subsequent: When the Tigers beat the Wolfpack 82-65 on Nov. 27 within the Bahamas, Williams’ 24 issues led the best way. — Voepel
Guard | 5-foot-10 | sophomore
Stats:11.8 PPG, 1.9 APG, 42.0% FG
Center of attention and consistency will also be problems, and we have already noticed the great and unhealthy within the NCAA match: 15 issues and 5 assists towards Tennessee Tech vs. 3 issues in 10 mins towards Indiana. On the most sensible of her sport, Fulwiley is an electrifying guard who excels within the open ground and has unguardable deep taking pictures vary. At the side of Edwards and Tessa Johnson, Fulwiley nonetheless is helping shape the best bench within the nation and is South Carolina’s second-leading scorer. — Creme
Guard | 6-foot-1 | senior
Stats: 14.2 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 2.7 APG
Notre Dame has been on a roll to begin the NCAA match, and no longer coincidentally, so has Citron. She’s averaging 20 issues on 53.6% taking pictures (50% from 3), 6.5 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.5 blocks in keeping with contest up to now in March Insanity, serving to the Irish to a plus-73 win differential in the ones wins. A participant like Citron may well be an X issue for the Irish as they search their first Ultimate 4 look below Niele Ivey. — Philippou
Guard | 6-foot | sophomore
Stats: 16.8 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 3.2 APG
Cooper has been Tennessee’s very best participant in her first season with the Woman Vols after moving from South Carolina in 2023 and sitting out ultimate season. She leads 5 Woman Vols who reasonable in double figures and may be first at the group in steals (3.2 SPG). Cooper used to be exceptional in Tennessee’s early around NCAA match wins over South Florida and Ohio State with a mixed 39 issues, 14 rebounds, 9 assists and 9 steals. Cooper struggled towards Texas — Tennessee’s Candy 16 opponent — within the Woman Vols’ 80-76 loss in Austin, Texas, on Jan. 23; she had 7 issues on 3 of 12 taking pictures. — Voepel
Guard | 6-foot-2 | senior
Stats: 14.5 PPG, 4.1 APG, 3.7 RPG
Dealers used to be a standout in what used to be the sport of the match up to now. Within the Terps’ double-overtime win over Alabama, Dealers completed with 28 issues — together with a collection of snatch unfastened throws that helped ship the sport into the second one time beyond regulation duration. Averaging 20 issues, 3 rebounds and two assists in the course of the first two video games of the match, she has proved to be one of the crucial higher all-around gamers within the nation. And he or she has made her mark on Maryland in her 4 years, changing into the primary participant in group historical past to listing 1,500 issues, 500 rebounds and 500 assists. — Andrews
Guard | 6-foot-1 | senior
Stats: 11.9 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 3.8 APG
Lengthy, athletic and a blur in transition, Rivers has additionally taken an enormous jump ahead as a playmaker. She is now main the quick wreck just about up to she is completing one. Her 11 assists towards Michigan State in around two had been instrumental within the Wolfpack many times getting vast open pictures. She even had a 3-pointer of her personal, one among 15 through NC State. Rivers already has extra assists (13) in two video games on this NCAA match than she had in 5 video games in ultimate 12 months’s Ultimate 4 run (11), and he or she has only one turnover. — Creme
Guard | 6-foot-2 | junior
Stats: 10.1 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 52.9% FG
Lengthy regarded as a key participant if the Gamecocks are going to copy as nationwide champions, Kitts has been taking part in the most efficient basketball of her occupation since March arrived. She averaged 16.7 issues and seven.7 rebounds on her strategy to being named SEC match MVP, and it has carried over within the NCAA match. Kitts picked up her 9th double-double of the season in the second one around towards Indiana (10 issues, 11 rebounds). — Creme
Middle | 6-foot-6 | senior
Stats: 15.6 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 2.0 BPG
Lee returned for the NCAA match after being out since she suffered a foot harm Feb. 22. She had 17 issues and 10 rebounds vs. Fairfield, after which 16 and 9 in Ok-State’s 80-79 time beyond regulation disappointed of No. 4 seed Kentucky. That despatched Ok-State to the Candy 16 for the primary time since 2002. Lee used to be an uncharacteristic 8-of-18 (44.4%) towards Kentucky, a long way under her season share of 64.1% shooing from the sphere. However she used to be coping with foul hassle, which hindered her aggressiveness to the basket. The Wildcats are 20-1 in video games that Lee has performed on this season, and 8-6 when she has been out. We will see how she fits up towards the bodily within play of Candy 16 foe USC. — Voepel
Guard | 6-foot-2 | senior
Stats: 13.9 PPG, 7.3 APG, 32.4% 3FG
The glue for the Wildcats all season, Sundell hit the game-tying turnaround jumper within the lane to ship their second-round sport towards Kentucky into time beyond regulation. She additionally scored 19 issues and dished an NCAA match school-record 14 assists. Her measurement lets in her to put up up smaller guards and she will be able to take larger defenders to the fringe, the place she is a great penetrator and greater than succesful 3-point shooter (4-for-5 within the match). However she is essentially a playmaker, and her 7.3 assists in keeping with sport lead the rustic. — Creme
