After Iowa’s dominant 91-65 win over Holy Cross in the Round of 64 in this year’s women’s NCAA Tournament, Caitlin Clark spoke candidly about the growing popularity of the women’s game.
“People seem to be more excited about the women’s side than the men’s side,” Clark said, the sweat barely dry from her 27-point performance in the Hawkeyes’ win over the Crusaders. “I don’t think that’s ever been the case.”
After one week of this year’s tournament, Clark might be right. The first two rounds of the women’s NCAA Tournament featured star players making their presence known and several jaw-dropping upsets that shocked basketball fans.
Next up is the Sweet 16, which will feature four games on Friday and four games on Saturday.
You can fill out a Sweet 16 bracket through Forbes Betting.
Here’s a preview of each of the eight Sweet 16 games.
Odds from FanDuel Sportsbook and subject to change.
Oregon State Beavers (3) vs. North Dame Fighting Irish (2)
Game Details
- Date: Friday, March 29
- Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
- Location: MVP Arena (Albany, NY)
Odds Summary
- Moneyline: Oregon State +142, Notre Dame -176
- Spread: Oregon State +3.5 (-106), Notre Dame -3.5 (-114)
- Total: Over/Under 131.5 (-110/-110)
The top-seeded Fighting Irish are making their third straight trip to the Sweet 16 after dismantling Ole Miss 71-56 in the Round of 32. Notre Dame set the tone early with a quick-tempo offense and disruptive zone defense that left the Rebels searching for answers.
Notre Dame has won nine straight games going back to the ACC Tournament and is looking to avenge last year’s Sweet 16 loss to Maryland.
Oregon State, a minor underdog, is making its first Sweet 16 appearance since 2019. The Beavers opened the tournament with a dominant 71-51 win over Eastern Washington before sneaking past Nebraska in the Round of 32 with a 61-51 win.
After scoring just 16 points in the second and third quarters combined against the Cornhuskers, Oregon State exploded for 26 points in the fourth quarter to secure the win.
This matchup will come down to which team makes more of an impact on the defensive end. The Fighting Irish play zone with a lineup of players that can defend any position, while Oregon State has a ton of length and size, as evidenced by its 10 blocks against Nebraska.
Notre Dame is a slight favorite on the spread and moneyline, but we think there’s value in backing the Beavers as underdogs. Oregon State has one of the nation’s best frontcourts in Raegan Beers and Timea Gardiner, so look for that duo to set the tone in a game that could become a rock fight.
Regardless of who you pick on the spread, there’s also value in betting the Under.
Indiana Hoosiers (4) vs. South Carolina Gamecocks (1)
Game Details
- Date: Friday, March 29
- Time: 5 p.m. ET
- Location: MVP Arena (Albany, NY)
Odds Summary
- Moneyline: Indiana +1300, South Carolina -4500
- Spread: Indiana +15.5 (-106), South Carolina -15.5 (-114)
- Total: Over/Under 143.5 (-110/-110)
Another day, another blowout win for South Carolina.
After picking up a 52-point win over No. 16 seed Presbyterian in the Round of 64, the Gamecocks rolled over No. 8 seed North Carolina in the Round of 32 in their biggest win over a Power Five school this season. After the game, coach Dawn Staley called it her team’s best win of the year.
Freshman MiLaysia Fulwiley paced South Carolina with 20 points against UNC (the third time she’s led them in scoring over the last four games), while star Kamilla Cardoso had 12 points and 10 rebounds in her return from a one-game suspension.
Indiana earned a berth in the Sweet 16 with a come-from-behind 75-68 win over No. 5 seed Oklahoma. The Hoosiers put the game away with a 10-0 run late in the fourth quarter that was keyed by strong defense from senior MacKenzie Holmes.
Holmes scored 29 points against the Sooners and leads an offense that ranks third in the nation in 2-point field-goal percentage and first in 3-point percentage.
Now the Hoosiers will have their work cut out for them against one of the best teams in college basketball history. All five Gamecocks starters can create their own shot and also hold their own on the defensive end.
While Indiana is the nation’s best shooting team, it will need to be nearly perfect from deep to keep up with South Carolina’s offense.
This has the makings of a game that’s close at the half before the Gamecocks pull away late. There’s some value in taking a flier on the Hoosiers at +15.5 in case they get hot from deep, but we’d only place that bet with half of your normal betting unit.
North Carolina State Wolfpack (3) vs. Stanford Cardinal (2)
Game Details
- Date: Friday, March 29
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Moda Center (Portland, OR)
Odds Summary
- Moneyline: NC State +168, Stanford -210
- Spread: NC State +4.5 (-110), Stanford -4.5 (-110)
- Total: Over/Under 133.5 (-112/-110)
After ending the regular season on a bit of a skid, NC State finally woke up in the Round of 32, shooting 44.8% from the field (its highest shooting percentage since Feb. 18) in its 79-72 win over Tennessee.
Junior guard Saniya Rivers had her best game of the past month against the Lady Volunteers, posting 20 points, six rebounds and three blocks — her first game with 20-plus points since March 3.
A year after losing in the Round of 32, Stanford advanced to the Sweet 16 behind a career game from Kiki Iriafen, who dropped 41 points and 16 rebounds in the Cardinal’s 87-81 overtime win over Iowa State. Iriafen scored 17 points in the fourth quarter and overtime to help pick up the slack left by All-American Cameron Brink, who scored just eight points before fouling out in the fourth quarter.
Stanford is the better team in the matchup and is priced accordingly. Even so, it’s still worth backing the Cardinal here. Both of these teams can be streaky, but Stanford has the size advantage and should have a motivated Brink after her stinker against the Cyclones.
Gonzaga Bulldogs (4) vs. Texas Longhorns (1)
Game Details
- Date: Friday, March 29
- Time: 10 p.m. ET
- Location: Moda Center (Portland, OR)
Odds Summary
- Moneyline: Gonzaga +205, Texas -260
- Spread: Gonzaga +5.5 (-110), Texas -5.5 (-110)
- Total: Over/Under 140.5 (-110/-110)
Gonzaga advanced to its first Sweet 16 since 2015 with a 77-66 win over No. 5 seed Utah in the Round of 32. The Bulldogs, who are one of the best shooting teams in the country, knocked down 12 3-pointers against the Utes, seven of which came from twin duo Kayleigh and Kaylynne Truong.
While the Truong sisters are the engine that powers Gonzaga’s offense, the Bulldogs also have legitimate scorers in Yvonne Ejim (17 points, 13 rebounds against Utah) and Eliza Hollingsworth (13 points).
The biggest story for Texas this year has been Aaliyah Moore’s injury management after she missed almost all of last year with an ACL injury to go along with a separate diagnosis of tendinitis.
She wasn’t fazed by that pain in the Round of 32, tying her career-high with 21 points in the Longhorns’ 65-54 win over Alabama. After only playing one minute in the second half of Texas’ Round of 64 win over Drexel, she played 34 minutes against the Crimson Tide.
Texas has also spent the past half-season trying to figure out its backcourt puzzle after Rori Harmon sustained a season-ending ACL tear. Forward Madison Booker has looked great as the team’s primary ball handler lately, as evidenced by her 21-point game against Alabama.
The Longhorns are the more talented team, but their lineup still has some question marks. With that in mind, we’re backing Gonzaga to keep the game close and cover the spread.
LSU Tigers (3) vs. UCLA Bruins (2)
Game Details
- Date: Saturday, March 30
- Time: 1 p.m. ET
- Location: MVP Arena (Albany, NY)
Odds Summary
- Moneyline: LSU -162, UCLA +132
- Spread: LSU -3.5 (-104), UCLA +3.5 (-118)
- Total: Over/Under 143.5 (-105/-115)
After two ugly games to start the tournament, the defending champion Tigers have their work cut out for them in their Sweet 16 matchup against the Bruins.
LSU opened the tournament with a 10-point win over Rice before starting slow against Middle Tennessee, going down nine points in the third quarter.
But then Angel Reese and Flau’jae Johnson took over to power the Tigers to a win. In the end, Johnson, Reese, Mikaylah Williams and Aneesah Morrow scored 76 of LSU’s 83 points.
After opening the season as an offensive juggernaut, UCLA improved defensively as the season progressed. The Bruins held Creighton to just 21 points on 9-of-28 shooting in the second half of their 67-63 win in the Round of 32. Kiki Rice led the way with 24 points, while Lauren Betts notched a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds.
This game has all the makings of an instant classic. Both teams are talented but flawed and feel like they have targets on their backs. The Tigers looked out of sorts until their stars took over, while UCLA is trying to get the most out of its offense.
This should be a low-scoring affair where every bucket matters, but we’re backing LSU to get the job done and cover the spread.
Colorado Buffaloes (5) vs. Iowa Hawkeyes (1)
Game Details
- Date: Saturday, March 30
- Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
- Location: MVP Arena (Albany, NY)
Odds Summary
- Moneyline: Colorado +250, Iowa -325
- Spread: Colorado +6.5 (-106), Iowa -6.5 (-114)
- Total: Over/Under 160.5 (-106/-114)
Caitlin Clark’s final run through the NCAA Tournament has reached the Sweet 16 after her Hawkeyes outlasted West Virginia in the Round of 32.
While Clark tallied 32 points in Iowa’s 64-54 win, the game was close until the Hawkeyes’ late 12-2 run highlighted by some clutch Clark free throws and a big three-point play from Sydney Affolter.
Now, Iowa will need to go through a physical Colorado team in the Sweet 16. The two teams faced off in the Sweet 16 last year, with the Hawkeyes winning 87-77 behind 31 points from Clark.
Not much has changed for the Buffaloes since then, as they still have a strong offense led by Quay Miller and Aaronette Vonleh alongside a tenacious defense.
How tenacious? Colorado didn’t score in the first six-plus minutes of the fourth quarter against Kansas State in the Round of 32 and still won by 13. Six Buffaloes scored at least nine points against the Wildcats, reflecting Colorado’s balanced offensive attack.
The Buffaloes should have some extra juice going against Iowa for a second straight year, but it’s tough to fade Clark and co. She’s doing everything right and has a strong supporting cast led by Affolter, Kate Martin and Hannah Stuelke, so back the Hawkeyes here.
Baylor Lady Bears (5) vs. USC Trojans (1)
Game Details
- Date: Saturday, March 30
- Time: 5:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Moda Center (Portland, OR)
Odds Summary
- Moneyline: Baylor +172, USC -215
- Spread: Baylor +2.5 (-106), USC -2.5 (-114)
- Total: Over/Under 133.5 (-112/-108)
One of the best parts of March Madness is seeing a player blossom into a star in front of your eyes. This tournament’s star-making turn has come from USC guard JuJu Watkins, who’s become a household name while also making USC women’s basketball relevant again.
Watkins is second in the nation in scoring (26.9 points per game) and is coming off a 28-point, 11-rebound performance against Kansas in the Round of 32. The Jayhawks cut the Trojans’ lead to one point midway through the third quarter, but Watkins went on a personal 5-0 run to help push USC ahead and into the Sweet 16.
The Lady Bears earned a 75-72 upset win over Virginia Tech in the Round of 32 behind a career-high 28 points from Jada Walker. Walker, a Kentucky transfer, scored 26 of her 28 points in the second half, including a clutch three-point play with 19.1 seconds left that gave Baylor a four-point lead.
As with Iowa, we’re riding with greatness here. Watkins has looked like a true star over the past month, transforming the Trojans into title contenders. The Lady Bears are good, but they needed every bit of their power to sneak past a Hokies team that was missing Elizabeth Kitley.
Watkins and USC should have no problem covering the spread here.
Duke Blue Devils (7) vs. UConn Huskies (1)
Game Details
- Date: Saturday, March 30
- Time: 8 p.m. ET
- Location: Moda Center (Portland, OR)
Odds Summary
- Moneyline: Duke +270, UConn -355
- Spread: Duke +8.5 (-110), UConn -8.5 (-110)
- Total: Over/Under 125.5 (-110/-110)
Duke advanced to the Sweet 16 with an improbable 75-63 upset win over Ohio State. Not only did the Blue Devils beat the Buckeyes on their home floor, but they also did so after trailing by as many as 16 points in the second quarter.
Reigan Richardson, who averages 11.9 points per game this season, erupted for 28 points in the win. It was Duke’s second straight come-from-behind win, as it also trailed by nine at halftime in the Round of 64 against Richmond.
After missing last year’s NCAA Tournament with a torn ACL, Paige Bueckers is back and making her presence known for UConn. She racked up 32 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in the Huskies’ 72-64 win over Syracuse in the Round of 32.
Bueckers missed a year and a half while recovering from her ACL injury, but she’s now averaging 30 points and 10 rebounds per game in the Huskies’ two NCAA Tournament games.
This game marks UConn’s 30th straight trip to the Sweet 16, so experience and history are on their side.
The Blue Devils are a great story, but it’s time to roll with the “Paige Buckets” and the Huskies. They should have no problem covering this spread.
Photo by Howard Lao/NCAA Photos via Getty Images
