There are plenty of changes to the NCAA Women's Tournament this year. For starters, they're moving the first day from Saturday to Friday. All in preparation for two years from now, when the Final Four moves back to Friday-Sunday like it should be instead of the ridiculous Sunday-Tuesday it's been for the past few years.
They've also done away with predetermined first- and second-round sites. Over the past few years, there have been too many instances of a higher seed playing a road game in the NCAA Tournament, and they've also been limited as to where in the bracket they could put certain teams because they were hosting. Worst yet, if a team was hosting but didn't get in, there goes the attendance. So now the top 16 seeds host, providing they're able, which will help attendance in all rounds and give the 16 best teams an advantage they deserve.
The NCAA announced the top teams a few weeks ago, giving us some idea of who might end up hosting. That doesn't mean the list is limited to those teams, but it made the picture a little clearer, and it'd be very surprising to see someone else be selected as a host. The only exception to that rule is Princeton. The undefeated Tigers are looking at a No. 5 or No. 6 seed, but were smart enough to put in to host. And since Louisville will probably get a top four seed, but is hosting the men's tournament and, therefore, can't host the women's, I think we're going to end up seeing NCAA Tournament games in Princeton, New Jersey (which is weird, since the NCAA made this big point of taking NCAA events away from New Jersey since they legalized sports gambling).
Anyway, the top four overall seeds in the Tournament seem to be pretty clear, and I doubt they'll change. UConn is the best team in the nation, and the defending champions will be the No. 1 overall seed. While I don't think South Carolina is as good as their ranking, they're still a solid 1-seed, as is Tennessee, which I think is the second-best team in the nation. The fourth 1-seed is a little more up for grabs, but it should go to Notre Dame. We won't get a National Championship Game rematch, though. Because I've got UConn and Notre Dame matched up in the Final Four.
Other than UConn going to Albany, the regional hosting gets a little wacky. Someone has to go out west, and since Notre Dame's the lowest 1-seed, they get sent to Spokane. And I've got South Carolina with the No. 2 overall, so they get Greensboro and Tennessee goes to Oklahoma City. The interesting part is that I've got 2-seeds that are closer geographically than the 1-seeds in those two regions. Let's take a look at what I'm talking about...
ALBANY
Storrs, CT: (16) Norfolk State at (1) Connecticut, (8) Pittsburgh vs. (9) Northwestern
Lexington, KY: (13) Drake at (4) Kentucky, (5) North Carolina vs. (12) Quinnipiac
Iowa City, IA: (14) James Madison at (3) Iowa, (6) Mississippi State vs. (11) Texas
Tallahassee, FL: (15) Central Connecticut at (2) Florida State, (7) DePaul vs. (10) Middle Tennessee
SPOKANE
Notre Dame, IN: (16) Southern at (1) Notre Dame, (8) Dayton vs. (9) Ohio State
Stanford, CA: (13) Fresno State at (4) Stanford, (5) Texas A&M vs. (12) Gonzaga
Stillwater, OK: (14) Stephen F. Austin at (3) Oklahoma State, (6) Syracuse vs. (11) St. John's
Corvallis, OR: (15) Montana at (2) Oregon State, (7) Minnesota vs. (10) Tulane
GREENSBORO
Columbia, SC: (16) Tennessee-Martin at (1) South Carolina, (8) Florida Gulf Coast vs. (9) Oklahoma
Durham, NC: (13) Ohio at (4) Duke, (5) George Washington vs. (12) Green Bay
Princeton, NJ: (3) Louisville vs. (14) Troy, (11) LSU at (6) Princeton
College Park, MD: (15) Army at (2) Maryland, (7) Seton Hall vs. (10) Georgia
OKLAHOMA CITY
Knoxville, TN: (16) Liberty at (1) Tennessee, (8) Chattanooga vs. (9) Nebraska
Berkeley, CA: (13) South Dakota State at (4) California, (5) Rutgers vs. (12) New Mexico
Tempe, AZ: (14) Hawaii at (3) Arizona State, (6) South Florida vs. (11) Iowa State
Waco, TX: (15) Albany at (2) Baylor, (7) Washington vs. (10) Miami
Conference Breakdown: ACC (8), Big Ten (7), SEC (7), Big 12 (5), Pac-12 (5), American (3), Big East (3), Atlantic 10 (2)
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