Women's March Madness bracket has 6 newcomers. Can they pull off first-round upsets?
Women's March Madness delivers unforgettable and jaw-dropping moments every year, especially for teams making history with their first appearances. These programs, fueled by years of growth and heartbreak, are ready to seize their moment on the NCAA Tournament stage.
Potential Cinderella teams lurk, eager to defy the odds and bust brackets with stunning upsets. So here are teams soaking in their first taste of the March Madness bracket and the underdogs poised to capture the hearts of fans everywhere.
Grand Canyon women's basketball, No. 13 seed
The Lopes (32-2), who face No. 4 seed Baylor in the first round, hold the longest winning streak in the country, winners of 30 consecutive games including a 65-62 rally over UT Arlington in the Western Athletic Conference championship game. Key contributor: Senior guard Trinity San Antonio leads the team offensively averaging 15.7 points and 5.5 assists. Senior guard Tierra Brown averages 2.7 steals and 1.3 blocks.
Arkansas State women's basketball, No. 15 seed
The Red Wolves (21-10) needed overtime to secure their first trip to the tournament in an 86-79 victory over James Madison, claiming the Sun Belt title. They'll play Paige Bueckers and No. 2 UConn in the first round. Key Contributor: Junior Zyion Shannon leads the squad with 11 points and two steals per game.
George Mason women's basketball, No. 11 seed
The Patriots (27-5) are dancing after finding a way to defeat Saint Joseph's 73-58 in the A-10 championship game after losing the two regular-season matchups, and will play No. 6 seed Florida State in the first round. Key contributor: Junior forward Zahirah Walton leads the team averaging 15.1 points and 1.7 steals per game.
William & Mary women's basketball
The Tribe (15-18) is the only team to enter the tournament with a record below .500, but they defeated Campbell 66-63 to win the Coastal Athletic Association. Key contributor: Senior guard Bella Nascimento scored 33 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in the championship game. Nascimento leads the team in points (15.8) and steals (1.7). The Tribe face No. 16 High Point in one of the First Four games.
Fairleigh Dickinson women's basketball, No. 15 seed
The Knights (29-3) claimed the Northeast Conference championship Sunday afternoon in a 66-49 victory over Stonehill. The team enters its first tournament on a 22-game win streak and will open against No. 2 seed TCU. Key contributor: Tenesia Brown had a career high 34 points in the championship game and leads the team with 14.4 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game.
UC San Diego women's basketball
The Tritons (20-15) head to the big dance after winning six of their past eight games and securing the Big West title with a 75-66 victory over UC Davis. Key contributor: Sophomore guard Sumayah Sugapong leads the team with 14.7 points, 3.6 assists and 2.5 steals per game. UC San Diego faces Southern in a First Four matchup. The winner goes on to face No. 1 UCLA.
Women's NCAA Tournament upset picks, Cinderellas
No. 13 Liberty Flames
The Flames, who open the tournament against No. 4 Kentucky, are riding a 10-game win streak that includes a Conference USA title victory over Middle Tennessee State. Liberty's notable losses include No. 7 Duke, No. 20 Tennessee and Grand Canyon.
Everything goes through 6-foot-6 center Bella Smuda, who leads the team in points (11.8), rebounds (6.7), steals (0.9) and blocks (1.9). If the senior can dominate in the paint while efficiently finding reliable shooters on the perimeter when facing inevitable double-teams, Liberty could be a bracket buster.
No. 11 Iowa State Cyclones
It feels a bit surprising to see the Cyclones here, but after the loss to Baylor in the quarterfinal of the Big 12 tournament, they ended up receiving an No. 11 seed. They will play Princeton in a First Four game for the right to play Michigan in the first round.
Iowa State (22-11) led the Big 12 in offense averaging 77.9 points per game. Sophomore center Audi Crooks led the squad with 23.2 points, 7.6 rebounds and a block per game. Forward Addy Brown poured in 15.2 points per game and 7.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists.
No. 9 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
The Yellow Jackets are a No. 9 seed despite dropping five of their past six games. The team defeated three ranked opponents (Oregon, North Carolina and Nebraska) this season, and open March Madness against No. 8 Richmond. Junior Kara Dunn leads the team with an average of 15.8 points and 5.9 rebounds per game.
No. 12 Green Bay Phoenix
The Phoenix are on a 22-game win streak after locking down a Horizon tournament championship win over Purdue Fort Wayne, and face No. 5 Alabama to open March Madness. Senior guard Natalie McNeal leads the team with an average of 14.9 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.
No. 10 Harvard Crimson
The Crimson, who play No. 7 Michigan in their tournament opener, are riding high after going 24-4 this season and winning the Ivy League tournament, 74-71, over Columbia. Conference player of the year, Harmoni Turner leads the team in nearly every stat: 22.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.8 steals.
No. 13 Montana State Bobcats
The Bobcats finished the season with 30 wins and a Big Sky championship, and face No. 4 Ohio State in the first round. Senior Esmeralda Morales can catch fire averaging 15.3 points and 3.7 assists. Montana State faces No. 4 Ohio State.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Women's March Madness upset picks: Bracket busters to know
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