Women’s NCAA Tournament Sweet 16: Top Five Players to Watch

Full of star power, thrillers and flat-out guts, the women’s NCAA Tournament has been one to watch so far.

Down to the Sweet 16, here are five key players who have dominated March Madness and led their teams even closer to the coveted Final Four.

Mikayla Blakes

Arguably the best player in all of women’s college basketball right now, Mikayla Blakes has not slowed down during tournament time. She has been Vanderbilt’s biggest asset this season, scoring no less than 14 points in every contest, and reaching a high of 38 against Mississippi State in mid January.

The sophomore guard averages 27 points, four rebounds and 4.6 assists per game, and March Madness has been the same story. The Somerset, New Jersey, native dropped 30 points in the Commodores’ first tournament matchup against High Point. She then logged a 25-point, 10-rebound double-double against No. 7 Illinois in the Round of 32.

She has been explosive on both sides of the ball as well. While leading the team offensively, she also averages 2.9 steals per game, which ranks first on the Commodores’ squad.

She will look to continue her dominance as Vanderbilt faces No. 6 Notre Dame next on Friday at 2:30.

Hannah Hidalgo

Also playing a key role in that matchup is Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo.

Hidalgo averages 25.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game. While those numbers are incredibly impressive, her real differentiator is her defense. The junior guard averages an NCAA-best 5.6 steals per game.

She has proved a major threat to every offense she’s come across, recording a steal in every game this season. The Merchantville, New Jersey, native has emerged as one of the most elite defenders in all of women’s college basketball, logging as many as 16 steals in one outing against Akron in the third game of the season.

In the tournament, she has not let up. In the Round of 64 against Fairfield, she posted 23 points, nine rebounds, six assists and eight steals, contributing to Notre Dame’s efforts in every way possible. In the second round, she recorded a 26-point, 13-rebound double-double and added eight steals against No. 3 Ohio State.

The Fighting Irish will depend on her as they look to extend their season as long as possible.

Kymora Johnson

No. 10 Virginia is the lowest-seeded team remaining in March Madness, and much of that is due to the efforts of Kymora Johnson. The junior guard has put on a show so far in the tournament, dropping 28 points in both of Virginia’s matchups in weekend one.

Against No. 7 Georgia on Saturday, she went 5-for-10 from deep, making up over half her total points from beyond the arc. On the season, she averages 19.5 points, 4.5 boards and 5.8 assists per game.

She also averages the seventh-most minutes in the women’s hoops, playing 37.1 minutes per contest. In both overtime thrillers UVA faced in the first two rounds, she pulled through and has captained her team on to the Sweet 16. Johnson is the only Cavalier averaging in double figures, and she also leads the team in assists and rebounds.

Virginia will take on No. 3 TCU for the Sweet 16 on Saturday, looking for the upset.

Madison Booker

March Madness is the time to be your best, and that has certainly been the case for Madison Booker. The Longhorn put on a show on Sunday, dropping a career-high 40 points on the No. 8 Oregon Ducks in the Round of 32. She also added eight rebounds and five assists to her stat line.

The junior forward went an impressive 14-for-21 from the field in the 100-58 blowout at Moody Center.

No. 1 Texas has been a solid team all season, despite facing tough competition consistently in the SEC. Booker has been at the forefront of that success, scoring in double figures in every game this season except two and averaging 19.3 points per game. She also spearheads the team’s efforts on the glass, averaging 6.7 boards per contest.

Her consistency will be crucial yet again as Texas faces No. 5 Kentucky on Saturday, hoping to avoid being the first No. 1 seed to go down.

Sarah Strong

Playing at perhaps the most well-known school for women’s basketball in the country, Sarah Strong has quickly made a name for herself.

With the Huskies, the sophomore forward has had a stellar season, averaging 18.4 points, 7.5 boards and 4.1 assists per game. Strong also shoots a 13th-best in the NCAA, 60% from the field.

Strong, alongside powerhouse senior guard Azzi Fudd, has led No. 1 UConn to immense success so far this season. Behind them, the Huskies remain undefeated.

Strong has put up 18 points in both contests, and she had a near double-double on Monday against No. 9 Syracuse with nine rebounds. She is undoubtedly the piece that the Huskies are relying on, and she has been nothing but fun to watch all season.

Connecticut takes on No. 4 North Carolina on Friday and looks to remain undefeated on the season.

Category: College Basketball, Gators Women's Basketball, Women's College Basketball