NCAA Women's Basketball Bracket 2023: Selection Show TV, Live-Stream Schedule
If South Carolina hasn't achieved dynasty status already, it might this spring.
The Gamecocks lifted their second-ever national title last season, and they head into the 2023 NCAA women's basketball tournament as the clear favorites once again. They ran the table in the regular season, going 29-0, before taking down Tennessee in the SEC championship game.
The identity of the No. 1 overall seed for this year's bracket is clear. The rest of the field will be revealed Sunday night on ESPN.
Date: Sunday, March 12
Start Time: 8 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Live Stream: Watch ESPN
Make Your Picks: Play the NCAA March Madness Women's Bracket Challenge.
It's tough to see South Carolina slipping up between now and the Final Four.
Dawn Staley's squad earned victories over Stanford, Connecticut, LSU, Maryland and UCLA during the regular season. Per Her Hoop Stats, the Gamecocks rank first in both offensive rating (121.2) and defensive rating (66.8).
Aliyah Boston remains a force of nature on both ends of the court. Brea Beal is an elite defender. And Zia Cooke has stepped up to help fill the void left by Destanni Henderson's graduation last year.
There used to be an aura of inevitability around Tennessee during the height of the Pat Summitt era. No matter the year, you could pencil the Vols into the national semifinals at a minimum.
That crown shifted to UConn as the Huskies overtook Tennessee as the pre-eminent power in women's basketball. They've captured 11 national championships since Geno Auriemma took over.
Now, South Carolina has become the same kind of unstoppable machine with Staley at the helm.
Even if the tournament ends in predictable fashion, the event won't be lacking in storylines and drama.
Kim Mulkey made an immediate impact at LSU, guiding the Tigers to a 26-6 record and their first NCAA tournament bid since 2017. Landing Angel Reese through the transfer portal has helped Mulkey assemble a Final Four-caliber squad in Baton Rouge.
Depending on how the bracket shakes out, this could be a banner year for the Big Ten. The conference could have multiple representatives in Dallas for the Final Four.
Caitlin Clark is arguably the most electric player in the country. The Iowa guard will look to emulate fellow Hawkeyes legend Megan Gustafson and guide the team to a deep run in March.
Indiana has never advanced further than the Elite Eight, making its first appearance in the regional final in 2021. A first-ever trip to the Final Four could be in store for the Hoosiers.
Virginia Tech is in a similar position, as 2022-23 is poised to be the best season in program history. The Hokies have never been seeded higher than fifth in the NCAA tournament, and they should comfortably surpass that when the field is unveiled.
Even UConn is a bit of an underdog relative to its usual expectations in March.
The Huskies saw its season get derailed before play even began when Paige Bueckers suffered a torn ACL. Despite injuries to other key players, they've maintained a top-10 standing all year.
The 2023 NCAA tournament will tip off Wednesday with the First Four round. The first round proper will get underway Friday.
