Four upsets in one night? March was made for nights like Friday
— -- SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- We're certainly not going to suggest that the top-seeded Connecticut women needed any help in the way of upsets on their path to their projected 11th NCAA championship. But they have gotten it nonetheless.
On a wild Friday night, two No. 1 seeds -- Notre Dame and South Carolina -- were knocked out of the women's NCAA tournament. Monday, another team that was considered at least a potential threat to the Huskies -- No. 2 seed Maryland -- was eliminated in the second round.
Don't misunderstand: This is not meant to pour cold water on the upsets, because they are such a big part of what makes the NCAA tournament so dramatic. However, observers already were kind of grasping at straws as to who might stand in UConn's way, even a little bit.
Now, that grasping might have become all the more futile. Especially in regard to Notre Dame, which has lost to UConn the past three years at the Women's Final Four, but is the last team to beat the Huskies at that level. The Irish did it in the 2011 and 2012 NCAA semifinals. And their 10-point loss at UConn in early December -- without Brianna Turner, who was then injured -- was seen as evidence that if everything went right for the Irish in a rematch with the Huskies, they might win.
But that's not going to happen. Notre Dame had lost only that one game, to UConn, all this season. The Irish appeared to be a great pick to go to the Women's Final Four for the sixth year in a row. But No. 4 seed Stanford, which barely squeaked past South Dakota State in the second round, bounced the Irish 90-84 in the Lexington regional semifinals Friday.
That game came after No. 7 seed Washington upset No. 3 seed Kentucky 85-72 playing in front of a big hometown crowd cheering on the Wildcats. So instead of a No. 1 vs. No. 3 final in Lexington, it will be No. 4 vs. No. 7. And it's the same in Sioux Falls.
"I think that for years and years and years, we've kind of wanted this," Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer said. "I don't know that the Kentucky fans want this right now. But I think it points to more parity. I think it points to more quality players and programs, universities recognizing, 'Wow, women's basketball is a great thing' and supporting women's basketball at a higher level."
Well, actually, it wouldn't be the first time we've heard those sentiments over the years. Growth/parity in women's basketball hasn't moved on a linear line. Sometimes it has appeared to jump forward, only to fall back, then jump forward again. And it's kind of amusing that two of the "underdogs" we're talking about as winners Friday are women's hoops royalty in Tennessee and Stanford, which just happen to be seeded lower this year than usual.
Still, there was a feeling of exhilaration Friday if you enjoy seeing the unexpected. Like Notre Dame, South Carolina had lost only once this season: to UConn. But also like the Irish, the Gamecocks were not at their best in the Sweet 16, and it cost them.
South Carolina fell 80-72 to No. 4 seed Syracuse in the Sioux Falls regional. The Orange said after that game that getting to the ACC tournament final -- where they lost 68-57 to Notre Dame -- was a big confidence boost in them believing they could go far in the NCAA tournament.
But further than Notre Dame? Was anyone expecting that? No, but that's what has happened. Syracuse played in its very first Sweet 16 game Friday, and now will be in its first Elite Eight on Sunday. There, the Orange will play eight-time NCAA champion Tennessee, which seems an imposter now as a No. 7 seed.
Remember when it appeared the Lady Vols might not even make the NCAA tournament? They are a victory away from the program's 19th Women's Final Four, which would be the first since Tennessee won its most recent NCAA title in 2008. This is the Lady Vols' 28th appearance in the Elite Eight.
"Look, I understand the pressures of Notre Dame and South Carolina," Tennessee coach Holly Warlick said after her team's 78-62 victory over No. 3 seed Ohio State in Sioux Falls. "We've been there. You're supposed to win.
"Kids come to Tennessee because of our tradition, but they have to make their own legacy. We talked a lot about not focusing on the past or what's ahead of us, just stay in the moment. I think that's what they've done."
UConn, which is going for its fourth consecutive national championship, has been amazingly good at staying in the moment, regardless of the competitiveness of the Huskies' opponents. That's another thing that doesn't bode well for those rooting for the Huskies to be upset: They don't look past anyone, even teams they are almost certain to dominate. They just don't have those games where they underperform or get blindsided.
Admittedly, the Huskies still have to get through their regional in Bridgeport, but they are expected to do that. Mississippi State is their Sweet 16 opponent on Saturday (ESPN, 11:30 a.m. ET), and it's hard to see the Bulldogs being able to keep up with the Huskies.
Meanwhile, though, there is still another No. 1 seed left besides UConn, and that's Baylor, which perhaps has been under the radar all season and now moves more into the spotlight.
The Lady Bears face No. 5 seed Florida State in the Dallas regional semifinals on Saturday (ESPN, 4 p.m. ET). And if Baylor wasn't already going to be ready for giving a peak performance in that game, seeing two No. 1s go down Friday should have its attention, big time.
Will any of what has gone on so far -- and still might -- change the projected final outcome on April 5 of UConn cutting down the nets? Probably not. Again, if anything, it seems to have made it more inevitable.
That said, there was something special about what happened Friday, because it was a reminder that all it takes is 40 minutes to undo all the buildup that teams like Notre Dame and South Carolina have had for months now.
Tennessee senior Bashaara Graves said the Lady Vols were surprised to see their fellow SEC school, South Carolina, lose in the first game Friday in Sioux Falls. But ...
"Hey, it's March Madness," she said. "Sometimes this stuff happens."
Related Stories
ABC News Live