Miami Hurricanes guard Haley Cavinder. William Howard-USA TODAY Sports

Upsets make women's NCAA Tournament even more appealing

By Alex Lang | Last updated 3/21/23

The 2023 women’s NCAA Tournament is sizzling like the men’s – and it’s all because of upsets.

For decades, the women's tournament seemed like only a showcase for the powerhouses because of a huge disparity of talent. From 1987-2016, Connecticut (11) and Tennessee (eight) won a combined 19 titles and were light years ahead of their competition.

More recently, top seeds almost always made it to at least the Sweet 16. But that's changing, and it's great for the game.

In the 2023 tournament, No. 1 seeds Stanford and Indiana failed to make it to the second weekend. The upsets eliminated talented teams but gave fans another reason to watch.

“The upset of the tournament -- perhaps the upset of the last 12 NCAA tournaments -- belongs to [Mississippi]. Their elimination of Stanford on Sunday marked the first time a No. 1 seed didn't reach the Sweet 16 since 2009,” ESPN noted in a recent re-seeding of the women’s Sweet 16.

Basketball Hall of Famer Magic Johnson spotlighted the women's tournament in a tweet.

Both the Men’s and Women’s NCAA Tournaments have been amazing, outstanding, & really entertaining! We’ve seen so many upsets on both sides! I just watched Miami take down #1 seed Indiana in a thriller. Destiny Harden hit a last second game-winning shot in the @CanesWBB 70-68 win!
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) March 21, 2023

In 2021, the lowest seed to make a Sweet 16 was a No. 6. In 2018, all four No. 1 seeds made the Final Four.

Last year, all four No. 1 seeds made it out of the first weekend, though the tournament had two No. 10 seeds make the Sweet 16. In 2023, two nine-seeds (Miami and South Dakota State) have advanced, and in the Seattle 4 region, Iowa was the only top seed to make the Sweet 16.

It’s likely the best remaining teams will still make a Final Four, but new blood and unexpected runs draw welcome attention to the sport.

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