College Hoops Highlights: Senior Watch, Greensboro Region
With the WNBA Draft just three weeks away, we’re locked into the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament with eyes focused on seniors that are making the most of their last dance.
Here’s a deeper look at the Greensboro Region.
South Carolina
On Saturday, Dawn Staley’s South Carolina Gamecocks will have another opportunity to venture into uncharted territory and reach new heights – something this team has become accustomed to over the course of the season. In their second consecutive Sweet Sixteen appearance, the Gamecocks will be matched up against regional rival, North Carolina, a team that knows a thing or two about winning in the postseason. In order to advance to the next round and garner the program’s first ever Elite Eight berth, Staley will need will need to call upon the steady leadership of her seniors Aleighsa Welch and Elem Ibiam to lead the way for a very young, but talented Gamecock team. The impressive combination of skill, will, and personality that is Welch has been the motor behind the success of the Gamecocks this season. Welch is coming off a 13-point, 12-rebound performance against Syracuse on Sunday. Fellow senior Ibiam has been floating under the radar as a consistent presence in the paint. The Gamecocks will look for them both to lead the way against the Tarheels on Saturday.
North Carolina
The North Carolina Tar Heels are back at it again this season. They will return to the Sweet Sixteen for the 15th time in program history. The Tarheels are coming off a thrilling victory over Ohio State that was highlighted by freshman Jamie Cherry’s dramatic buzzer beater to give her team the 86-84 win. Entering Saturday’s showdown with South Carolina, the Tar Heels will rely upon leading scorer, Stephanie Mavunga, who had a career-high 27 points and 14 rebounds in the last outing. However, North Carolina’s senior guards Brittany Rountree and Latifah Coleman are playing with an extra sense of urgency in their final NCAA tournament run. Rountree and Coleman’s efforts were significant in UNC’s win over Ohio State, chipping in a combined 21 points.
Arizona State
The Sun Devils mounted a fierce comeback in their second round match up against Arkansas Little-Rock to take the 57-54 victory on Monday. Promise Amukamara is a name you will need to know in this matchup. The Pac-12 All-Defensive Team selection can get it done on both ends of the floor. The senior guard had 17 points in four rebounds in her last outing and was critical to helping her team advance to the round of sixteen for the first time since 2007.
Florida State
For having started the regular season unranked, the Florida State Seminoles have made up a lot ground and now how everyone’s full attention. Much of the Seminoles’ success can be attributed to the play of Junior post player Adut Bulgak, and the rise of guard Leticia Romeo. The Seminoles boast a talented and deep roster that allows them to achieve a balanced scoring attack. On the wing, look out senior guard Maegan Conwright, who didn’t have one of her finer performances in the match up against FGCU, but prior to that rattled off five straight double figure scoring games .