On the list of Women’s March Madness players to watch, there are almost too many to count as we head into the greatest annual college basketball tournament.
Add to the high level of parity in terms of teams—there are no clear favorites to win this year’s tournament – and you’ve got so much to choose from.
Let’s dive in like it’s a loose ball and see who’s set to steal the spotlight in NCAA Women’s March Madness…
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#10 – Georgia Amoore, Kentucky
Talk about consistency. After transferring from Virginia Tech, the Kentucky newcomer seamlessly integrated into the team, scoring 10+ points in every game this season except one. How does the song go? When the pass hits you in stride every time, that’s Amoore? She led the SEC in assists per game, dishing out just under 7 per game, and is on pace to break the single-season record at Kentucky for dimes.
#9 – Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt
With an impressive 23.3 points per game this season, Blakes is poised to shine as one of the top players to watch in Women’s March Madness. The freshman shooting guard stormed into the NCAA in her first year with an incredible performance, including two games with over 50 points. She is a finalist for the award given to the top shooting guard in the nation and is looking to put the Commodores on her back in her first March Madness appearance.
#8 – Aneesah Morrow, LSU
Dominating the boards all year, Morrow should help the Tigers advance in the NCAA Women’s bracket for March Madness. She is a semi-finalist for the Defensive Player of the Year award, and on top of all the rebounds she’s racked up this season (with a league-leading 14 per game), Morrow has the most doubles in the league. She’s second on the team to Flau’Jae Johnson. Morrow has helped LSU quickly recover from the loss of Angel Reese to the WNBA, and she might even eventually surpass Reese in the pros. But first, March Madness.
#7 – Olivia Miles, Notre Dame
While her flashier backcourt teammate can be found later in this list of the Women’s March Madness players to watch, Miles can carry the Irish on her own if needed. She bounced back from missing the entire previous season with a triple-double in her first game back in November. She’s a rare talent with 3 triple-doubles this season, the highest total in the country, and she leads the ACC with 5.9 APG.
#6 – Lauren Betts, UCLA
With the Bruins ranked near the top of the Women’s NCAA basketball standings all season, they’re primed to roar when March Madness arrives. Betts is at the top of the list of a deep UCLA roster, and her dominance at center, earned her the Defensive Player of the Year in the Big Ten. At 6’7”, Betts stands out every night, and her shot-blocking skills can turn any game around in a hurry.
#5 – Madison Booker, Texas
The Longhorns are ranked 5th in the national AP rankings for women’s college hoops heading into March Madness, and Booker is a top reason why. The ‘Horns reeled off 6 straight wins against ranked opponents recently, with Booker hitting over 40% of her 3-point attempts and scoring 16 points per game, including an incredible 18 of Texas’ 29 points in the first half earlier this month in a crucial game against LSU. If she can carry the team again in the tournament, book her for a Final Four ticket.
#4 – Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame
The dame of Notre Dame this season, Hidalgo was the 3rd-highest scorer in the entire country this season, dropping over 24 points per game – including a massive 34-point game against a tough Louisville team just last month. She’s a dual threat too, torching opponents on defense with 3.7 steals per game. She was named the ACC’s Defensive Player of the Year and Player of the Year for good measure.
#3 – Flau’Jae Johnson, LSU
Speaking of players to watch for the women’s March Madness, there will definitely be eyes on the Flau’Jae Johnson. With 2 million Instagram followers, the crossover rapper/ basketball star has a mean crossover herself. She’s used it to average 19 points and close to 6 rebounds per game, all while dropping hit songs like “Big 4”. If she recovers from a recent injury in time to suit up for the tournament, Johnson might help take her team to a big Final Four too.
#2 – Juju Watkins, USC
Some crazy numbers for a player who’s only in her second season of women’s college hoops: Watkins averaged more than 24 points per game this season, to go along with nearly 7 rebounds per game. She also led the top-ranked (in the Big Ten, that is) Trojans to a great run of eight consecutive wins over ranked opponents, taking down giants like UConn and UCLA in the process.
For betting fans, this is a good look – when a team hits the pressure cooker of March Madness, it’s important to know they’ve handled themselves against the NCAA’s best basketball teams.
#1 – Paige Bueckers, UConn
There are just so many reasons why Paige Bueckers is at the top of the list for the Women’s March Madness players to watch.
The fifth-year senior is playing in her final tournament; she’s won the Naismith award for the top women’s college basketball player, had a devastating knee injury and a heroic comeback, and on and on. The expected number one pick in this summer’s WNBA draft, Bueckers has had a stellar final year so far – averaging 18.6 ppg and 5 assists per game – and she’ll be looking to go all out in her final NCAA women’s tournament.
Oh, and btw, UConn is on a 10-game win streak heading into March Madness, so there’s an entire team that is pushing for the national championship and for Bueckers to go out on top.
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The opening game for Women’s March Madness tips off on March 19th with the First Four, followed by the First Round on March 21st, and then it’s all ball until the Final Four weekend and the National Championship game. These top players, like Bovada, are ready for everything.
Want more? Check out the ‘Top 10 Male Players to Watch in March Madness‘ right here!