The second day of women’s Sweet 16 action in the 2022 NCAA Tournament tips off this Saturday featuring eight teams who are eager for a chance at the Elite Eight.
Let’s take a look at each of those teams and the odds for Saturday’s matchups.
No. 1 NC State vs. No. 5 Notre Dame
No. 1 North Carolina State took down Kansas State 89-57 in the second round last week. Now, the lady Wolfpack takes on No. 5 Notre Dame. This will be NC State’s fourth consecutive Sweet 16 appearance, though they haven’t advanced to the Elite Eight since 1998.
The Wolfpack boasts an average 77.2 points per game, giving away 62.1 PPG. The Fighting Irish, on the other hand, average 74.6 PPG while giving away 63.2.
BetMGM favors NC State by an 8.5-point spread in this matchup, expecting the game to be a high-energy back-and-forth with an over/under of 139.5 points.
Action tips off this Saturday at 11:30 a.m. on ESPN.
No. 2 UConn vs. No. 3 Indiana
The University of Connecticut became 1st in the Big East this season by averaging 74.3 points while giving away only 53.4 per game.
The Huskies’ lead scorer, Christyn Williams, averages 14.5 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd will also be major players in the scoring department, with their 13.7 and 12.4 points respectively. Meanwhile Olivia Nelson-Ododa will be a major component of the team’s defense, with her team-leading 7.3 rebounds per game.
Indiana, on the other hand, will be hard-pressed to surpass UConn while they’re averaging 71.7 points per game and giving away 61.3. Grace Berger leads the team with her 16.3 PPG average. Mackenzie Holmes leads in rebounds, boasting a 7.0 average alongside her second-best 15.4 PPG.
Connecticut sits at a moneyline of -375 odds. Meanwhile, BetMGM positions Indiana as a slightly bigger underdog than Notre Dame, giving them +300 odds of a win. The
Oddsmakers predict this to be a relatively low-scoring matchup, setting the over/under at 126.5 points. They don’t expect it to be a close game, however, setting the spread between the two teams at 8.5 points.
Lock in your wagers for the Huskies and Hoosiers, then catch this game live at 2 p.m. on ESPN this Saturday.
No. 1 Louisville vs. No. 4 Tennessee
Switch over to ESPN2 at 4 p.m. for a matchup between powerhouses No. 1 Louisville and No. 4 Tennessee.
Louisville defeated No. 16 University of Albany in the first round, then returned in the second to beat No. 9 Gonzaga. In the latter, leading scorer Hailey Van Lith contributed with 21 points and six rebounds. In total, four players scored in the double digits that game. Forward Emily Engstler logged a substantial 12 points and 11 rebounds.
The Cardinals average 72.4 points per game while only allowing 55 points from opponents.
The Lady Vols trail close behind the Cardinals’ average with 70.2 PPG and 60.6 points allowed. Lead scorer Jordan Horston remains sidelined after dislocating her elbow in mid-February. In her absence, Tamari Key and Alexus Dye have become the team’s primary point contributors. Dye logged a team-high 20 points it their last game against Belmont.
Freshman Sara Puckett will likely also play a major role in this upcoming game. Her 24 minutes played against Belmont resulted in 12 points for the team — the final three of which became the game’s deciding score.
DraftKings favors Louisville with -305 odds, while Tennessee enters this matchup as an underdog with a +180 moneyline. The spread has grown wider in recent days, settling at 7 points ahead of the game.
BetMGM sets the over/under at 131.5 points, suggesting that each of these high-scoring teams may see some pushback from each other defensively.
No. 3 Michigan vs. No. 10 South Dakota
Saturday’s final game features the lowest predicted total of any of the day’s matchups, with an over/under of 124.5 points. No. 3 Michigan averages 73.1 PPG while giving away 61.1. Meanwhile, South Dakota averages 69.8 points while forfeiting only 53.3 points on average.
Expect this one to turn into a low-scoring defensive battle as these girls fight for their change at an Elite Eight visit.
BetMGM favors Michigan at -200 odds, while South Dakota trails close behind with +165 odds and a spread of +4.5 points.
Chloe Lamb leads South Dakota with 16.1 average PPG, and teammate Hannah Sjerven follows with 15 PPG and a team-leading 7.7 rebounds per game.
Tune into this faceoff at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN2.
