Upsets are intrinsic to March, and this season there are four teams in the women's NCAA tournament ready to go on a run. Last season's rendition saw a record seven upsets with a No. 10 season reaching the Elite Eight, and this year's tournament could follow suit.
Here are four teams on first-round upset watch:
1. No. 11 UNLV
- No. 11 UNLV vs. No. 6 Michigan | 3 p.m. ET Friday | ESPNU
UNLV hasn’t tasted defeat since Dec. 18. That marks 22 straight wins, including 18-0 in the Mountain West, making the Lady Rebels a prime candidate to pull off an upset.
First, UNLV will face No. 6 Michigan in the first round. The Wolverines have struggled down the stretch by losing four of their last six.
Desi-Rae Young paces UNLV with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Essence Booker (13.2 ppg, four assists) and Nneka Obiazor (12.4 ppg, 6.5 rebounds) also average double digits.
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2. No. 12 FGCU
- No. 12 Florida Gulf Coast vs. No. 5 Washington State | 2:30 p.m. ET Saturday | ESPNU
There are two teams on the bracket with 32 wins — South Carolina (32-0) and FGCU (32-3).
The Eagles aren’t new to upsets, either. Last year they took down fifth-seeded Virginia as a No. 12 seed despite a 42-point performance from Hokies star Elizabeth Kitley.
The Eagles have a seasoned team led by senior Tishara Morehouse (15.9 ppg, 4.6 assists). They’ll face No. 5 Washington State in the first round, but the Pac-12 tournament champions Cougars pose a challenge as well.
3. No. 11 Mississippi State
- No. 11 Mississippi State vs. No. 6 Creighton | 6 p.m. ET Friday | ESPNews
Mississippi State is back in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2019 and ready for an upset.
The Bulldogs blew through the First Four against Illinois 70-56. Next, they’ll face No. 6 Creighton in the tournament.
Mississippi State runs off a tough defense that forced undefeated South Carolina to work for one of its only single-digit wins. Jessika Carter tops Mississippi State in scoring and rebounding; and she did just that in the First Four with a 22-point, 9-rebound performance.
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4. No. 11 Middle Tennessee
- No. 11 Middle Tennessee vs. No. 6 Colorado | 7 p.m. ET, Saturday | ESPNews
Middle Tennessee has emerged as a team to watch by cracking the AP top 25 multiple times this season. Now the Blue Raiders have a chance to continue that in the NCAA tournament.
The Blue Raiders are on a 10-game winning streak. In the first round, they match up against No. 6 Colorado who had a rough end to the season. The Buffaloes lost three out of its last five outings culminating with an early exit in the Pac-12 tournament.
Middle Tennessee is a deep team led by Kseniya Malashka (15.2 ppg, 5.9 rebounds) — who comes off the bench. Savannah Wheeler follows closely behind with 15.1 points and three assists.
