Coach Jeff Walz and Louisville have a history of knocking out reigning national champions in the women's NCAA Tournament. They might have the opportunity to do it again, this time against LSU, led by coach Kim Mulkey and former Louisville standout Hailey Van Lith.
If both higher seeds win their games, Louisville would face defending champ LSU. Other potential second-round matchups include Ohio State facing Duke and West Virginia possibly playing against Iowa.
In a previous encounter, Louisville faced Baylor, coached by Mulkey, during her tenure at the school. Louisville managed to secure a narrow 82-81 victory, despite Baylor's dominance in the tournament. Mulkey's Baylor team was favored to win another title in 2013 but was upset by Louisville in the Sweet 16.
Van Lith, now with LSU, has been a key player for the team, averaging 12.3 points per game. She previously played for Louisville, where she averaged 15.4 points over three seasons.
Ohio State and Duke could potentially meet in the second round, with Ohio State's Celeste Taylor facing her former team. Taylor, now a standout player for Ohio State, previously played for Duke and Texas.
In another possible matchup, Iowa might face West Virginia. West Virginia's coach, Mark Kellogg, made headlines with comments about facing Iowa's Caitlin Clark. Kellogg clarified that his remarks were misconstrued and that the team is focused on their current opponent, Princeton.
These potential matchups add excitement to the NCAA Women's Tournament, offering fans intriguing storylines and competitive games. Follow the action on the AP March Madness bracket and coverage for the latest updates.
