While none of the regional schools' women's programs made the NCAA Tournament this season, there's still one big reason for those in the Inland Northwest to get hyped for the Women's Tourney: The Spokane Regionals taking place next weekend will send two teams to the Final Four. Two Sweet 16 games apiece will take place on Friday and Saturday, March 28 and 29, while Elite Eight showdowns will tipoff on Sunday and Monday, March 30 and 31.
To say the Spokane Regionals are filled with talent would be an understatement as four of the top five players in the country might be suiting up in Spokane: USC guard JuJu Watkins, UConn guard Paige Bueckers, UCLA center Lauren Betts and LSU forward Aneesah Morrow.
The big-time teams in play include overall No. 1 seed UCLA, their fierce rival and fellow 1-seed USC (who beat the Bruins two out of three matchups this year), perennial juggernaut 2-seed UConn (who could face USC in the Elite Eight; the last time they played it was the highest-rated women's game of the year), the women's game top villain (coach Kim Mulkey) and her 3-seed LSU squad, and contenders like 2-seed NC State and 4-seed Baylor and Kentucky.
There will also be community events tangential to the Women's Tournament, including Spokane Sports Fan Fest Block Party at Riverfront Park's Butterfly on Saturday, March 29 (noon-5pm) and the Beyond the Baseline Women's Panel at Montvale Event Center on Tuesday, March 25 at 5:30 pm. (SETH SOMMERFELD)
