Sure, No Caitlin Clark Is A Bummer; But Here Are 5 Reasons To Be A Fan Of The Women's Tournament Again
What a difference a year makes.
Last year at this time, OutKick had as much, if not more, coverage of the NCAA women’s tournament as the men’s tournament.
I kid you not.
Iowa's Caitlin Clark was a mega star at Iowa and made the NCAA women's tournament must-see TV last season. (Credit: Getty Images)
Remember, Caitlin Clark was, and still is, a click magnet. And she was better than Cinderella herself last March. Just magical, on the court…and online.
Every story we wrote about the former Iowa and now WNBA superstar racked up traffic. We had dozens and dozens of bylines on Clark, and related women’s basketball stories.
We were a women’s basketball juggernaut.
OutKick even sent a writer to the Women’s Final Four, as Clark’s Hawkeyes narrowly lost in the national championship game to South Carolina.
CLEVELAND - Caitlin Clark of the Iowa Hawkeyes dribbles around Bree Hall of the South Carolina Gamecocks in the first half during the 2024 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament National Championship at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on April 7, 2024. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
This year, it’s been much quieter on the women’s college basketball beat at OutKick.
But I think we’d be remiss if we just totally blew off the women as their tournament tips off today.
Sure, with no Caitlin, the women’s tournament just doesn’t have the same cachet as last year.
But here are five things that might make it worth keeping an eye on.
1. California Dreamin’
Two of the best teams, and two of the best players in the country happen to be from California, and are located about 10 miles apart.
UCLA finished the final AP regular season poll ranked No. 1 in the country, while archrival USC checked in at No. 4.
Both former Pac-12 schools moved to the Big 10 prior to this season, and both programs have become national powers relatively overnight.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Lauren Betts #51 of the UCLA Bruins posts up against the Indiana Hoosiers at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on January 4, 2025. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
UCLA (30-2, No. 1 seed in the Spokane Regional) is built around 6-foot-7 junior center Lauren Betts (19.7 ppg, 9.9 rpg). In the women’s game, 6-foot-7 isn’t unheard of, but it’s still a rather unique and game-changing presence. Betts is a shot-blocking phenom, averaging 2.9 blocks per game. She rolled up 81 blocks this season, a UCLA record. And she blocked 9 shots in a single game, also a record.
INDIANAPOLIS - JuJu Watkins of the USC Trojans brings the ball up court during a game against the UCLA Bruins in the Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament championship game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on March 9, 2025. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
Across town, USC (28-3, No. 1 seed in the Spokane Regional) is led by the "new Caitlin Clark," 6-foot-2 sophomore JuJu Watkins. Many believe Watkins has the kind of natural skills and dominating influence on games that Clark had. She ranked second in the nation in scoring (24.6 ppg) this season, averaged 6.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game and is the leading candidate for national player of the year honors.
2. Not Going Anywhere
Caitlin Clark might be gone, but the Hawkeyes (22-10) are not forgotten, still representing in the tournament as a No. 6 seed in the Spokane Regional.
That being said, there’s no doubt it's been quite a different feel in Iowa City this year. With Clark, the Hawkeyes were followed around everywhere by fans and media, as if they were part of some internationally famous rock band.
IOWA CITY, Iowa - Iowa guard Kylie Feuerback (4) and Iowa guard Lucy Olsen (33) celebrate after winning a game between the Iowa State Cyclones and the Iowa Hawkeyes, on December 11, 2024, at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. (Photo by Keith Gillett/IconSportswire)
This team, directed by new head coach Jan Jensen, flies under the radar with a brand-new face leading the way. Lucy Olsen transferred in after three years at Villanova, and she leads Iowa in scoring (18 ppg), assists (4.9 apg) and field goal percentage (44.1).
3. UConn Count On It
Yep, UConn is still a thing in women’s basketball.
As long as head coach Geno Auriemma is around, that will likely be the case.
Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
The Huskies (31-3, No. 2 seed in the Spokane Regional) haven’t won a national championship since 2016, when they won their fourth title in a row. But they still rank among the top teams in the country year in and year out.
MINNEAPOLIS - Paige Bueckers of the Connecticut Huskies against the Stanford Cardinal in the semifinal game of the 2022 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Target Center on April 1, 2022. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Guard Paige Bueckers was the national player of the year in 2021, the first freshman to ever win that distinction.
She then missed back-to-back seasons with knee injuries and has been diligently working her way back to being one of the best players in the country ever since. Bueckers averaged 19 points, 4.9 assists and 2 steals per game this season.
Bueckers has a couple of the most talented players in the country to play off of: Azzi Fudd (12.8 ppg) and Sarah Strong, arguably the best freshman in the country, with 16 points and 8.4 rebounds per game.
4. All About The Threes
No team in the country shoots three-pointers better than Notre Dame. The Irish finished the season with a scorching 39.5 percent clip from behind the arc.
Speaking of triplets, the Irish also boast one of the most terrific trios in the game in Hannah Hidalgo, Olivia Miles and Sonia Citron. All three could easily be all-Americans.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Hannah Hidalgo of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish celebrates a three-pointer against the UConn Huskies during the first half at Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center on December 12, 2024. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Hidalgo leads Notre Dame in scoring at 24.2 ppg, Miles chips in with 16.2 points per game and also leads the team in assists at 5.8 per game. Citron is one of the three-point specialists who makes Notre Dame a threat from anywhere on the floor.
The only 3 the Irish didn’t like was their third seed. After a 26-5 season in which they spent time as the No. 1-ranked team in the country, Notre Dame is a No. 3 seed in the Birmingham Regional.
5. Don’t Forget About The Champs
South Carolina won the national championship last year and the very best teams somehow find a way to keep the cupboards fully stocked without missing a beat.
After losing multiple key players from last year, the Gamecocks (30-3, No. 1 seed in the Birmingham Regional) remain in the hunt with a freshman leading the way.
Joyce Edwards is a 6-foot-3 forward who averages a team-leading 13.2 points per game in a balanced offensive attack.
COLUMBIA, S.C. - Joyce Edwards #8 of the South Carolina Gamecocks drives to the basket while guarded by Sa'Myah Smith #5 of the LSU Lady Tigers in the first half during their game at Colonial Life Arena on January 24, 2025. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
There’s even firepower in the reserves. MiLaysia Fulwiley is one of the best bench players in the country. The sophomore guard averages 12 points per game.
Meanwhile, it might be entertaining to listen in to the press conferences of head coach Dawn Staley as March moves through its madness.
CLEVELAND - Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks cuts down the net after beating the Iowa Hawkeyes in the 2024 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament National Championship at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on April 07, 2024. South Carolina defeated Iowa 87-75. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
She made national headlines for weeks when asked by OutKick at last year’s Women’s Final Four if transgender athletes should be allowed in women’s sports. Staley, who played against nothing but biological females in high school, college, the WNBA and in the Olympics, said yes. Read Dan Zaksheske's story from that infamous press conference here!
Bonus From The Bayou
Don’t forget the ever-entertaining Kim Mulkey.
The LSU coach never disappoints with her loud, crazy and colorful sideline outfits.
LSU coach Kim Mulkey in all of her fashion glory. Photo credits, L-R: (Andy Lyons/Getty Images), (Ethan Miller/Getty Images), (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images), (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images).
But the Tigers don’t just look good. They are always one of the best teams in the country and even though their guardian Angel (Reese) from last year is now in the WNBA, that is still the case.
Angel Reese (#10) might be off to the WNBA, but LSU still has big names like Aneesah Morrow #24 and Flau'Jae Johnson #4 leading the way. (Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
LSU (28-5, No. 3 seed in Spokane Regional) boasts one of the best trios in women’s basketball with Aneesah Morrow (18.5 ppg), Flau’Jae Johnson (18.9 ppg) and Mikaylah Williams (17.2 ppg) all putting up big numbers.
Will you watch the NCAA women’s tournament this year without Caitlin Clark in the mix? Let me know at: patricia.babcockmcgraw@outkick.com.