UConn vs. South Dakota State Preview: How, Who to Watch in Women's 2nd Round
As their journey to another national championship presses on, the Connecticut Huskies will have to handle those rascally rabbits in the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament's Round of 32.
The Huskies hope to serve as midnight for one of the tournament's Cinderellas, as they'll host the South Dakota State Jackrabbits on Monday night in Storrs. UConn is going for its 32nd consecutive Sweet 16 appearance as it faces SDSU for the first time in program history.
Seeded second on the Spokane 4 bracket, the Huskies demolished 15th-ranked Arkansas State by a 103-34 final on Saturday afternoon in Storrs. Azzi Fudd helped make quick work of the Red Wolves in her return to NCAA Tournament action, scoring 27 points and dishing out a career-best seven assists while swiping six and blocking two. UConn's starters will be fresh for Monday, as none of their primary women played more than 22 minutes after things got out of hand so quickly.
At 10th in Spokane 4, the Jackrabbits are the lowest seed left on the women's bracket entering the latter day of Round of 32 play. SDSU put forth a 74-68 upset victory over No. 7 Oklahoma State, their fourth NCAA Tournament win since 2019. The Summit League champions enjoyed a 19-point tally from Brooklyn Meyer while Mesa Byom had a dozen rebounds in a comeback effort: SDSU trailed by seven at halftime before winning the third quarter 28-19. They took the lead for good on Madison Mathiowetz's buzzer-beating double at the end of the frame.
The winner of Monday night's game will face either Iowa or Oklahoma in Sweet 16 action in Spokane next weekend. UConn will look to make it a very happy birthday for head coach Geno Auriemma, who turned 71 on Sunday.
Who: (2) Connecticut Huskies (32-3, 18-0) vs. (10) South Dakota State Jackrabbits (30-3, 16-0)
What: NCAA Tournament, 2nd Round, Spokane 4 Region
Where: Gampel Pavilion, Storrs, CT
When/Watch: Monday, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN
Who's Favored: UCONN -28.5
Keep An Eye On: Sarah Strong
There's literally no where for Strong to go but down: her maiden voyage in the NCAA Tournament was literally historic, as she posted the first such showing with at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, and five blocks and steals each in the last 25 editions of March Madness. Her interior work, along with that of Ice Brady, will be heavily relied upon as they face a Jackrabbits group that's besting its opponents by eight a game on the glass. That was prominently on display against the Cowgirls, who lost the board battle by 18, including 12-6 in second chances alone.
Jackrabbit to Watch: Paige Meyer
The only Selection Sunday drama that emerged from Los Angeles, holders of Spokane 4's top seed, was the fact that SDSU wasn't placed in the 8/9 matchup. Meyer, along with Byom, Mathiowetz, and a handful of other Jackrabbits, is one of the leftovers from an overtime first-round victory that befell the Trojans in 2023 and she has been an integral part of their ongoing success that has gained national recognition. If SDSU's magic run is to continue, Meyer will have to play a sizable part: she's averaging over 17 points a game while working mostly inside and flirted with a triple-double in Saturday's game.
They Said It
"I think anybody that has followed our sport certainly knows about their success ... I think everybody in women's basketball, and me personally, I have so much respect for them in how they do it and the consistency in how they do it. I don't care who you are, to do what they've done, it has just been really impressive to watch."-Auriemma on the rise of SDS (h/t Tanner Castora)
Prediction
Hardly ever one to get caught looking ahead, the Huskies should be able to handle business on Monday. Recent second round visitors (i.e. UCF in 2022, Syracuse in 2024) have held their own against the Huskies and the Jackrabbits have the talent to at least stick around for a while, but UConn's firepower, especially with this aura of determination, doesn't offer any indication of bowing out this early.
Connecticut 94, South Dakota State 61
Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags
