Eight games on Monday will determine the rest of the field for the round of 16, which begins Friday.
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By Natalie Weiner
The conclusion of the second round of the N.C.A.A. women’s basketball tournament on Monday will feature established programs like Tennessee and Connecticut, unestablished programs trying to reach that level and players reaching out for March stardom.
Games begin at 4 p.m., Eastern time, on ESPN, when the No. 1 seed North Carolina State plays the No. 9 seed Kansas State. Below are four games that are likely to be compelling. Wins don’t come easily at this stage.
All times are Eastern.
Villanova vs. Michigan | 6 p.m. | ESPNU
Two productive forwards face off.
The Michigan senior Naz Hillmon and the Villanova junior Maddy Siegrist have a lot in common. Both are smaller post players who have flown under the national radar for most of the season despite productive scoring and team-defining play.
On Monday, in Ann Arbor, Mich., what makes each player unique will become obvious. Hillmon is a force around the basket, using refined footwork and strength to score and defend efficiently. Siegrist has better range and 3-point ability and can cut quickly inside for easy layups.
Both put up good numbers in the first round. Hillmon had 24 points and 11 rebounds and sat in the fourth quarter after steering Michigan to a comfortable lead against American. Siegrist played 38 minutes to push 11th-seeded Villanova into the second round for the first time since 2018.
Michigan, a No. 3 seed, made it to the round of 16 last year for the first time in program history, as a No. 6 seed. Villanova has been to the tournament’s third round once before, in 2003. Whether Hillmon’s traditional post play or Siegrist’s fast breaks and deep shots prove more effective, a team with limited tournament history will add a crucial line to its record book.
Notre Dame vs. Oklahoma | 6 p.m. | ESPN2
A chalk matchup of evenly matched teams.
This game, in Norman, Okla., is one of the more evenly matched of the second round. Fourth-seeded Oklahoma and fifth-seeded Notre Dame struggled to contain their lower-seeded opponents in the first round, relying on 3-point shooting and offensive schemes to keep them in front.
Each team has a go-to sharpshooter. In Notre Dame’s case, it is Dara Mabrey, a sister of the W.N.B.A. player Marina Mabrey. Dara Mabrey, a senior guard, hit five triples in the opening round, which is more than her average but an indicator of what she is capable of.
Dive Deeper Into the N.C.A.A. Tournaments
Guard Taylor Robertson is fighting for a place in the 3-point-shooting record books, having etched her name all over Oklahoma’s. She made four of 10 3-point attempts in the Sooners’ first-round game, which was actually below her season average of 45 percent.
The game may come down to how the teams’ other contributors perform; neither team has a particularly strong defense, so aggressive rebounding could be crucial. The Irish freshman guard Olivia Miles recorded her second career triple-double in points, rebounds and assists in the first round.
Madi Williams, the Sooners’ leading scorer and rebounder, had six rebounds in the first round. The winner of this game may be the one that quells the potential shootout.
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