Women's March Madness 2024: Predicting every Sweet 16 game - ESPN

Sixteen teams have advanced to the regional semifinals in Albany and Portland. And the Sweet 16 is packed with potential.

All four No. 1 seeds reached the round of 16. Defending champion LSU is back, as is No. 1 overall seed South Carolina, which is 34-0 and chasing a perfect season.

Individual star power abounds as well. Caitlin Clark, who broke the NCAA Division I record for most points in a single season in the second round, and Iowa remain in the hunt to book a return trip to the national semifinals. JuJu Watkins, the front-runner for national freshman of the year, has led USC to its first Sweet 16 since 1994.

The Trojans are one of five Pac-12 teams in the Sweet 16 as the conference continues its push to go out on a high note in its last March Madness before the Pac-12 as we know it ceases to exist.

And Duke, at No. 7 the lowest seed left, is hoping to continue its run but will have to get past UConn and Paige Bueckers, who were upset in this round a year ago.

Which teams will make the Elite Eight? ESPN's Charlie Creme, Alexa Philippou and Michael Voepel preview every regional semifinal and join Andrea Adelson in predicting who advances.

Friday, 2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN (Region 1 in Albany)

Why Notre Dame will win: During their 10-game winning streak, the Irish have followed a simple formula: play great defense, and Hannah Hidalgo, Sonia Citron and Maddy Westbeld will take care of the offense. That has allowed the Irish to not just survive but thrive, despite coach Niele Ivey having only six players available in her rotation. Notre Dame has navigated three season-ending injuries and the loss of Olivia Miles and Jenna Brown before the season even began. Only Duke, in the win that started the streak, has shot over 40% from