Rarely before in the NCAA Women’s Tournament has there been such a favorite, but also room for a number of potential upsets along the way. Undefeated South Carolina is heads and shoulders the pick to win the championship. Here is a look at some of the favorites and some live longshots who can cut down the nets on April, 7 in Cleveland

Favorites
1. South Carolina Gamecocks
The Gamecocks are looking to be the 10th undefeated national champion, and the first since UConn did it in 2016. Dawn Staley is cementing herself as quite possibly, the best coach in the nation. The committee didn’t give the Gamecocks an exceptionally challenging road to the title. ESPN analyst Rebecca Lobo tabbed South Carolina’s Albany 1 as the easiest of the regions.
They will be without center Kamilla Cardoso for her role in the fracas with LSU in the SEC Tournament. The Gamecocks have loads of players who can make life miserable for teams on the inside. Keep an eye on MiLaysia Fulwiley, one of the best freshmen in the country.

2. Iowa Hawkeyes
This will be the last go-around for superstar Caitlin Clark before she heads off to the WNBA. But, the committee didn’t make it easy on the Hawkeyes. If seedings hold true in the Albany 2 bracket, they will have a meeting with Kansas State, who they split two meetings with during the season. Waiting could be a Final Four rematch with LSU or UCLA in the Elite Eight. Iowa could be vulnerable to a team with height, something those three teams possess.
Clark will be the headline of the tournament, so much so, ESPN’s Holly Rowe will be her personal reporter.

3. UConn Huskies
UConn may have only eight healthy players available, but they may be motivated by a potential rematch with second-seeded Ohio State in the Sweet 16, the team that eliminated them last year.
Paige Buechers will be counted on to be the bell cow for the Huskies. Fans can be comforted in the fact that this won’t be Buechers’ final tournament, since she will eschew the WNBA and return to Storrs next year. She has been playing some of her best ball of the season in the last couple of weeks, combining for 83 points in their three Big East Conference Tournament games.

4. USC Trojans
This may be the coming out party for freshman JuJu Watkins, who may be the next face of women’s college basketball. Watkins raised eyebrows by pouring in 51 points earlier in the season in a win against Stanford. The Trojans will be looking for their first Final Four appearance since 1994, when Hall of Famers Lisa Leslie and Tina Thompson were ruling the inside.
The champions of the final PAC-12 Tournament, they were buoyed by beating Stanford a couple of weeks ago even though Watkins had a subpar game.

Live Longshots
1. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
If guard play is the key to tournament success, the Irish have one of the best in the country in freshman Hannah Hidalgo. They steamrolled to the ACC Tournament title in a variety of ways, out-scoring teams in an up-tempo race, or outlasting them in a defensive battle.
ND may have to knock off South Carolina in the Elite Eight, but the Irish have won eight in a row and come into the tournament playing some of the best ball in the nation.

2. LSU Tigers
It isn’t often that the defending champions could be call a longshot, but the Tigers will have to get through the women’s basketball version of the ‘Group of Death’ to have a chance to repeat. They have potential battles with UCLA and Iowa on the docket. Angel Reese returns after becoming a national celebrity in last year’s tournament. She will combine with Aneesah Morrow to form one of the most potent rebounding duos around. Hailey Van Lith may be the X factor in the backcourt.

3. Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State is looking to regain its footing after losing to Iowa in the regular-season finale, then was routed by Maryland in the Big Ten Tournament. Coach Kevin McGuff called his players for a lack of focus against the Terps. The Buckeyes are looking to have a short trip to the Final Four in Cleveland.
National Player of the Year semifinalist Jacy Sheldon is the linchpin for Ohio State. All-Big Ten player Cotie McMahon is another key performer.
The Buckeyes may have a marquee matchup with Connecticut in the Sweet 16.