YOU GO, GIRLS

A powerful field moves toward the Sweet 16 in the NCAA women’s college basketball tournament. Well-known national powers are bound for collisions as the third round and quarterfinals take place from Thursday-Sunday.

The four No. 1 seeds remain alive with intriguing story lines.

Notre Dame (33-2) plays Stanford (26-9). Stanford won the national title in 1990 and 1992, Notre Dame in 2001. The Irish have been the runner-up three of the last four seasons.

South Carolina (32-2), a rising power, plays North Carolina (26-8). UNC was the 1994 champion.

Maryland (32-2) meets Duke (23-10). They were ACC rivals until Maryland jumped to the Big Ten, where the Terps went undefeated in conference play in their first season. Maryland won the 2006 national title, beating the Blue Devils 78-75 in overtime, marking the second time in its history that Duke reached the finals and came up short.

Then there is all-powerful Connecticut (34-1) playing Texas (24-10). The Huskies own nine national titles and are defending back-to-back champions. Texas won it all in 1986.

Tennessee is a No. 2 seed. The Volunteers are eight-time champs. They’re 29-5 and play Gonzaga (26-7).

People are waking up a bit to the women’s game. The tournament selection show on ESPN on March 16 drew its most viewers since 2011. The championship game is in Tampa on April 7 at 8:30 p.m.
 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman .