Who has the edge in the women’s Sweet 16: Can USC beat Kansas State without JuJu Watkins?

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Who has the edge in the women’s Sweet 16: Can USC beat Kansas State without JuJu Watkins?

And then there were 16.

While the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament provided mostly chalk, the second weekend is sure to have some surprises in store as the biggest stars are still in play and some impending matchups are certain to dazzle. Five of these games are rematches of regular season games, which should make the chess matches must-see.

As we look ahead to the madness that kicks off again this Friday in the Sweet 16, let’s break down each matchup.

Spokane 1

No. 2 NC State vs. No. 3 LSU

7:30 p.m. Friday, ESPN

These teams met in November during the Baha Mar Thanksgiving tournament, where the Tigers emerged as an 82-65 winner. LSU turned the ball over 21 times, but the big difference came on the glass where LSU outrebounded the Wolfpack 44-24. Aneesah Morrow alone (15 boards) almost outrebounded the entire NC State roster. In short: The game plan for LSU in that game will likely be the same for this matchup. Their big three — Morrow, Flau’jae Johnson and Mikaylah Williams (who combined for 60 points in the first meeting) — need to show up, and Morrow needs to be as relentless as ever on the boards.

Where might things be different this time around? In that first meeting, NC State’s 6-foot-6 freshman Tilda Trygger clocked just five minutes with her only recorded statistic being one turnover. That kind of production was certainly not what we saw through the ACC season as Trygger became a stronger force, garnering heavier minutes in the rotation to becoming an important part of the Wolfpack’sidentity as a starter. But can Trygger’s growth alongside 6-foot Madison Hayes slow Morrow enough on the glass to give NC State’s guards some breathing room to operate? That feels like the biggest question in this Sweet 16 game.

A postseason rematch is always good drama, especially when you’ve got veterans going toe-to-toe to extend their season (and end someone else’s). In this…

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Publish date : 2025-03-25 11:16:00

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