The postseason is getting closer by the day for the LSU women’s basketball team.
With their current 23-0 record, the Tigers look to be a top seed in both the SEC Tournament and the NCAA Tournament. But as there have been all season, there are teams that stand in their way of being at the top, and teams that have threatened to take them down. When it matters most in March, the question is: who will those teams be?
Where does LSU stand as of right now?
According to ESPN’s Women’s Basketball Bracketology, the Tigers were projected as a No. 2 seed as of Tuesday morning. They’re projected to host the first two rounds at the PMAC once again, and if the tournament started today, the Tigers would play Gardner-Webb of the Big South Conference.
If the Tigers were to win that game, they would take on the winner of a No. 7 vs. No. 10-seed matchup. As of Tuesday morning, those two teams are projected to be Louisville as the No. 7 seed, and Washington State as the No. 10 seed. The second-round matchup would also be played at the PMAC.
Who is above LSU in the bracketology?
The top overall seed in the bracketology is the South Carolina Gamecocks, who LSU plays on Sunday afternoon. They’re also the only other remaining undefeated team in the country along with LSU. They’re the defending national champions, and they returned the projected first WNBA Draft pick in center, Aliyah Boston. Regardless of if LSU dethrones the Gamecocks on Sunday, it makes sense that they’re projected at the top once again.
The other No. 1 seeds in the bracketology are UConn, Indiana and Stanford. Out of these three teams, Indiana is the only one that ranks ahead of LSU in the AP Top 25; with LSU ranked third and Indiana in second. UConn is right behind LSU at No. 4 in the AP rankings, and Stanford is ranked sixth after losing to Washington this past Sunday.
Who are the other projected-No. 2 seeds with LSU?
Maryland, Utah and Iowa are the other projected No. 2 seeds in the class. Of these three teams, Iowa is the highest ranked in the AP Top 25, sitting at No. 6.
The Hawkeyes are led by junior guard, Caitlin Clark, who is ranked second in the country for points per game, second in the country for assists per game and tied for fourth in the country for three-pointers made per game. Iowa faces off with Indiana on Thursday night at 5:30 p.m.
Maryland has the projected second-overall WNBA draft pick in small forward, Diamond Miller. The Terrapins still have to play Iowa and No. 13-ranked Ohio State.
Who else in the SEC is projected to make the NCAA Tournament?
LSU and South Carolina are the two highest-seeded SEC teams in the bracketology, but they are two of the projected eight SEC teams to make the tournament. The next highest-seeded SEC team after LSU is Tennessee, which is projected as a No. 7 seed.
Ole Miss and Alabama are both projected as No. 8 seeds, and Arkansas is projected as a No. 9 seed. Georgia is projected as a No. 11-seed, and Mississippi State is projected to play in a play-in game for a No. 12-seed.
Of the SEC teams projected to make the tournament, including South Carolina, LSU has Ole Miss and Mississippi State still to play, and both matchups are at home.
