Ranking every women's Sweet 16 matchup: Duke vs. North Carolina among the most interesting games to watch

This year's third round could provide the most drama with storylines aplenty in the eight games

The Sweet 16 is upon us with some promising matchups ahead. There is a lot of parity this season and despite being down to 16 teams, picking a national champion still feels like an impossible task.

The next round is giving us some exciting rematches and might answer some of the biggest questions in this tournament. The main one being how the USC Trojans will adjust without JuJu Watkins, who tore her ACL in the second round. Their first full test without her will be against Kansas State.

Meanwhile, TCU has already made program history by reaching the Sweet 16 for the first time with Hailey Van Lith on the roster. South Carolina is trying to win its third national title in four years, and UConn -- the winningest program in basketball history with 11 championships -- wants to get Paige Bueckers a trophy before she leaves to the WNBA. 

JuJu Watkins' ACL injury rocks USC, spoils potential clash vs. Paige Bueckers—but Trojans aren't done yet

Cameron Salerno

Without further ado, let's take a look and rank the most interesting matchups in the Sweet 16.

8. (1) South Carolina vs. (4) Maryland

Maryland gave us the most exciting game of the tournament in a double-overtime win against Alabama. That being said, the Terrapins had to overcome a 17-point deficit to make it happen and they can't put themselves in that kind of hole against one of the best teams in the country like South Carolina. However, the Gamecocks did not cruise through the second round as Indiana figured out how to give them a battle for the second consecutive year in the NCAA Tournament. Brenda Frese can take notes from the Hoosiers, but Dawn Staley can also use that game as extra motivation for her team.

7. (1) UCLA vs. (5) Ole Miss

Any chance to watch Lauren Betts play is worth it. She is one of the strongest candidates to win Player of the Year because of her dominance on both sides of the court. UCLA is the top overall seed and having its best season in program history with a well-rounded roster. Ole Miss has a tough task ahead, but the Rebels have been battle-tested this season. Coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin's Rebels have given multiple top opponents close battles and even pulled an upset against LSU earlier this month.

6. (2) UConn vs. (3) Oklahoma

UConn is playing like a No. 1 seed and it's a well-known fact that Geno Auriemma's teams are always dangerous in March. The Huskies earned a ticket to their 31st consecutive Sweet 16 after Paige Bueckers tied a career-high with 34 points against South Dakota State in her last college basketball game at Storrs. However, Oklahoma also has clutch players like Raegan Beers, who played at Oregon State last year and guided the Beavers to an Elite Eight appearance.

5. (2) NC State vs. (3) LSU

This is Wes Moore vs. Kim Mulkey. The two coaches have incredibly talented teams playing at the highest levels in March. You can't really go wrong with that. Both teams have recent experience making deep runs in the NCAA Tournament as NC State made the Final Four last year and LSU won the 2023 national title. The Tigers took an 82-65 win during their meeting in November, but the Wolfpack got stronger as the season progressed and even pulled an upset over Notre Dame in February. 

4. (1) USC vs. (5) Kansas State

The Trojans have heavily relied on JuJu Watkins this season, but it will be Kiki Iriafen's job to take on an even bigger role in her absence. Sometimes the Trojans lack consistency on offense, but the talent is definitely still there, especially on the defensive end. Kansas State will be a tough test for USC as the Wildcats showed a lot of grit while surviving a thrilling overtime game against Kentucky.

3. (2) Duke vs. (3) North Carolina

These two schools have one of the best-known rivalries in college sports, and very much on brand, they split their series during the regular season. This third meeting matters most as it is the first time the in-state rivals will face each other in the NCAA Tournament. One thing to keep an eye on is the status of Duke leading scorer Toby Fournier, who "wasn't feeling well" and missed the second round game against Oregon.

2. (2) TCU vs. (3) Notre Dame

Notre Dame is of the most talented teams in the nation when fully locked in with the talented backcourt duo of Hannah Hidalgo and Olivia Miles, as well as players like Sonia Citron and Liatu King, who can make huge impacts on both sides of the court any given night. This is TCU's first Sweet 16, but an earlier highlight of this historic season was the Horned Frogs beating Notre Dame in November. The addition of Hailey Van Lith helped TCU level up, and a fun fact about her is that she has never missed an Elite Eight in her college career with Louisville and LSU. 

1. (1) Texas vs. (5) Tennessee

Tennessee almost upset Texas earlier this season, and this could be another tight contest between two of the most successful programs in women's basketball history. Both teams know how to go on runs and disrupt opponents by forcing turnovers. Tennessee has a fast, aggressive style of play and one of the best offenses in the nation with some strong 3-point shooting. Meanwhile, Texas has good guard depth and a suffocating defense that can stun any opponent.