![]() ![]() UAlbany will be returning to a renovated home arena next year and hoping to reach the NCAA tournament for the second time in three years, while Siena is looking to build on a 19-13 season that saw the Saints win their most games since 2014-15. “It’s really, really exciting,” Mullen said, “and fans are starting to notice what type of sport it is.”įor both Capital Region Division I women’s programs, there’s also a chance to piggyback on a season that will be filled with build-up and hype. “You have this influx of talent, and that’s been huge, and more people are becoming aware of it.” “It’s not dominated by the same teams all the time,” Jabir said. What makes it even more exciting, according to both Mullen and Jabir, is the increasing parity in women’s college basketball that’s seen a greater diversity of programs rise to prominence. This year, with Iowa and Caitlin Clark, and Aliyah Boston and South Carolina, and of course LSU and Virginia Tech, they just showed such an amazing brand of basketball for the Final Four.” “There’s so much excitement and enthusiasm around women’s basketball. ![]() UConn, which will get 2021 national player Paige Bueckers back next year after two injury-plagued seasons, is a definite candidate to be sent to one of the Albany regionals, as is 2022 national champion South Carolina. It could also mean Reese, who led coach Kim Mulkey’s LSU team to its first national title and was named the tournament’s most outstanding player. That could include Clark, the 2023 national player of the year, who set NCAA tournament records for scoring and assists during Iowa’s championship game run. With eight of the final 16 teams set to travel to Albany next year, it should mean a bevy of star-laden programs come to town. “Being on that stage and having it be so reflective of what was on the men’s side, it made it extra-special,” Mullen said. This was the second year the women’s tournament was able to use the “March Madness” branding that’s long been associated with the men’s edition, something Mullen believes has helped raise the tournament’s profile. This year’s tournament also shattered the event’s all-time attendance record, with 357,542 fans streaming through the turnstiles over three weeks. “They’re rivaling NFL games, NBA playoff games, and actually surpassing them.” “The numbers on TV are amazing,” Siena women’s basketball head coach Jim Jabir said. Not only was Iowa-LSU the most-watched women’s college basketball game in history, it drew a bigger audience in the US than any Stanley Cup Final game since 1973, the 2021 NBA Finals and the 2020 World Series. The semifinal clash on March 31 pitting Clark and Iowa against then-undefeated South Carolina reached 5.5 million viewers, the largest-ever audience for a semifinal. Last Sunday’s championship game between LSU and Iowa drew an average of 9.9 million viewers, crushing the previous record of 7.4 million for the 2002 national semifinal game between UConn and Tennessee, and shattered ESPN’s high-water mark of 5.68 million for the 2002 championship game between UConn and Oklahoma. ![]() “!!!!! Ayyyeee We A Set This Off!,” the Los Angeles Lakers star Tweeted.Fueled by stars like Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, LSU’s Angel Reese and South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston, the women’s game is more popular than ever - and the numbers show it. ![]() LeBron was thoroughly amused by the stark differences and voiced his support for the Tigers following their historic victory. The Hawkeyes went a very different route with the tamer, more children-friendly tunes of High School Musical in a warm-up session days ahead of the National Championship. LSU, who would emerge victorious in Sunday's highly anticipated final, 102-85, had previously celebrated their Final Four win over Virginia Tech on Friday with Set it Off by Louisiana's own Boosie. Although both teams were each vying for their first title in program history, their vibes were quite different as evidenced by their respective hype songs. It all culminated with an intriguing and fresh National Championship matchup between LSU and Iowa. It packed star power, drama and swagger that strongly resonated with fans everywhere, including LeBron James. The 2023 Women's NCAA Tournament was a big step toward the continued growth of women's basketball. ![]()
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