NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament 2022: Odds, Picks for Sunday's Bracket
The first round of the 2022 NCAA women's basketball tournament is complete, and there are 32 teams remaining. But it won't take long for that number to get cut in half, with eight second-round matchups set for Sunday and eight more coming Monday.
The women's tourney hasn't featured any massive upsets. All of the Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4 seeds were victorious in the opening round and will look to avoid getting knocked off in the second round.
There are a few underdogs alive in the bracket, though. No. 11 seeds Villanova and Princeton and No. 12 seeds Belmont and Florida Gulf Coast were among the surprise winners in the first round.
Here's a look at Sunday's second-round schedule, along with odds and picks for all eight matchups.
Sunday Schedule, Odds, Picks
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No. 2 Iowa (-10) vs. No. 10 Creighton, 1 p.m. ET, ABC
No. 4 Maryland (-10) vs. No. 12 Florida Gulf Coast, 3 p.m. ET, ESPN
No. 1 South Carolina (-23.5) vs. No. 8 Miami, 3 p.m. ET, ABC
No. 2 Texas (-10.5) vs. No. 7 Utah, 5 p.m. ET, ESPN
No. 2 Baylor (-12) vs. No. 10 South Dakota, 6 p.m. ET, ESPN2
No. 1 Louisville (-10.5) vs. No. 9 Gonzaga, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN
No. 3 Iowa State (-5) vs. No. 6 Georgia, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN2
No. 1 Stanford (-21) vs. No. 8 Kansas, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook. Picks in bold against the spread.
South Carolina, Stanford Should Cover Large Spreads
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South Carolina and Stanford have been among the best teams in the country all season and deserved their No. 1 seeds for the NCAA tournament. And it's not a surprise that both the Gamecocks and Cardinal are heavy favorites for their respective second-round matchups.
In the first round, South Carolina was dominant in its 79-21 victory over No. 16 Howard. Things will likely be a bit closer in the second round for the Gamecocks when they take on No. 8 Miami, but they are 23.5-point favorites and will likely cover that spread. Nobody on the Hurricanes is capable of slowing down South Carolina junior forward Aliyah Boston (16.6 points and 12 rebounds per game).
Stanford advanced to the second round with a 78-37 win over No. 16 Montana State, and it is a 21-point favorite against No. 8 Kansas on Sunday. The Cardinal should have no trouble winning by more than that, as their lineup is too balanced for the Jayhawks to contain.
There's a good chance that either South Carolina (the No. 1 overall seed) or Stanford (the defending national champion) will end up winning the national title. But even if that isn't the case, neither is going to lose this early in the tournament, and it's highly unlikely that either will be tested quite yet.
Gonzaga Will Cover Spread Against Louisville
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In addition to South Carolina and Stanford, Louisville is the other No. 1 seed that will be in action Sunday. However, the Cardinals may be tested, as they are set to take on No. 9 Gonzaga, which is capable of playing a competitive game.
The Bulldogs were impressive in the first round, notching a 68-55 victory over No. 8 Nebraska. They have several players who are capable of getting hot hands, and against the Cornhuskers, it was junior guard Kayleigh Truong, who scored 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting.
Louisville is a strong team and will likely beat Gonzaga to advance to the Sweet 16. But the Cardinals are 10.5-point favorites, and it may be tough for them to cover considering the Bulldogs are a well-rounded team that shouldn't let their deficit get out of hand.
So bet on Gonzaga to cover the spread. Even if it doesn't pull off the upset, it will at least give Louisville a scare by losing by only 10 or fewer points.
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FGCU Has Chance to Continue Underdog Run
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One of the biggest upsets of the first round came Friday, when No. 12 Florida Gulf Coast pulled out an 84-81 win against No. 5 Virginia Tech. The Eagles had a strong offensive showing led by junior guard Kierstan Bell, who had 22 points and eight rebounds.
It was only Bell's sixth game since returning from surgery to repair a torn meniscus. And when she's in the lineup, Florida Gulf Coast is a much better team, as evidenced by its first-round victory against the Hokies.
On Sunday, the Eagles will look to pull off another upset when they take on No. 4 Maryland. Although Florida Gulf Coast is a 10-point underdog, it may be getting slighted by that betting line.
Don't be surprised if the Eagles knock off the Terrapins, with Bell likely leading the way. If they can put up a large number of points again, Maryland may have trouble keeping up. At the very least, FGCU is unlikely to lose by 11 or more points, making it a wise underdog to bet on.
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