South Carolina vs Oregon State: Elite Eight Matchup
There’s always a sign. Last spring, I first noticed something special was happening when I couldn’t walk half a block in Dallas without running into large packs of Iowa or South Carolina fans. There were also my guy friends back home who, for the first time, were planning their weekend around the women’s NCAA Tournament games instead of the men’s. And all the sports talk radio channels were discussing Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. My spidey senses were tingling.
I could feel it in my bones that the sport was primed for a breakthrough moment, though I couldn’t have imagined that nearly 10 million people would tune in for the Iowa-LSU national title game, shattering the previous record for viewership of a women’s basketball game. But I could tell that the barrier of apathy had been broken; these women, that late-game taunting, the sport itself — it’d all be talked about for days and weeks and months to come.
Another giant leap is coming for a sport that ought to be growing accustomed to these gains. As we head into March Madness, it is the women’s side of the tournament that is taking center stage. It is the women’s stars who shine the brightest. It is the women’s game with the most intriguing storylines. And … that’s not even debatable!
“We’ve been on a steady incline,” USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said during my SiriusXM show Sunday night. “You combine the star power in our game, the fact that you have some of these established stars that fans have really built a relationship with like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Cameron Brink — and then you add in this incredibly dynamic freshman class. What we’re seeing is that women’s basketball is a really marketable entity. People love it. We’re in a space where there’s an incredible amount of excitement around it. … It’s something that’s, really, a movement.”
South Carolina Gamecocks and the Oregon State Beavers are set to face off in the Elite Eight matchup, and it promises to be a thrilling clash. The women’s side of the tournament has taken center stage this year, with the stars of the women’s game shining the brightest. The sport is experiencing a breakthrough moment, with growing viewership and increased excitement surrounding women’s basketball.
Last spring, signs of this breakthrough were evident as large packs of Iowa or South Carolina fans flooded the streets of Dallas. Men who had previously focused on the men’s NCAA Tournament began planning their weekends around the women’s games. The media, including sports talk radio channels, were abuzz with discussions about standout players like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. It was clear that a change was brewing in women’s basketball.
The Iowa-LSU national title game drew nearly 10 million viewers, shattering previous records for viewership of a women’s basketball game. This breakthrough moment broke the barrier of apathy and sparked conversations that would continue for months. The sport was primed for growth and ready to captivate audiences.
As we head into March Madness, it is evident that the women’s side of the tournament is stealing the show. Lindsay Gottlieb, USC coach, believes that women’s basketball is a marketable entity, citing the star power in the game and the excitement surrounding players like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Cameron Brink. The combination of established stars and an incredibly dynamic freshman class has propelled women’s basketball into a new era.
The South Carolina vs Oregon State Elite Eight matchup is a perfect example of the excitement surrounding women’s basketball. Fans can expect a thrilling clash between two talented teams, each vying for a spot in the Final Four. With stars like Clark, Reese, and Brink on display, this game is not to be missed.
Women’s basketball is no longer in the shadows; it is taking center stage and demanding attention. The sport’s growth and marketability are evident, and the excitement surrounding it is palpable. As March Madness unfolds, it is clear that the future of women’s basketball is bright, and fans can expect even more breakthrough moments in the years to come.