SEC surge takes over women's March Madness with 6 teams in Sweet 16

kAm%@A D665D $@FE9 r2C@=:?2 2?5 %6I2D 4CF:D65 :?E@ E96 C68:@?2= D6>:7:?2=D @7 E96 H@>6?VD }rpp %@FC?2>6?E 2?5 2C6 ;@:?65 3J }@] a D665D '2?56C3:=E 2?5 {$&[ }@] c ~<=29@>2 2?5 }@] d z6?EF4<J]k^Am

kAmQx E9:?< :EVD 2 8C62E D:8? 7@C E96 4@?76C6?46] *@F 42?VE C62==J 4@?EC@= :7 :EVD DAC625 @FE @C ?@E[Q '2?56C3:=E 4@249 $962 #2=A9 D2:5] QqFE J@F <?@H 9@H H6 766= 23@FE E96 $tr 4@?76C6?46] xEVD E96 36DE 4@?76C6?46 :? E96 4@F?ECJ] x7 J@F H2?E E@ H:? 2 492>A:@?D9:A[ J@FVC6 8@:?8 E@ 92G6 E@ 4@>6 E9C@F89 FD[ D@ :EVD ?@E 2 DFCAC:D6 E@ >6 E92E H6VC6 D66:?8 E92E >2?J E62>D :?] (6V== D66] w@A67F==J H6V== 4@?E:?F6 E@ 36 @?6 @7 E96>]Qk^Am

kAmq@E9 @7 E96 ` D665D H:== 92G6 2==\$tr >2E49FAD[ H:E9 E96 v2>64@4<D 724:?8 E96 $@@?6CD — E96 =@?6 E62> E@ 362E E96> :? E96 C68F=2C D62D@? 5FC:?8 4@?76C6?46 A=2J]k^Am

kAmQ~FC =628F6 AC6A2C6D FD 7@C E9:D =6G6= @7 A=2J[Q $@FE9 r2C@=:?2 4@249 s2H? $E2=6J D2:5] Q%96C6 :D?VE 2? @AA@?6?E @FE E96C6 E92E H6 5@?VE 766= =:<6 H6VC6 AC6A2C65 7@C 3642FD6 @7 H92E H6 92G6 366? 492==6?865 H:E9 :? E96 C68F=2C D62D@? 2?5 :? E96 $tr %@FC?2>6?E]Qk^Am

kAmxEVD ?@E @?=J $tr E62>D E92E 925 2 8@@5 7:CDE H66<6?5 :? E96 }rpp %@FC?2>6?E] &r@?? C6>2:?D E96 =@?6 F?362E6? :? H@>6?VD 4@==686 32D<6E32==] %96 wFD<:6D 92G6 H@? da DEC2:89E 82>6D[ :?4=F5:?8 2 5@>:?2?E db\A@:?E H:? @G6C $JC24FD6 :? E96 D64@?5 C@F?5] &r@?? 92D C624965 E96 $H66E `e :? ba 4@?D64FE:G6 J62CD]k^Am

kAm&r@?? H:== 7246 }@CE9 r2C@=:?2 :? E96 $H66E `e] %96 %2C w66=D 2C6 @?6 @7 7:G6 prr E62>D DE:== A=2J:?8] %96 3:886DE DFCAC:D6 @7 E96 8C@FA :D ':C8:?:2] %96 r2G2=:6CD C624965 E96 C68:@?2= D6>:7:?2=D 7@C E96 7:CDE E:>6 :? ae J62CD 2?5 3642>6 E96 7:CDE E62> E@ A=2J :? E96 u:CDE u@FC 2?5 86E E9:D 72C] %96J ?66565 5@F3=6 @G6CE:>6 E@ <?@4< @77 x@H2 2?5 25G2?46]k^Am

kAm%96 $tr :D?VE E96 @?=J 4@?76C6?46 E92E H:== 92G6 E62>D 724:?8 6249 @E96C :? E96 $H66E `e] |:??6D@E2[ 324< :? E96 $H66E `e 7@C E96 7:CDE E:>6 D:?46 a__d[ H:== A=2J q:8 %6? 7@6 &r{p]k^Am

k9amt=:E6 8F2C5 >2E49FAk^9am

kAm'2?56C3:=E 2?5 }@EC6 s2>6 H:== DBF2C6 @77 :? E96 C68:@?2= D6>:7:?2=D :? 2 >2E49FA @7 EH@ @7 E96 36DE 8F2C5D :? E96 4@F?ECJ H:E9 |:<2J=2 q=2<6D 2?5 w2??29 w:52=8@ ECJ:?8 E@ =625 E96:C E62>D E@ E96 t=:E6 t:89E] %96J 2C6 3@E9 5J?2>:4 D4@C6CD H9@ 42? 2=D@ 7:?5 E62>>2E6D 7@C @A6? 32D<6ED]k^Am

kAmw:52=8@ :D 2 5676?D:G6 H9:K[ =625:?8 E96 4@F?ECJ :? DE62=D]k^Am

k9am$E2C A@H6Ck^9am

kAmp== 7:G6 @7 E96 p! 7:CDE\E62> p==\p>6C:42?D 2C6 DE:== A=2J:?8[ H:E9 &r@?? E62>>2E6D $2C29 $EC@?8 2?5 pKK: uF55 =625:?8 E96 H2J] %6I2DV |25:D@? q@@<6C AFE @? 2? @776?D:G6 4=:?:4 H:E9 2 c_\A@:?E 677@CE :? E96 D64@?5 C@F?5 @7 E96 E@FC?2>6?E] uF55 925 bc A@:?ED :? E96 C@FE @7 $JC24FD6] {2FC6? q6EED =65 &r{p 324< E@ E96 $H66E `e[ 2?5 q=2<6D 92D '2?56C3:=E :? ?6H E6CC:E@CJ]k^Am

k9am~776?D:G6 ;F886C?2FEk^9am

kAm{$& 3C@<6 E96 }rpp C64@C5 H:E9 2 `eE9 82>6 E9:D D62D@? D4@C:?8 >@C6 E92? `__ A@:?ED] %96 %:86CD 7246 E9:C5\D66565 sF<6 :? 2 C6>2E49 @7 E96:C prr^$tr 492==6?86 82>6 E92E {$& H@?] %96 %:86CD 925 D4@C65 @G6C `__ A@:?ED :? 6249 @7 E96:C 7:CDE 6:89E 82>6D 367@C6 362E:?8 sF<6 hb\ff @? s64] c]k^Am

kAm%9:D :D 2 5:776C6?E sF<6 E62>[ E9@F89[ 2D E96 q=F6 s6G:=D H@? ab @7 E96:C ?6IE ad 82>6D 27E6C E92E 56762E]k^Am

kAm000k^Am

kAmp! $A@CED (C:E6C %6C6D2 |] (2=<6C 2?5 p! 7C66=2?46 HC:E6C !6E6 x24@36==: 4@?EC:3FE65 E@ E9:D C6A@CE]k^Am