CLEVELAND — March Madness is officially here.
The bracket for the 2024 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament has been set. All 64 teams have one goal in mind -- traveling to Cleveland for a chance at winning the championship.
With the bracket being released, we now know which teams could be heading to Cleveland for the NCAA Women's Division I Final Four and Championship, which is taking place April 5 and 7 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
THE BRACKET
BETTING ODDS
Here are the top 10 teams favored to win the championship, according to DraftKings.
THE TEAMS
Here's a look at some of the teams that could possibly head to Cleveland for the NCAA Women's Final Four, which starts on Friday, April 5.
Iowa Hawkeyes: The Caitlin Clark effect
Over the past year, there has been an increase in excitement for women's basketball, partially due to the Caitlin Clark effect that has swept across the nation. Iowa's guard has captivated attention from across the country most recently becoming the No. 1 scorer in NCAA Division I basketball.
Northeast Ohio should be on the lookout for Clark and her Iowa Hawkeyes to return to the NCAA Women's Final Four. If Clark and the Hawkeyes are in the Final Four, a ticket to the NCAA Final Four will be merely impossible to come by. It will be some of Clark's final moments playing college basketball, as she has already declared for the 2024 WNBA draft.
Ohio State Buckeyes: A trip up I-71
Ohio State is coming into the tournament as the No. 2 seed, posting a 25-5 overall record. If the Buckeyes can make it to the Final Four they would have a short trip to Cleveland. The Buckeyes will square off against the No. 15 seed Maine in Columbus.
Louisiana State University Tigers: The reigning champs
The Kim Mulkey-led Tigers and star Angel Reese come into the tournament at the No. 3 spot, looking to win back-to-back championships after beating Iowa 102-85 on April 2, 2023.
Kent State University: A hometown Cinderella story
While it is unlikely that the Kent State Golden Flashes would still be competing in the tournament when Cleveland plays host, the NCAA has seen some Cindarellas shock the country over the years.
It would be hard for a low seed to reach the final four, but if the Golden Flashes pull off multiple upsets, they could see themselves playing right here in Northeast Ohio -- just 45 minutes away from their campus.
