The 2024 NCAA women’s basketball tournament begins Wednesday, Mar. 20 with a pair of First Four matchups. First, Presbyterian and Sacred Heart meet for the right to become the No. 16 seed that will face undefeated and No. 1-overall South Carolina (7 p.m. ET, ESPNU). Then, a No. 12 seed is on the line when Columbia and Vanderbilt meet (9 p.m. ET, ESPNU), with the winner taking on No. 5-seed Baylor.
Tune in for the Ny’Ceara Pryor Show
It seems a bit unfair that teams that win their conference tournament, and, ostensibly, “automatically” qualify for the NCAA Tournament, must then earn their way into the 64-team field by winning a First Four game.
On the other hand, competing in a First Four contest gives teams that usually do not receive the spotlight an opportunity to shine. Expect the brightest star to be Sacred Heart sophomore guard Ny’Ceara Pryor. The 5-foot-3 Pryor is the irrepressible engine for the Pioneers, leading her team in scoring (18.9 per game), rebounding (7.1 per game) and assists (4.5 per game). She was named the NEC Player of the Year and NEC Tournament MVP. Along the way, she also set Sacred Heart’s single-season scoring record.
Last year, Sacred Heart made the tournament as No. 16…
 and a No. 12-seed showdown between Columbia and Vanderbilt (9 p.m. ET, ESPNU).){kind=link}