The 2025 NCAA Tournament is almost upon us, which means it’s time to bring out the microscope and give each title contender a diagnosis:
The Indomitable
South Carolina’s uncharacteristic three losses have not deprived them of being a top title contender, but we’re comfortably past the era in which articles like these came with a prelude: “South Carolina is far and away the favorite to win the NCAA Tournament.” Not this year. There may not be a transcendent favorite this March, but a handful of programs still stand out: The programs that may have accumulated two or three losses, but haven’t bunkered through waves of failure or adversity.
The flag bearer of the indomitable is, naturally, No. 1-ranked UCLA. After starting 24-0, the Bruins fell flat in both Big Ten conference games against Los Angeles rival, No. 4 USC. JuJu Watkins looked like she had found the Achilles Heel of the nation’s top team, but it’s often said that beating the same team three times in a season is one of the…
