South Carolina, Stanford top first women’s basketball rankings reveal before Selection Sunday

In the first of its two rankings reveals before Selection Sunday, the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee announced South Carolina, Stanford, Ohio State, and Colorado as the current No. 1 seeds for the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

The committee will have another reveal in two weeks before the final decision is made on Sunday, March 17. Last season, the initial projections had three of the top four teams correct; the eventual fourth No. 1 seed Virginia Tech was a No. 4 seed at this point, so there is plenty of time for significant changes.

There is a decided advantage for teams in the top 16, as they get to host the first- and second-round games of the tournament before the regional rounds move to Albany and Portland.

NCAA Top 16 (based on games through Feb. 14)

1. South Carolina
2. Stanford
3. Ohio State
4. Colorado
5. Iowa
6. NC State
7. UCLA
8. Texas
9. USC
10. Virginia Tech
11. Oregon State
12. UConn
13. Kansas State
14. LSU
15. Indiana
16. Louisville

Albany 1

1. South Carolina
2. UCLA
3. UConn
4. Louisville

Albany 2

1. Ohio State
2. NC State
3. USC
4. LSU

Portland 1

1. Stanford
2. Texas
3. Oregon State
4. Indiana

Portland 2

1. Colorado
2. Iowa
3. Virginia Tech
4. Kansas State

Who deserved a No. 1 seed?

As committee chair Lisa Peterson acknowledged on the broadcast, there is a large gap between South Carolina and the second-place team, but not much separation within the…