The Women’s First Four commences on Mar. 20 with two exciting matchups to decide the four schools that will take part in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
The fans are excited and the numbers have shown it. According to TickPick, the women’s Final Four sold six times as many tickets as the men’s event. It will be exciting to see which teams move past the Women’s First Four to enter the second round.
Also Read: First Four March Madness 2024 tickets: Price, where to buy, dates, schedule and more
Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese effect
Two of the biggest names in women’s college basketball, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, have been breaking records on and off the court. Their impressive performances on the court have turned heads and gathered more attention for women’s college basketball.
Iowa’s Carver-Hawkeye Arena will host the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. According to their X handle, the tickets for both days are sold out.
The 2023 NCAA tournament final between Iowa and LSU was reported to have 9.9 million viewers, breaking the record for the most-watched women’s college basketball game on the ABC network.
Also, FOX reported that women’s college basketball coverage averaged 463,000 viewers, a 66% jump from the previous year.
On the other hand, men’s college basketball only had a 16% increase, averaging 346,000 viewers.
Caitlin Clark vs Angel Reese: One Last Dance
After Clark declared for the 2024 WNBA draft, the 2024 March Madness could be the final time Clark and Reese share the court in women’s college basketball. Last year’s NCAA Finals were a tough matchup that was eventually won by Angel Reese’s LSU.
The game was rife with viral trash-talking moments, the most famous being the look-at-my-ring pose from Reese. However, there is respect from both sides, especially after Clark became the NCAA all-time leading scorer.
Going into March Madness, the Hawkeyes will be looking to win their first championship in program history. The defending champion, LSU, will try its best to be the first in seven years to repeat a title win (last done by UConn).
Both teams face stiff competition from South Carolina, which is looking to extend its perfect winning record this season.
Which teams will go past the women’s First Four round? Let us know in the comment section.