Guru’s NCAA Women’s Report: Drexel Comes Dressed as a Dragon in Cinderella Gowns; Complete Schedule and Results

By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

Can a Dragon be Cinderella?

This time Drexel in making its third NCAA appearance on Friday afternoon at the Moody Center, 3 p.m., on ESPNU, is taking a different path coming from a low seed placement in its conference tournament and winning four straight games, each by narrow margins to crash its way into the field of 68.

“We’re just so excited to be here,” Dragons coach Amy Mallon said Thursday afternoon down in Austin where Drexel (19-14) as a 16 seed will open against No. 1 Texas (30-4), which has been in the Top 10 most of the season with Longhorns’ own miracle story.

“…Not too long ago we were 12 and 14 kind of thinking about where we were going to be and how we were going to end,”. Mallon said.

“This team really showed — we went on to win seven straight and really showed what they’re capable of doing. I think that’s what teams do in March. For us, we’re excited to be here and show what Drexel is all about.”

Meanwhile on the other side, in December, Texas lost its star point guard Rori Harmon to a season ending injury.

Freshman Madison Booker stepped in, playing a new position, and has carried the Longhorns to the Big 12 title in its farewell appearance before heading to the Southeastern Conference next season.

On top of that, the Longhorns are fourth in this week’s AP rankings and bumped Stanford to gain the last No. 1 slot atop the Portland 4 Regional.

“Just a phenomenal player,” Mallon said of Booker. “You watch what she does. You always know when you’re admiring players on other teams and you see what they’re capable of doing, you know that’s just the type of player that it’s going to be hard. It’ds going to be a battle.

“There’s a reason why Texas is where they are seeded No. 1. It’s because of a player like Booker. So, we’re going to have to do our diligence.”

One player with March Madness experience is Brooke Mullin, who played on the last two NCAA contingents with Villanova, including last season’s Sweet 16 entry.

Of Drexel, Longhorns coach Vic Schaefer said, “I think the first thing that jumps out at you is defensively they’ve only given up 70 or more points one time this year. That’s an impressive stat. 

“They’re really diligent and disciplined offensively. They’re hot. 

“And that’s part of the NCAA tournament. I’ve said this all the time. You’ve got to get hot, you’ve got to have a little luck. They’re well coached. You better get out and guard them, and you better guard them smartly because they’re really good at reading your mistakes defensively.”

Here’s the Running Results/Look Ahead Schedule.

NCAA 2024 Women’s Tournament

(Will Update Daily – Round 2 Times and ESPN Platforms Known After Round 1)

(Portland 3, Portland 4 Dates Subject to Change) 

 

 ALBANY REGION 1

 

First Four – South Carolina Hosting

Wednesday, March 20

Colonial Life Arena

Columbia, S.C.

7 p.m. ESPNU

No. 16 Sacred Heart 24-10F vs. No. 16 Presbyterian 21-14 W:49-42

 

First Round – South Carolina Hosting 

Friday, March 22

Colonial Life Arena

Columbia, S.C.

2 p.m. ESPN

No. 16 Presbyterian 21-14 at No. 1/AP1 South Carolina 32-0

11:30 a.m.

No. 8 North Carolina 19-12 vs. No. 9 Michigan State 22-8

 

Second Round

Sunday, March 24

Colonial Life Arena 

Columbia, S.C.

TBA TV-TBA 

Nos. 16-1 vs. Nos. 8-9

 

First Round – Indiana Hosting

Saturday, March 23

Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall

Bloomington, Ind.

1:30 p.m. ESPN2

No. 13/AP25 Fairfield 31-1 at No. 4/AP14 Indiana 24-5

4 p.m. ESPNN

No. 12 Florida Gulf Coast 29-4 vs. No. 5/ AP18 Oklahoma 22-9

 

Second Round 

Monday, March 25

Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall

Bloomington, Ind.

TBA, TV-TBA

Nos. 13-4 vs. Nos. 12-5

 

First Round – Oregon State Hosting

Friday, March 22

Gill Coliseum

Corvallis, Ore.

8 p.m. ESPNU

No. 14 Eastern Washington 29-5 at No. 3/AP12 Oregon State 24-7

10:30 p.m. ESPNU

No. 11 Texas A&M 19-12 vs. No. 6 Nebraska 22-11

 

Second Round

Sunday, March 24

Gill Coliseum

Corvallis, Ore.

TBA TV-TBA

Nos. 14-3 vs. Nos. 11-6

 

First Round – Notre Dame Hosting

Saturday, March 23

Purcell Pavilion

Notre Dame, Ind.

4:45 p.m., ESPN2

10 Marquette 23-8 vs. 7 Ole Miss 23-8

2:15 p.m. ESPN

No. 15 Kent State 27-5 at No. 2/AP9 Notre Dame 

 

Second Round

Monday, March 24

Purcell Pavilion

Notre Dame, Ind.

TBA TV-TBA

Nos. 7-10 vs. Nos. 2-15

 

Sweet 16

Friday, March 29

MVP Arena

Albany, N.Y.

2:30 p.m. TV-TBA

Nos. 9-8-16-1 vs. 13-4-12-5

4:30 p.m. TV-TBA

7-10-2-15 vs.14-3-11-6

 

Elite Eight

Sunday, March 31

MVP Arena

Albany, N.Y.

1 p.m. TV-TBA

Nos. 9-8-16-1-13-4-12-5 v. 7-10-2-15-14-3-11-6

 

PORTLAND REGION 4

 

First Round – Texas Hosting

Friday, March 22

Moody Center

Austin, Texas

3 p.m. ESPNU

No. 16 Drexel 19-14 vs. No. 1/AP4 Texas 30-4

5:30 p.m. ESPN2

No. 8 Alabama 23-9 vs. No. 9 Florida State 23-10

 

Second Round

Sunday, March 24

Moody Center  

Austin, Texas

TBA TV-TBA 

Nos. 16-1 vs. Nos. 8-9

 

First Round – Gonzaga Hosting

Saturday, March 23

McCarthy Athletic Center

Spokane, Wash.

7:30 p.m. ESPN2

No. 4/AP16 Gonzaga 30-3 vs. No. 13 UC Irvine 23-8

10 p.m. ESPNU

No. 5/AP21 Utah 22-10 vs. No. 12 South Dakota State 27-5

 

Second Round 

Monday, March 25

McCarthy Athletic Center

Spokane, Wash.

TBA, TV-TBA

Nos. 13-4 vs. Nos. 12-5

 

First Round – NC State Hosting

Saturday, March 23

Reynolds Coliseum

Raleigh, N.C.

2:30 p.m. ESPNU

No. 14 Chattanooga 28-4 at No. 3/AP11 NC State 27-6

12 p.m. ESPN

No. 11 Green Bay 27-6 vs. No. 6 Tennessee 19-12

 

Second Round

Monday, March 25

Reynolds Coliseum

Raleigh, N.C.

TBA TV-TBA

Nos. 14-3 vs. Nos. 11-6

 

First Round – Stanford Hosting

Friday, March 22

Maples Pavilion

Stanford, Calif.

7:30 p.m., ESPN2

10 Maryland 19-13 vs. 7 Iowa State 20-11

10 p.m., ESPN2

No. 15 Norfolk State 27-5 vs.No. 2/AP5 Stanford 28-5

 

Second Round

Sunday, March 25

Maples Pavilion

Stanford, Calif.

TBA Nos. 10-7 vs. Nos. 15-2

 

Sweet 16

Friday, March 29

Moda Center

Portland, Ore.

7:30 p.m. TV-TBA

Nos. 9-8-16-1 vs. 13-4-12-5

TBA TV-TBA

7-10-2-15 vs.14-3-11-6

 

Elite Eight

Sunday, March 31

Moda Center

Portland, Ore.

3 p.m. TV-TBA

Nos. 9-8-16-1-13-4-12-5 v. 7-10-2-15-14-3-11-6

 

ALBANY REGION 2

 

First Four – Iowa Hosting

Thursday, March 21

Carver-Hawkeye Arena

Iowa City, Iowa

7 p.m. ESPNU

No. 16 UT Martin 16-17 vs. No. 16 Holy Cross 21-12 W:72-45

 

First Round – Iowa Hosting

Saturday, March 23

Carver-Hawkeye Arena

Iowa City, Iowa

3 p.m. ABC

No. 16 Holy Cross 21-12 W: 72-45 at No. 1/AP2 Iowa 29-4

5:30 p.m. ESPN2

No. 8 West Virginia 24-7 vs. No. 9 Princeton 25-4

 

Second Round

Monday, March 25

Carver-Hawkeye Arena

Iowa City, Iowa

 

TBA TV-TBA 

Nos. 16-1 vs. Nos. 8-9

 

First Round – Kansas State Hosting

Friday, March 22

Bramiage Coliseum

Manhattan, Kansas

4:30 p.m. ESPNN

No. 13 Portland 21-12 at No. 4/AP15 Kansas State 25-7

7 p.m. ESPNN

No. 12 Drake 29-5 vs. No. 5/AP18 Colorado 22-9

 

Second Round 

Sunday, March 24

Bramiage Coliseum

Manhattan, Kansas

TBA, TV-TBA

Nos. 13-4 vs. Nos. 12-5

 

First Round – LSU Hosting

Friday, March 22

Pete Maravich Assembly Center

Baton Rouge, La.

4 p.m. ESPN

No. 14 Rice 19-14 at No. 3/AP8 LSU 28-5

1:30 p.m. ESPN2

No. 11 Middle Tennessee 29-4 vs. No. 6/AP23 Louisville 24-9

 

Second Round

Sunday, March 24

Pete Maravich Assembly Center

Baton Rouge, La.

TBA TV-TBA

Nos. 14-3 vs. Nos. 11-6

 

First Round – UCLA Hosting

Saturday, March 23

Pauley Pavilion

Los Angeles, Calif.

7 p.m., ESPNN

No.10/AP UNLV 30-2 vs. No. 7/AP24 Creighton 25-5

9:30 p.m. ESPN2

No. 15 California Baptist 28-3 at No. 2/AP6 UCLA 25-6

 

Second Round

Monday, March 24

Pauley Pavilion

Los Angeles, Calif.

TBA TV-TBA

Nos. 7-10 vs. Nos. 2-15

 

Sweet 16

Saturday, March 30

MVP Arena

Albany, N.Y.

1 p.m. TV-TBA

Nos. 9-8-16-1 vs. 13-4-12-5

TBA TV-TBA

7-10-2-15 vs.14-3-11-6

 

Elite Eight

Monday, April 1

MVP Arena

Albany, N.Y.

7 p.m. TV-TBA

Nos. 9-8-16-1-13-4-12-5 v. 7-10-2-15-14-3-11-6

 

PORTLAND REGION 3

 

First Four

 

Virginia Tech Hosting

 

Wednesday, March 20

Cassell Coliseum

Blacksburg, Va.

9 p.m. ESPNU

No. 12 Vanderbilt 23-9 W:72-68 vs. No. 12 Columbia 23-7F

 

Connecticut Hosting

 

Thursday, March 21

Gampel Pavilion

Storrs, Conn.

7 p.m. ESPN2

No. 11 Arizona 18-15 W:69-59 vs. No. 11 Auburn 20-12F

 

First Round – Southern California Hosting

Saturday, March 23

Galen Center

Los Angeles, Calif.

4:30 p.m. ESPN

No. 16 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 23-8 vs. No. 1/AP3 Southern California 26-5

2 p.m.

No. 8 Kansas vs. No. 9 Michigan

 

Second Round

Monday, March 25

Galen Center

Los Angeles, Calif.

TBA TV-TBA 

Nos. 16-1 vs. Nos. 8-9

 

First Round – Virginia Tech Hosting

Friday, March 22

Cassell Coliseum

Blacksburg, Va.

3:30 p.m. ESPN2

No. 13 Marshall 26-6 at No.4/AP13 Virginia Tech 24-7

6 p.m. ESPNU

No. 5/AP19 Baylor 24-7 vs. No. 12 Vanderbilt 23-9 

 

Second Round 

Sunday, March 24

Cassell Coliseum

Blacksburg, Va.

TBA, TV-TBA

Nos. 13-4 vs. Nos. 12-5

 

First Round – Connecticut Hosting

Saturday, March 23

Gampel Pavilion

Storrs, Conn.

1 p.m. ABC

No. 14 Jackson State 26-6 at No. 3/AP10 Connecticut 29-5

3:30 p.m. ESPN2

No. 11 Arizona 18-15 vs. No. 6/AP22 Syracuse 23-7

 

Second Round

Monday, March 25

Gampel Pavilion

Storrs, Conn.

TBA TV-TBA

Nos. 14-3 vs. Nos. 11-6

 

First Round – Ohio State Hosting

Friday, March 22

Value City Arena

Columbus, Ohio

2:30 p.m. ESPNN

10 Richmond 29-5 vs. 7 Duke 20-11

12 p.m. ESPN

No. 15 Maine 24-9 at No. 2/AP7 Ohio State 25-5

 

Second Round

Sunday, March 24

Maples Pavilion

Stanford, Calif.

TBA Nos. 10-7 vs. Nos. 15-2

 

Sweet 16

Saturday, March 30

Moda Center

Portland, Ore.

5:30 p.m. TV-TBA

Nos. 9-8-16-1 vs. 13-4-12-5

TBA TV-TBA

7-10-2-15 vs.14-3-11-6

 

Elite Eight

Monday, April 1

Moda Center

Portland, Ore.

9 p.m. TV-TBA

Nos. 9-8-16-1-13-4-12-5 v. 7-10-2-15-14-3-11-6

 

Women’s Final Four

Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse

Cleveland, Ohio

National Semifinals

Friday, April 5

7 p.m. ESPN

Albany Regional 1 Winner vs. Portland Regional 4 Winner

9 p.m. ESPN

Albany Regional 3 Winner vs. Portland Regional 3 Winner

National Championship

Sunday, April 7

3 p.m. ABC

Semifinal Winners