This article is part of our Sweet 16 Preview series.
In an NCAA Tournament that has featured more upsets than usual, including two 1-seeds falling in the second round, the Seattle 4 Region was one of the most chaotic. Iowa is the only team among the top four seeds remaining in that region, while all four top teams will be playing in the Sweet Sixteen in the Seattle 3 Region, headlined by Virginia Tech and UConn. Check out RotoWire's Women's College Basketball Team Previews for an in-depth analysis of each team.
Seattle 3 Region
No. 1 Virginia Tech vs. 
No. 4 Tennessee
Tipoff: Saturday, 6:30 p.m. ET
How they got here: Virginia Tech's path to earning a 1-seed in the NCAA Tournament wasn't as easy as some of the other top-seeded teams in the tournament, as the Hokies lost four of 10 matchups between mid-December and early January before winning 11 consecutive games to close out the season. The team relies on a methodical offense led by Elizabeth Kitley and Georgia Amoore. While the Hokies play at a slow pace, their efficiency and strong defense have been enough to have success this season, including a second-round win against South Dakota State, who had a stellar offense this year but scored just 60 points against Virginia Tech.
Tennessee struggled against top competition this year, going 0-9 against ranked opponents during the regular season. However, the Lady Volunteers have been more effective during postseason play, including a narrow victory over LSU in the SEC Tournament semifinal before losing to South Carolina in the final. Tennessee has been functioning like a well-oiled machine early in the NCAA Tournament, knocking off 13-seed Saint Louis and 12-seed Toledo by an average of 46 points. Rickea Jackson and Jordan Horston were the team's star players during the regular season. However, the team has been able to rely more on its supporting cast during its comfortable NCAA Tournament victories.
Keys to Victory: Virginia Tech must limit Tennessee's efficiency from the floor. The Hokies' slow-paced offense was enough to find success in the ACC, which had several lower-scoring teams, but Tennessee has been an offensive force to begin the NCAA Tournament. While Virginia Tech has been relatively solid on both ends of the court, the team will likely have trouble keeping up with Tennessee if the Lady Vols are as efficient as they have been over their last two matchups.
Tennessee must get off to a hot start again during Saturday's matchup. The Lady Vols outscored their opponents 98-46 in the first halves of their wins to begin the NCAA Tournament. If they can do so once again during their game against Virginia Tech, the Hokies' slow-paced offense will likely struggle down the stretch. Virginia Tech presents a much tougher test than Tennessee faced in the first two rounds of the tournament, but the Lady Vols are hitting their stride at the right time.
Prediction: I'm predicting another upset in what has already been a historic NCAA Tournament. Although Tennessee has been unsuccessful against most of their top opponents this year, the way the team has played in the first two rounds of the tournament leads me to believe the Lady Vols can get past Virginia Tech's slow-paced offense and reach the Elite Eight for the first time since the 2015-16 season.
No. 2 Connecticut vs. 
No. 3 Ohio State
Tipoff: Saturday, 4:00 p.m. ET
How they got here: UConn faced more adversity than usual this season, largely due to significant injuries sustained by Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd. The team leaned on Dorka Juhasz, Aaliyah Edwards and Lou Lopez Senechal for most of the season and got a significant boost for postseason play with Fudd returning to the court. Fudd was limited to just five points during the Huskies' first-round victory over Vermont but posted 22 points in the second round against Baylor to help lead a second-half surge after UConn led by just five points at halftime.
Ohio State began the season 19-0 but lost six of its final 10 regular-season games. However, the Buckeyes overcame a 24-point deficit against Indiana in the second half of the Big Ten Tournament semifinal to solidify their standing as a 3-seed despite their 32-point loss to Iowa in the final. Ohio State secured a 14-point win over James Madison in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before facing a tougher test against North Carolina in the second round. The Buckeyes held a narrow lead until just over two minutes remained in the fourth quarter, and Ohio State was able to hold on for a 71-69 win.
Keys to Victory: UConn needs to control the tempo. The Huskies play slower than Ohio State, but UConn has thrived on its efficiency from both ends of the floor. If UConn struggles in the first half as it did against Baylor, the Huskies will likely have more trouble mounting a second-half comeback due to the Buckeyes' fast-paced offense. However, Ohio State has a lackluster two-point defense, which could allow Dorka Juhasz and Aaliyah Edwards to control the paint once again.
Ohio State must focus on slowing down Azzi Fudd. The Buckeyes struggle in many areas defensively, but the team has a decent perimeter defense that could limit Fudd's impact and give Ohio State's fast-paced offense a better chance to keep up. Jacy Sheldon, Taylor Mikesell, Eboni Walker and Cotie McMahon all scored at least 14 points for the Buckeyes against North Carolina. However, UConn's offense will have a much better chance of outplaying Ohio State if Fudd is able to get hot from beyond the arc.
Prediction: While Ohio State has secured some impressive victories down the stretch, coach Geno Auriemma's Huskies are a more complete team, and I predict that UConn will make it back to the Elite Eight. After facing some adversity during the regular season, the team has looked dominant for most of the NCAA Tournament with Azzi Fudd back in action, and I expect that success will continue against the Buckeyes.
Final Four Pick
Connecticut
UConn has made 14 consecutive Final Four appearances, and I expect them to extend that run to 15 this year. All four of the remaining teams have strengths that warrant Final Four consideration. However, the Huskies are dominant on both ends of the floor, and they've been particularly productive offensively in recent matchups now that they're closer to full health.
Seattle 4 Region
No. 2 Iowa vs. 
No. 6 Colorado
Tipoff: Friday, 7:30 p.m. ET
How they got here: Iowa disappointed in last year's NCAA Tournament by losing to Creighton in the second round. However, the team has had one of the best offenses in the league this season, led by Caitlin Clark and Monika Czinano. The Hawkeyes led the nation with 87.4 points per game this season, but their defense isn't nearly as effective, giving up 70.4 points per game. Iowa has leaned on its elite offense in postseason play, including a 32-point win over Ohio State in the Big Ten Tournament final.
Colorado has had a slower-paced offense this season, but coach JR Payne's squad was able to cruise past a strong Middle Tennessee team in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before beating 3-seed Duke in overtime by eight points in the second round. Center Quay Miller controlled the paint against the Blue Devils, while Jaylyn Sherrod and Frida Formann have provided a change of pace out of the backcourt all season. The Buffaloes finished third in the Pac-12 this year but knocked off two top-10 teams during the regular season.
Keys to Victory: The Hawkeyes should involve McKenna Warnock and Gabbie Marshall. During Iowa's two most recent single-digit victories (against Maryland and Georgia), Caitlin Clark has shot under 40 percent from the floor. However, Warnock and Marshall picked up the slack in both games to lead the Hawkeyes to wins. Clark and Monika Czinano have displayed the ability to take control of games this year. However, Warnock and Marshall are solid complementary players who can help lead Iowa to the Sweet Sixteen, even if either star struggles against Colorado.
Colorado's Frida Formann must have a productive day from beyond the arc. The Buffaloes' offense could have difficulty keeping up with Iowa's fast-paced attack. However, Formann has been Colorado's best three-point shooter this season and could help keep the team in Friday's matchup. The guard shot just 20 percent from beyond the arc against Duke and will need to be more successful against the Hawkeyes if the Buffaloes hope to keep pace.
Prediction: While Iowa's defense has been a significant concern throughout the season, I don't think Colorado's slow-paced offense will be enough to make it past the Hawkeyes. Even if Caitlin Clark or Monika Czinano struggle with efficiency, Iowa tends to get enough out of its supporting cast to secure victories. I predict the Hawkeyes will advance to their second Elite Eight in the last four tournaments.
No. 5 Louisville vs. 
No. 8 Mississippi
Tipoff: Friday, 10:00 p.m. ET
How they got here: Louisville lost four of its first nine games of the season and couldn't generate a significant winning streak the rest of the way, but the team has had a relatively efficient offense led by Hailey Van Lith. The Cardinals faced a tough test early in the NCAA Tournament against 12-seed Drake, but they traded blows down the stretch and emerged with a two-point victory. The team was much more dominant in the second round against 4-seed Texas, riding a solid second half to a 22-point win.
Ole Miss has had an impressive turnaround over the last several seasons under coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin. The Rebels failed to win any conference games during the 2019-20 season but made it to the WNIT championship a year later. They qualified for their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 15 years last season and lost to 10-seed South Dakota in the first round. Ole Miss didn't beat any ranked opponents during the regular season this year but took South Carolina to overtime in mid-February and upset 1-seed Stanford in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Keys to Victory: Louisville must control the boards. The Rebels' offense isn't particularly efficient in many areas, but the team is able to bring in plenty of rebounds. During the Cardinals' narrow first-round victory over Drake, the Bulldogs outpaced Louisville on the boards, 33-28. However, the Cardinals secured 42 rebounds against Texas compared to the Longhorns' 34. Angel Baker (14.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg) and Madison Scott (11.8 ppg, 8.1 rpg) are the Rebels' leading scorers, but if the Cardinals hope to avoid being upset, they'll need to limit their production on the boards.
Ole Miss must take care of the ball. While Drake had a chance to secure a first-round upset against Louisville, the Bulldogs committed 19 turnovers during the game. The Rebels committed 17 turnovers against Stanford in the second round but managed to hold on in a tight battle, partly because they forced 21 turnovers. While it could be difficult for Ole Miss to replicate that feat against Louisville, the Rebels can increase their chances of keeping pace on offense by limiting their own turnovers in the Sweet Sixteen.
Prediction: I think Ole Miss will be able to pull off another upset to advance to the Elite Eight. While the Rebels don't have any particularly dominant scoring threats, I think their rebounding abilities will be just enough to lead them past the Cardinals in what could be a close matchup.
Final Four Pick
Iowa
If Iowa is looking for a dream scenario to advance to the Final Four given its defensive woes, the Seattle 4 Region is shaping up perfectly. While I think the Hawkeyes could struggle in a potential Final Four matchup, the other three teams remaining in the Seattle 4 Region have offensive shortcomings that will make it harder for them to get past Iowa's stellar offense.
