The Sweet 16 of the 2022 NCAA women’s basketball tournament is upon us, and to the surprise of many, some of the biggest names in the game won’t be part of it.
Presumptive top two 2022 WNBA draft picks NaLyssa Smith of the Baylor Bears and Rhyne Howard of the Kentucky Wildcats concluded their collegiate careers when both were knocked out in the first two rounds. All-American Caitlin Clark also bowed out of the tournament when the Creighton Bluejays took down the Iowa Hawkeyes in the round of 32. Clark, Smith and Howard were three of the top five players in our top 25 rankings released before the NCAA tournament tipped off.
With the field now at 16 teams, ESPN’s Charlie Creme, Alexa Philippou and Mechelle Voepel revisit which players deserve a spot on the list based on their play through the first two rounds. There are some additions, including from Creighton and the South Dakota…
