NCAA women’s basketball bracketology: Oregon, South Dakota, and more rewarded for non-conference wins

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STORRS, CT – NOVEMBER 28: Connecticut Huskies Guard / Forward Katie Lou Samuelson (33) dribbles the ball toward the basket with DePaul Blue Demons Guard Lexi Held (10) defending during the first half of the DePaul Blue Demons versus the Connecticut Huskies on November 28, 2018, at the XL Center in Hartford, CT. (Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
STORRS, CT – NOVEMBER 28: Connecticut Huskies Guard / Forward Katie Lou Samuelson (33) dribbles the ball toward the basket with DePaul Blue Demons Guard Lexi Held (10) defending during the first half of the DePaul Blue Demons versus the Connecticut Huskies on November 28, 2018, at the XL Center in Hartford, CT. (Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Storrs:

1. Connecticut (AAC)
16. Hampton (MEAC)

8. Oregon State
9. North Carolina

Rosemont:

5. Indiana
12. South Carolina

4. DePaul (Big East)
13. Quinnipiac (MAAC)

The top half of the Albany regional is filled with teams that will have opportunities to move up over the next month or so. Oregon State dropped its one game against an RPI top-50 team, falling to Notre Dame by 10. The Beavers get another shot when they host Duke later in the week.

As for South Carolina, the Gamecocks actually moved into the field by beating Purdue on Sunday. It is now their only win against a top-100 opponent, perhaps partly due to some bad luck with their game against Duke getting cancelled a couple weeks back.

Des Moines: 

3. Drake (MVC)
14. FGCU (ASUN)

6. Michigan State
11. Green Bay (Horizon)

Raleigh:

7. Maryland
10. Colorado

2. NC State
15. Penn (Ivy)

Drake has an RPI of 8, a Strength of Schedule of 10, and has beaten three Power 5 teams. The Bulldogs may be the lowest overall 3 seed, but that’s only because of a couple recent road losses to RPI top 25 teams (South Dakota State and Iowa State). In other words, they’ve earned their spot. Oh, and so has NC State, another team you wouldn’t expect to be where it is. Needless to say the Wolfpack have a tougher road going forward, and it starts Jan. 3 with a game against Duke. We’ll know more about them by the next time we update the bracket.