South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley celebrates cutting the net after their win against LSU in an NCAA college basketball game at the Southeastern Conference women's tournament final Sunday, March 10, 2024, in Greenville, S.C.
FILE -Iowa guard Caitlin Clark (22) celebrates during Senior Day ceremonies following a victory over Ohio State in an NCAA college basketball game, Sunday, March 3, 2024, in Iowa City, Iowa. Caitlin Clark was honored Wednesday, March 20, for the third straight season as first-team Associated Press All-American, becoming the 11th player to earn that distinction three times.
Michigan State head coach Robyn Fralick, right, talks to guard Jocelyn Tate (11) during the second half of a first-round college basketball game against North Carolina in the women's NCAA Tournament in Columbia, S.C., Friday, March 22, 2024.
Kansas guard Wyvette Mayberry, center, celebrates with guard S'Mya Nichols (12) after winning 81-72 over Michigan in overtime of a first-round college basketball game in the women's NCAA Tournament in Los Angeles, Saturday, March 23, 2024. Michigan guard Elissa Brett (0) and guard Laila Phelia (5) react.
Louisville guard Nina Rickards (15) comforts guard Merissah Russell (13) after losing to Middle Tennessee in a first-round college basketball game in the women's NCAA Tournament in Baton Rouge, La., Friday, March 22, 2024. Middle Tennessee won 71-69.
Duke guard Reigan Richardson (24) celebrates with teammates after defeating Ohio State during a second-round college basketball game in the women's NCAA Tournament, Sunday, March 24, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio.
West Virginia guard Lauren Fields (23) tries to steal the ball from Iowa guard Caitlin Clark in the first half of a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament, Monday, March 25, 2024, in Iowa City, Iowa.
South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley celebrates cutting the net after their win against LSU in an NCAA college basketball game at the Southeastern Conference women's tournament final Sunday, March 10, 2024, in Greenville, S.C.
Chris Carlson - staff, ASSOCIATED PRESS
FILE -Iowa guard Caitlin Clark (22) celebrates during Senior Day ceremonies following a victory over Ohio State in an NCAA college basketball game, Sunday, March 3, 2024, in Iowa City, Iowa. Caitlin Clark was honored Wednesday, March 20, for the third straight season as first-team Associated Press All-American, becoming the 11th player to earn that distinction three times.
Cliff Jette - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Michigan State head coach Robyn Fralick, right, talks to guard Jocelyn Tate (11) during the second half of a first-round college basketball game against North Carolina in the women's NCAA Tournament in Columbia, S.C., Friday, March 22, 2024.
Nell Redmond - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Kansas guard Wyvette Mayberry, center, celebrates with guard S'Mya Nichols (12) after winning 81-72 over Michigan in overtime of a first-round college basketball game in the women's NCAA Tournament in Los Angeles, Saturday, March 23, 2024. Michigan guard Elissa Brett (0) and guard Laila Phelia (5) react.
Ashley Landis - staff, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Louisville guard Nina Rickards (15) comforts guard Merissah Russell (13) after losing to Middle Tennessee in a first-round college basketball game in the women's NCAA Tournament in Baton Rouge, La., Friday, March 22, 2024. Middle Tennessee won 71-69.
Gerald Herbert - staff, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Duke guard Reigan Richardson (24) celebrates with teammates after defeating Ohio State during a second-round college basketball game in the women's NCAA Tournament, Sunday, March 24, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio.
Aaron Doster - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
West Virginia guard Lauren Fields (23) tries to steal the ball from Iowa guard Caitlin Clark in the first half of a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament, Monday, March 25, 2024, in Iowa City, Iowa.
Charlie Neibergall - staff, ASSOCIATED PRESS
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LAS VEGAS (AP) — Three contestants in the ESPN Tournament Challenge went through the first two rounds of the women's NCAA Tournament without any misses, but no perfect ones remained on CBS' site.
Those three on the ESPN site were the only ones of 3.25 million brackets to accomplish that feat through Monday night's action. The tournament resumes Friday with the Sweet 16.
All the brackets might have been wiped out if eighth-seeded West Virginia had managed to upset No. 1 Iowa, but Caitlin Clark and the Hawkeyes prevailed 64-54 thanks to a late run. No. 7 seed Creighton also had the chance to beat No. 2 UCLA, but the Bruins escaped with a 67-63 victory.
There are 16 winless ESPN brackets that will stay that way the rest of the tournament.
Sheldon Jacobson, who runs the Bracketodds website, said going with chalk in the women’s bracket was more effective than on the men’s side.
That is the way the first round played out over the first two days. Higher seeds were 31-1, with No. 6 Louisville's 71-69 loss to No. 11 Middle Tennessee on Friday the one exception. The Cardinals' loss was responsible for 1.58 million brackets taking their first defeat — the highest of the first round.
“At the end of the day, you know a lot of the No. 1s are going to be in the Final Four,” Jacobson said. “Occasionally, you’ll get a two or a three, but it just doesn’t happen very often. The men’s game is far more unpredictable. We can get high-scoring brackets in the women’s game, but so can everybody else.”
South Carolina is the favorite among brackets submitted to the CBS site, but many also believe in Clark and Iowa. The Gamecocks were chosen on 41.5% of CBS ballots to win the NCAA Tournament, followed by Iowa at 29.6%.
Then there is a serious drop-off, with USC next at 4.2%. Last year’s champion, LSU, is on 3.2% of ballots.
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
