Women’s NCAA Tournament Bracket Watch: Don’t count out Duke

(Editor’s note: This is part of the Bracket Central Series, an inside look at the run-up to the men’s & women’s NCAA Tournaments, along with analysis and picks during the tournaments.)

The most exciting and chaotic time of the year is upon us. Whether you’re sweating out a possible No. 8 seed, comfortably holding court as a hosting team, or praying your program finds its way out of the bubble, you can now keep up at The Athletic consistently with our new March Madness launch.

The Athletic has continued to grow its women’s basketball coverage by expanding staff, launching a podcast and diving into the most important topics in the sport. For the first time, we’ll be offering an essential staple of NCAA Tournament content with weekly Bracket Watch and Bubble Watch articles.

We’ll explain the top picks, who’s in and who’s out, and offer readers the most substantive bracket analysis in women’s college basketball. After today, look for my bracket every Tuesday, leading up to Selection Sunday. On Fridays, check back in to go deep into our Bubble Watch field, where I’ll explain the teams with the most work to do heading into March.

You’ll also find regular updates from our men’s college basketball team on their Bubble Watch and Bracket Watch.

This women’s college basketball season has been predicated on parity and competitiveness at the highest level. On any given night, a top-five team is in danger of getting knocked off by a middle-of-the-conference program.