The women's Elite Eight features plenty of star power.
NCAA women's college basketball is on the rise.
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All four No. 1 seeds are still alive, including the seemingly unstoppable 37-0 Baylor Lady Bears and the perennial powerhouse Notre Dame Fighting Irish (32-3).
Here's a look at the top five most marketable stars left in the women's NCAA Division I bracket:
Skylar Diggins, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
A 5-foot-9 junior guard, Diggins is the face of women's college basketball and a true national star.
The 21-year-old is so popular that she racked up over 163,000 followers on Twitter, which is much more than most professional athletes. In 36 games this season, she averages a team-high 16.6 points per game for Notre Dame. Diggins is an excellent shooter from beyond the arc, and she is known as a crafty playmaker.
Brittney Griner, Baylor Lady Bears
Brittney Griner is no Blake Griffin, but she can dunk with the best of 'em.
Dunking is quite a rarity in women's college basketball, especially in the NCAA Division I Tournament. However, Griner has done it twice in the tournament this season, once against Florida and another time in a contest against Georgia Tech. The 6-foot-8 phenom is a beast on both ends of the court for Baylor, as she dominates in the paint on defense and adds a smooth touch in her low-post play on offense. Baylor is 37-0 thanks to Griner's elite play.
Nnemkadi Ogwumike, Stanford Cardinals
Stanford senior Nnemkadi Ogwumike is a standout 6-foot-2 forward who dominates on defense.
If my view, she would been the women's college basketball player of the year if it wasn't for Griner's incredible season. In 34 games this season, Ogwumike scored 22.3 PPG and added 10.3 rebounds per game. Stanford plays No. 2-ranked Duke on March 26 at 9:00 p.m.
Tiffany Hayes, UConn Huskies
Hayes, a 5-foot-10 guard from Lakeland, FL, is a key weapon in UConn's balanced offense.
Not only does she contribute as a scoring threat on the wing, she wears opposing teams out with her relentless pace and nonstop energy. In 36 games, she averages 14.6 PPG for a total of 527 points. She has superb court vision, superb passing and a complete skillset that sets her apart from the pack.
Alyssa Thomas, Maryland Terps
Thomas, a sophomore forward from Harrisburg, PA, was the ACC Player of the Year in 2012.
In 34 games this season, she scored 17.2 PPG for a total of 584 points. I like Thomas because she's a relentless competitor and hard worker. She's a player that can fill the stat sheets in points, rebounds, assists and steals. Thomas is truly the complete package and she gives Maryland a strong chance against No. 1-seeded Notre Dame on March 27.
Who else deserves to be on this list? Let me know in the comments.
Eric Holden is a Brittney Griner fan and he will be cheering for her and the Lady Bears to notch the NCAA Division I championship this year. Follow him on Twitter @ericholden.
Sources
http://www.ncaa.com/stats/basketball-women/d1, NCAA, Division I stats
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