Women’s March Madness Deserves the Spotlight — Even When the Cameras Look Away
While the NCAA men’s tournament dominates the headlines, it’s the Women’s March Madness bracket that’s been delivering the most electric, emotional, and fearless basketball of the year. From coast-to-coast rivalries to breakout performances, the women’s side of the tournament has once again proven: this is where the game evolves.
And yet — the fight for attention, respect, and resources continues.
LSU Is Out — But Their Impact Remains
Yes, LSU’s women’s basketball team was eliminated in the Elite Eight by UCLA in a hard-fought 72–65 battle. But let’s not get it twisted: their influence on the culture of college basketball is far from over.
Flau’jae Johnson dropped 28 points in that final game — a performance that deserves just as many headlines as any men’s buzzer-beater. And while the spotlight has moved on, the impression these women leave behind is lasting.
Their run wasn’t just about wins and losses — it was about visibility, representation, and redefining what confidence looks like in women’s sports.
They showed up. They showed out. And they did it with New Orleans energy — loud, bold, and unbothered by expectations.
Women’s March Madness Isn’t Second-Tier — It’s Prime Time
The skill level. The intensity. The crowd engagement. The trash talk. The emotion. It’s all there — and it’s all been there. The only thing that’s ever been missing is equal media coverage and cultural respect.
The NCAA only started branding the women’s tournament as “March Madness” in 2022. That’s not history — that’s an indictment. And even today, the women’s tournament continues to receive less promotional funding, fewer primetime slots, and smaller NIL deals.
Title IX Is Law. Equity Still Isn’t.
It’s been over 50 years since Title IX, and yet women athletes still operate under a separate and unequal system. They do the same work, generate the same energy, and deliver the same (often better) product — but the treatment doesn’t match the output.
This isn’t just about basketball. It’s about what kind of culture we’re building — and who gets to lead it.
The New Orleans Connection Runs Deep
Even with LSU’s exit, Louisiana’s presence in women’s sports is growing stronger. Flau’jae Johnson, who balances life as a rapper and athlete, is a symbol of what this new generation is all about — multidimensional, media-savvy, and unwilling to shrink.
And don’t sleep on athletes grinding at Tulane, UNO, and Xavier — student-athletes who push forward without major NIL deals or national media coverage. They’re building something real with every practice, every game, and every sacrifice.
New Orleans knows hustle. We know struggle. And we know what it means to demand space in a system that wasn’t built for you. These women are living that truth on the court every time they lace up.
What Real Support Looks Like
• Watch the games.
• Share the highlights.
• Follow the athletes beyond the tournament.
• Support NIL deals for women.
• Invest in women’s youth sports locally.
Support isn’t just showing up when the team’s winning — it’s standing behind them when the brackets break, and the hype moves on.
Closing Thought: Let’s Keep That Same Energy
New Orleans doesn’t half-step when it comes to culture, talent, or truth. We show up — in the streets, in the music, and in the fight for equity. So let’s bring that same energy to the women on the court who play like hell and never get the same platform.
Because they play like girls — and that’s exactly what greatness looks like.
