Best NCAA women's tournament performances since 2000

The 2023 NCAA women's tournament was fantastic. It is a major reason why women's college basketball is at its highest quality and popularity. The 2023 NCAA women's tournament was historic as the LSU Tigers claimed their first national title with a 102-85 victory over the Iowa Hawkeyes, who were in the finals for the first time.

LSU's 102 points were an NCAA women's tournament record as the Tigers shot 54.3% from the field and made 11 triples at a 64.7% clip. Jasmine Carson pumped in 22 points, on seven of eight shooting from the field and five of six from beyond the arc, and led three players who topped the 20-point mark. Meanwhile, Final Four MOP Angel Reese added 15 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, three steals, and a block.

All totaled, the 2023 NCAA women's tournament saw 10 lower seeds win a game. Miami, a No. 9 seed, was the lowest-seeded team to reach the Sweet 16. The SEC, which had two teams in the Final Four and seven total bids, posted a 17-6 record in the tournament.

However, the real story of the NCAA women's tournament was Iowa sensation Caitlin Clark. Clark, the 2022-23 National Player of the Year, set several tournament records and tops the list of best tournament performances.

Top 15 NCAA women's tournament performers since 2000

1. Caitlin Clark, Iowa Hawkeyes

Clark was amazing all season long and was the star of the 2023 NCAA women's tournament. Clark was an absolute scoring machine, scoring 20 points in all six tournament games, including topping the 30-point mark in the last four games.

Clark became the second player to record two 40-point games and the first to record a 40-point triple-double as she did so against Louisville in the Elite Eight (41 points, 12 assists, 10 rebounds).

Her 191 points in the NCAA Women's tournament is a record for both men and women, breaking Sheryl Swoops (171) and Glen Rice's (184) marks.

Clark was a dynamic scorer and showed off her fantastic playmaking skills. She had three games of 12 assists and doled out eight dimes in the championship game to give her an NCAA women's tournament record of 60. She also broke the record (men and women) for the most 3-pointers in an NCAA tournament by draining eight treys in the Elite Eight and championship games.

For the tournament, Clark compiled 31.8 points, 5.0 rebounds,10.0 assists, 5.6 3-pointers, and 1.5 steals. She also produced a shooting slash line of .496/.426/.880.

2. Britney Griner, Baylor Bears

NCAA Women's Final Four - Stanford v Baylor

Griner is arguably the most dominant women's basketball player ever. The 6-9, three-time All-American holds the NCAA women's tournament record for blocks (104), including a single-game tournament record of 14 swats against Georgetown in 2010.

Griner's best tournament performance came in 2012 when she led the Bears to a national championship, earning Final Four MOP honors. Griner produced three double-doubles, tallying 26 points and 13 rebounds in the title game against Notre Dame. She averaged 22.6 points, 10.0 boards, 5.1 blocks, and 1.8 steals while shooting 56.8% from the field and 75% from the charity stripe over the six contests.

3. Breanna Stewart, UConn Huskies

NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament - Final Four - Championship

One of the top NCAA women's tournament performers of all time, Stewart is a four-time champion and MOP recipient. Stewart's best tournament was in 2016, when she had four double-doubles, tallying 20 points and 10 rebounds in each contest. The 6-4 forward averaged 20.2 points, 10.6 boards, 3.6 assists, 2.2 steals, 3.1 blocks, and 2.1 turnovers. She knocked down 11 3-pointers while producing a shooting slash line of .565/ .478/ .607.

4. Candice Wiggins, Stanford Cardinals

2008 Women's Final 4 - Stanford v Connecticut

Wiggins is one of the top scorers in the women's tournament at 22.9 points over 16 appearances. Wiggins' best tourney was in 2008 when she became the first player to top the 40-point mark twice in one event. She torched Cleveland State for 44 in the opening round and pumped in 41 versus Maryland in the Elite Eight.

For the tournament, Wiggins tallied 25.1 points, along with 6.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.8 steals. She shot 43.8% from the field and 39.1% from the 3-point line.

5. Sylvia Fowles, LSU Tigers

One of the best rebounders in NCAA women's basketball history, Fowles helped lead LSU to four Final Four appearances. Fowles' best tournament came in 2008, where she recorded three double-doubles while registering five blocks in the last three contests. Her best game of that year came in the Final Four, as she totaled 28 points, 20 rebounds, and five blocks in a loss to Notre Dame. Fowles averaged 18.2 points, 12.6 rebounds, 3.4 blocks, and 1.6 steals for the tournament while shooting 51.9% from the field.

6. Diana Taurasi, UConn Huskies

Taurasi is one of the greatest women's basketball players ever. Taurasi was a three-time champion and a two-time NCAA women's tournament MOP. Her best tournament performance came in 2003, where she led the Huskies to a national championship and topped the 20-point mark in each of the six contests, producing one double-double. Taurasi averaged 26.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 3.3 triples, and 1.1 blocks while shooting 55.3% from the field and 45.4% from deep in six games.

7. Maya Moore, UConn Huskies (2011)

Moore is a two-time national champion. Moore led UConn to an undefeated season in 2010, earning MOP honors.

Moore's best performance in the NCAA women's basketball tournament came in 2011, where she compiled three double-doubles. She averaged 23.0 points, 10.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 2.8 steals, and 1.4 blocks in five games.

8. Arike Ogunbowale, Notre Dame

Ogunbowale is among the best scorers and clutch players in NCAA women's tournament history. The 5-8 guard knocked down two incredible shots in the Final Four to propel the Irish to a national championship in 2018. She tallied 18 points in all six games, which includes four games of 24 or more points. Ogunbowale averaged 25.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 2.0 assists in six games.

9. Alayah Boston, South Carolina Gamecocks (2022)

While Boston rebounded the ball well in the 2023 tournament, she balled out the previous year. The 2021-2022 National Player of the Year produced five double-doubles while helping South Carolina to a national championship and earning the tournament's MOP award. Her best game came in the Sweet 16 against UConn, totaling 28 points and 22 rebounds (12 offensive). Boston averaged 16.8 points, 15.1 boards, and 2.5 assists while shooting 53.1% from the field and 72.7% from the free-throw line.

10. Candace Parker, Tennessee Lady Vols

Parker led Tennessee to national titles in 2007 and 2008, earning MOP honors in both events. Parker's best NCAA women's basketball performance came in 2007, where she totaled three double-doubles, including a 30-12-4 performance in a second-round victory over Pitt. She compiled 19.0 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.8 dimes, 2.2 blocks, and 2.6 steals for the tournament.

11. Nnemkadi Ogwumike, Stanford Cardinal

Los Angeles Sparks v Phoenix Mercury - Game Three

Ogwumike led Stanford to four consecutive Final Four appearances. Her best NCAA women's tournament was in 2012, where she tallied two double-doubles and had four games of, at least, 22 points. Ogwumike, who added a 38-point and 10-rebound double-double against South Carolina in the Sweet 16, averaged 26.8 points and 8.6 rebounds while shooting 58.1% from the field.

12. Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, UConn Huskies

Mosqueda-Lewis was one of the best shooters during her time in Storrs and a three-time national champion. Her best NCAA women's tournament performance came in 2014. Mosque-Lewis produced one triple-double and a double-double while tossing in, at least, 13 points in each contest. She averaged 16.1 points, 8.3 rebounds,3.8 assists, and 2.1 treys while shooting 48.1% from the field and 39.3% from deep.

13. Skylar Diggins, Notre Dame Fighting Irish

NCAA Women's Final Four - UCONN v Notre Dame

Diggins made three-straight Final Four appearances, reaching the championship game twice, though the Irish were unable to claim the crown. The 5-9 guard's best tournament came in 2012, where she scored at least 19 points three times and registered a triple-double in an Elite Eight win over Maryland. She averaged 16.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 2.3 steals while shooting 46.4% from the field.

14. Temeka Johnson, LSU Tigers

Johnson is the queen of dishing out dimes in the women's basketball tournament, holding the record with 136 assists. She previously owned the most assists in a tournament with 50 helpers in 2004.

Johnson's best tournament performance took place in three appearances in 2004. In five contests, the super-quick, diminutive point guard produced 66 points, 17 rebounds, 11 steals, and an incredible 4.2-to-1 assist-to-turnover (50-to-12) ratio.

15. Courtney Paris, Oklahoma Sooners

Paris was a rebounding and paint-protecting machine. The 6-4 forward helped Oklahoma to the Final Four in 2009, her best NCAA women's basketball tournament. She produced 13.0 points, 12.5 caroms, and 4.5 blocks in five games that year.