The women’s NCAA bracket is set, and 32 first-round matchups distill a season’s worth of success and struggles into one chance to keep dancing. For some teams, the pressure of March starts immediately. (Looking at you, Tennessee.) There is no shortage of intriguing matchups on deck, so we ranked all 32 of those games before opening tipoff. Here is what to watch for in each first-round game.
1) No. 7 NC State vs. No. 10 Tennessee
The best matchup of the first round is a full-circle moment: The Lady Vols’ season opener began with a three-point loss to the Wolfpack. Since then, neither team’s season has gone as it intended. The Wolfpack had double-digit losses for just the second time in a decade; the Lady Vols dropped seven straight games to close the season in a spate of never-ending drama. So, what’s the reason to watch? Both teams are plenty talented and capable of far more than their records indicate. Start with the Wolfpack: All-ACC tandem Zoe Brooks and Khamil Pierre have ascended as the season progressed. The Vols have two players with a five-star pedigree in Talaysia Cooper and Janiah Barker, but they’ve rarely excelled together on the same night. Each team needs a win here, and whoever emerges victorious will be a tougher-than-average second-round opponent.
2) No. 6 Baylor vs. No. 11 Nebraska/Richmond
The Bears were punished for a Big 12 tournament loss to Colorado, and the selection committee did them no favors by slotting them against the winner of the Cornhuskers-Spiders play-in game. Pick your poison: Face Nebraska, which has one of the most efficient offenses in the country and a standout sophomore guard in Britt Prince; or Richmond, one of the most three-happy teams in the country, hoping to keep the seasons of seniors Maggie Doogan and Rachel Ullstrom alive. But, Baylor is no slouch. The Bears finally have a go-to scorer in guard Taliah Scott, and Darianna Littlepage-Buggs may be the best pound-for-pound rebounder in the country. Expect a good game here.
3) No. 6 Notre Dame vs. No. 11 Fairfield
The Stags shoot and splash threes like no one else in the country, making them one of the most intriguing teams in the first round. Hannah Hidalgo, though, is the perfect foil. She averaged 26.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 5.4 steals per game as the Fighting Irish won seven out of their last eight.
4) No. 6 Washington vs. No. 11 South Dakota State
Don’t take the Jackrabbits lightly: Last year, they upset Oklahoma State. Seniors Brooklyn Meyer and Madison Mathiowetz are back for another dance, although they might find Sayvia Sellers and Avery Howell to be tougher opponents. The Huskies beat Michigan and Maryland this year and had their best season since Kelsey Plum was still in town.
5) No. 8 Iowa State vs. No. 9 Syracuse
Cyclones center Audi Crooks has typically dominated in her first-round games—she scored 40 against Maryland in 2024 and 28 against Michigan in ’25—but Iowa State has struggled down the stretch. The Cyclones won’t have it easy: The Orange score the fourth-most second-chance points per game, and ACC Rookie of the Year Uche Izoje will give Crooks plenty to handle in the post.
6) No. 7 Georgia vs. No. 10 Virginia/Arizona State
The winner of the Cavaliers–Sun Devils First Four game will be happy to play in the first round for the first time this decade, but neither team will be satisfied with achieving that alone. Both Virginia and Arizona State are capable of an upset here, but not if All-SEC First Team member Dani Carnegie has anything to say about it. The 5'9" guard had a team-high 18.1 points per game and scored 29 to help upset Vanderbilt a month ago.
7) No. 8 Oklahoma State vs. No. 9 Princeton
Styles make fights, and the Cowgirls and the Tigers might have the largest pace discrepancy of any first-round contest. The Ivy League hasn’t had a team make it to the second round since 2023—back when the Tigers beat NC State. Princeton is the conference’s lone shot to snap that streak this year.
8) No. 7 Texas Tech vs. No. 10 Villanova
The Red Raiders have the most veteran roster in the field, and it shows in how they play. Texas Tech is a slow, methodical team with one of the best defenses in the country. The Red Raiders suffered lapses down the stretch, which spells trouble against a Wildcats team that had the 11th best assist-to-turnover ratio (1.34) in Division I.
9) No. 8 Oregon vs. No. 9 Virginia Tech
The Hokies had the 14th best defensive rating among high-major teams. Juniors Carleigh Wenzel and Carys Baker lead the way, combining to score more than 40% of Virginia Tech’s total points this year. If there’s a time for Oregon’s tough regular-season schedule to pay dividends, it’s here.
10) No. 5 Kentucky vs. No. 12 James Madison
The Wildcats rose to as high as No. 6 in the Top 25 but sputtered in conference play. Don’t let that take away from the fact that Kentucky is a good team with good players who have experience. The Dukes can challenge the Wildcats in the interior—James Madison ranked eighth in the country in points in the paint per game—but Kentucky should come out on top.
11) No. 8 Clemson vs. No. 9 USC
The Trojans lost four straight games to end the year, but they enter the tournament on the heels of good news: Freshman Jazzy Davidson, who suffered a shoulder injury against Washington, will be available. The Tigers are beatable, and USC could use the win to avoid a completely lost season.
12) No. 6 Alabama vs. No. 11 Rhode Island
The Crimson Tide are a balanced team, but don’t count the Rams out. The first-time Atlantic-10 tournament champions upset NC State earlier this season.
13) No. 7 Illinois vs. No. 10 Colorado
The Illini and the Buffaloes have punched above their weight at points this season. Colorado has shown it can hold its own defensively (it held Baylor to 53 points in the Big 12 conference tournament) and offensively (it outscored TCU, 80–79, in February). The Buffaloes will need to do both against Illini sophomore forward Berry Wallace.
14) No. 4 North Carolina vs. No. 13 Western Illinois
The Tar Heels might not have a singular talent, but they are good in just about every category. The Leathernecks do have a star: Senior guard Mia Nicastro scored a mid-major high of 24.2 points this season.
15) No. 2 Vanderbilt vs. No. 15 High Point
The Mikayla Blakes show starts on Saturday, March 21. Since the new year, Blakes has averaged 29.2 points per game and has dropped 30-plus in more than half of her games. There won’t be much the Panthers can do to stop her.
16) No. 1 UConn vs. No. 16 UTSA
Welcome back to the Big Dance for the first time in 17 seasons, UTSA. Enjoy this brief moment while it lasts. For everyone else, there’s never a bad time to watch Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd in March.
17) No. 4 West Virginia vs. No. 13 Miami (Ohio)
It will be fun to see Morgantown host a women’s tournament game for the first time since 1992. It will be less fun for the RedHawks to play against the Mountaineers, who personify grit, play stingy defense and shoot well from three.
18) No. 4 Oklahoma vs. No. 13 Idaho
Get ready for a track meet. The Sooners ranked first in D-I in pace and the Vandals, who won a program-record 29 games this season, ranked 29th.
19) No. 3 TCU vs. No. 14 UC San Diego
Heidi VanDerveer, younger sister to Tara, has led the Tritons to their second straight NCAA tournament appearance in the program’s sixth season in D-I. TCU, though, has ambitions of getting back to the Elite Eight.
20) No. 5 Ole Miss vs. No. 12 Gonzaga
The Rebel Walk reported that guard Sira Thienou said “I’m back” on Selection Sunday. She had been out since mid-February, and her return could be just what the Rebels need to get back on track in March.
21) No. 5 Maryland vs. No. 12 Murray State
An early Big Ten tournament defeat at the hands of Oregon prevented the Terrapins from hosting the first two rounds of March Madness, but Brenda Frese’s squad has fared well in the face of several injuries this season. Still, that early exit looms over this matchup with the Racers, who have the 12th best offensive rating in the country.
22) No. 3 Ohio State vs. No. 14 Howard
The Bison earned the program’s highest seed since the tournament expanded to a 64-team field, but the Buckeyes and star guard Jaloni Cambridge have plans that go further than Columbus. If you haven’t watched Cambridge this season, this game is a good time to start.
23) No. 4 Minnesota vs. No. 13 Green Bay
The Golden Gophers had been quietly building their résumé throughout the season, and they were finally rewarded with hosting duties for the first time since 2005. All five of Minnesota’s starters average double figures, which should be enough to take care of a Green Bay team that is coming off its third straight Horizon League championship.
24) No. 5 Michigan State vs. No. 12 Colorado State
The Rams haven’t allowed more than 65 points since Jan. 7 but that will likely change against the Spartans, who have one of the most efficient offenses in the country.
25) No. 2 LSU vs. No. 15 Jacksonville
LSU began the season by scoring at least 100 points in eight straight games and winning by nearly 60 points on average. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see something similar happen here.
26) No. 3 Duke vs. No. 14 Charleston
The Cougars are among the nation’s best at turning their opponents over and not committing many mistakes themselves, but it will take a lot more than that to beat the Blue Devils.
27) No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 15 Holy Cross
Holy Cross does boast a top 25 defensive rating. The Wolverines, though, earned the highest seed in the program’s history for good reason, and sophomores Olivia Olson, Syla Swords and Mila Holloway are aiming to go further than last season’s second-round exit.
28) No. 3 Louisville vs. No. 14 Vermont
No one player shoulders the load for the Cardinals—they had the second most bench points per game in the country this season—and that should make for a relatively easy first-round game.
29) No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 16 California Baptist
The Bruins had a legitimate case to be the tournament’s No. 1 overall seed. They beat non-high-major teams by an average of 49.0 points, and don’t expect things to be much different against the Lancers.
30) No. 2 Iowa vs. No. 15 Fairleigh Dickinson
The Knights lost just four games this season, two coming against Big Ten opponents—Rutgers and Purdue. The Hawkeyes haven’t failed to advance past the first round since 2018.
31) No. 1 Texas vs. No. 16 Missouri State/SF Austin
If the Longhorns can trounce a team like the Gamecocks, well, the winner of the play-in doesn’t stand much of a chance.
32) No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 16 Southern/Samford
Speaking of the Gamecocks, South Carolina has won its last two first-round games by 52 and 60 points.
More March Madness from Sports Illustrated
- The Reason the Men’s NCAA Tournament Remains a Perfect Television Event
- SI:AM | Six Potential Men’s and Women’s March Madness Cinderellas
- March Madness Bracket Drama: Calipari vs. the Committee? St. John’s Underseeded?
- What Would an Expanded Men’s March Madness 76-Team Bracket Look Like?
- Biggest Overreactions to Opening Lines for NCAA Tournament First Round
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Ranking All 32 First-Round Games of the Women’s NCAA Tournament.
