The 2026 women’s NCAA tournament continues Friday with four games in the Sweet 16. Sports Illustrated will have live updates throughout the Sweet 16 with analysis, score updates and more from around the bracket.
Live updates, analysis and highlights from Friday’s games
Friday’s women’s Sweet 16 matchups
No. 2 Vanderbilt vs. No. 6 Notre Dame, 2:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Though it would take quite a bit of mayhem for either of these teams to be crowned this year’s champion, the Hannah Hidalgo vs. Mikayla Blakes matchup will be a true Sweet 16 treat. Hidalgo has taken the Fighting Irish much further than most probably expected after just three players (Hidalgo included) returned from last year’s roster. And Blakes is leading Vanderbilt to a historic season, primarily by leading the country in scoring and keeping up with a tough SEC. Both players flirted with triple-doubles in the tournament’s opening weekend. But can Hidalgo’s defensive prowess be the key against Blakes? Or will Vandy‘s magical season keep rolling?
No. 1 UConn vs. No. 4 North Carolina, 5 p.m. ET (ESPN)
For the Tar Heels to be competitive in this game, they will have to level up in a way we haven’t seen yet in this tournament. UNC has a competitive defense that muscled its way through a gritty ACC (which has five teams in the Sweet 16 this year). But UConn has depth. And Azzi Fudd. And Sarah Strong. These Huskies certainly aren’t same team that won it all last year, but the undefeated season and pure dominance to start the tournament can speak for themselves. UNC is 1–6 against the Sweet 16 teams it has played this season. It doesn’t feel promising that that’ll improve against the No. 1 overall seed.
No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 4 Minnesota, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Ahh, a Big Ten matchup in the Big Dance. How B1G. No, really. Minnesota will have the size that UCLA’s Lauren Betts hasn’t had to deal with yet in this tournament. The Golden Gophers still don’t have anyone who can tower over the 6'7" Bruins center, but they should be able to force things out of the low post a bit. The last time these teams met, a 76–58 Bruins win, Kiki Rice was the breakout star for UCLA. But Minnesota’s leading scorer Tori McKinney didn’t play and with the sophomore guard back on the perimeter, there will be a new dynamic folded in. The Bruins are still the favorite, but as Amaya Battle showed in the second round, the Gophers have a little March magic in them.
No. 2 LSU vs. No. 3 Duke, 10 p.m. ET (ESPN)
A team with 16(!) 100-point games this season will square off against one of the staunchest defenses in the country. Which style will prevail? When LSU and Duke met back in December, the Blue Devils were an absolute mess. They’d lost five of their first eight games, and made it a sixth loss against the Tigers on home court. But immediately after that loss, something clicked for Duke. Kara Lawson’s squad found it’s identity again—suffocating defense—rattled off 17 straight wins and finished the season winning 21 of its last 23 games. Meanwhile, Kim Mulkey’s team has been winning big since the season started (save for some tough SEC matchups). And in the tournament, LSU beat its first two opponents by an average of 56 points. The Blue Devils will almost certainly close the scoring gap, but can they slow down Tigers enough to knock ’em out and end Flau’jae Johnson’s college career?
More March Madness from Sports Illustrated
- What to Expect From Caleb Foster’s Likely Return in Duke-St. John’s Sweet 16 Clash
- Sweet 16 Live Updates From Loaded East Regional at Men’s March Madness
- 2026 College Basketball National Championship Odds: Who is Favored to Win March Madness?
- Betting $100 Every Day for a Year: Day 82 (Sweet 16 Picks)
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Women’s March Madness Sweet 16: Live Updates, Scores From Friday’s Games.
