The first round of the 2025 NCAA Women’s Tournament has concluded, revealing a mix of thrilling matchups and setting the table for highly anticipated second-round contests. Among these, a notable rematch from the previous year’s Sweet 16 will feature the South Carolina Gamecocks facing off against the Indiana Hoosiers.

As the tournament progresses, the UCLA Bruins, under the leadership of Lauren Betts and Kiki Rice, stand out as the top overall seed. However, they face fierce competition from the defending champions, the South Carolina Gamecocks, aiming to secure back-to-back titles, and the talented USC Trojans led by JuJu Watkins. The Texas Longhorns also make the roster of No. 1 seeds, boasting an impressive 31 wins this season.

Bracket Pools and Competition

March Madness is best enjoyed with friends, so it’s time to gather your friends, family, and colleagues to join in on the bracket challenge. With just two double-digit seeds advancing—namely (10) Oregon and (10) South Dakota State—the competition remains intense. Numerous other formidable teams are positioned to disrupt the dominance of the higher seeds as they navigate towards the Sweet 16.

A unique aspect of the women’s tournament is that the top-seeded teams host the pioneering matches in four-team pods during the initial rounds. The tournament will then transition to Birmingham, Alabama, and Spokane, Washington, for the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight before concluding in Tampa, Florida, for the Final Four and the national championship.

Round of 32 Matchups

The second round of the tournament is set to commence on March 23, featuring the following matchups:

Sunday, March 23

• Noon ET: (2) Duke 59, (10) Oregon 53 – Cameron Indoor Stadium, Durham, NC (ESPN)
• 1 PM ET: (3) Notre Dame 76, (6) Michigan 55 – Purcell Pavilion, South Bend, IN (ABC)
• 2 PM ET: (5) Kansas State 80, (4) Kentucky 79 (OT) – Memorial Coliseum, Lexington, KY (ESPN)
• 3 PM ET: (1) South Carolina 64, (9) Indiana 53 – (ABC)
• 4 PM ET: (4) Baylor vs. (5) Ole Miss – Foster Pavilion, Waco, TX (ESPN)
• 6 PM ET: (2) TCU vs. (7) Louisville – Schollmaier Arena, Fort Worth, TX (ESPN)
• 8 PM ET: (4) Ohio State vs. (5) Tennessee – Schottenstein Center, Columbus, OH (ESPN)
• 10 PM ET: (1) UCLA vs. (8) Richmond – Pauley Pavilion, Los Angeles, CA (ESPN)

Monday, March 24

• Noon ET: (2) NC State vs. (7) Michigan State – Reynolds Coliseum, Raleigh, NC (ESPN)
• 2 PM ET: (1) Texas vs. (8) Illinois – Moody Center, Austin, TX (ESPN)
• 4 PM ET: (3) Oklahoma vs. (6) Iowa – Lloyd Noble Center, Norman, OK (ESPN)
• 5 PM ET: (4) Maryland vs. (5) Alabama – Xfinity Center, College Park, MD (ESPN2)
• 6 PM ET: (3) LSU vs. (6) Florida State – Pete Maravich Assembly Center, Baton Rouge, LA (ESPN)
• 7 PM ET: (3) North Carolina vs. (6) West Virginia – Carmichael Arena, Chapel Hill, NC (ESPN2)
• 8 PM ET: (2) UConn vs. (10) South Dakota State – Gampel Pavilion, Storrs, CT (ESPN)
• 10 PM ET: (1) USC vs. (9) Mississippi State – Galen Center, Los Angeles, CA (ESPN)

Looking Ahead

Fans are eagerly anticipating the upcoming matches. The Sweet 16 is scheduled for March 28 and 29, followed by the Elite Eight on March 30 and 31, all taking place in Birmingham and Spokane. The Final Four will unfold in Tampa, Florida, on April 4, culminating with the national championship on April 6.