• Women’s March Madness is here! The 2025 NCAA Tournament bracket will be released on Selection Sunday.
• Follow along for live updates on the 68-team women’s basketball bracket reveal.

The women’s college basketball bracket reveal for the 2025 NCAA tournament is happening now on the Selection Sunday show, with 68 teams getting their March Madness seeds. Among the favorites to win this year are Lauren Betts and UCLA, JuJu Watkins and USC, MiLaysia Fulwiley and South Carolina, Madison Booker and Texas, and Paige Bueckers and UConn.

USA TODAY Sports is providing the latest bracket reveal updates, news, analysis and more throughout the day. Follow along. 

UCLA women’s basketball gets No. 1 overall seed

Lauren Betts and the UCLA Bruins earned the No. 1 overall seed in the 2025 NCAA women’s tournament, a first for the program. They will face the winner of UC San Diego vs. Southern in the First Four. Here’s the full Spokane Regional 1 bracket:

• No. 1 UCLA vs. UC San Diego/Southern winner (LA)
• No. 8 Richmond vs. No. 9 Georgia Tech (LA)
• No. 5 Ole Miss vs. No. 12 Ball State (Waco, Texas)
• No. 4 Baylor vs. No. 13 Grand Canyon (Waco, Texas)
• No. 6 Florida State vs. No. 11 George Mason (Baton Rouge, La.)
• No. 3 LSU vs. No. 14 San Diego State(Baton Rouge, La.)
• No. 7 Michigan State vs. No. 10 Harvard (Raleigh, N.C.)
• No. 2 NC State vs. No. 15 Vermont (Raleigh, N.C.)

WOMEN’S BRACKET MADNESS: Enter USA TODAY’s Women’s Bracket Challenge for a chance at $1 million prize.

WBB March Madness bracket

Here’s a blank printable NCAA women’s tournament bracket with teams.

South Carolina women’s basketball gets No. 1 seed in Region 2

South Carolina has been the No. 1 overall seed of the NCAA Tournament every year since 2021, until now. UCLA, who handed South Carolina its first loss of the season in November, earned the No. 1 overall seed. The defending champion Gamecocks still earned a No. 1 seed in the Birmingham 2 Regional, but based off the looks of their watch party, they aren’t happy about it. The Gamecocks did not cheer when their name was announced, like many other teams on the bracket reveal broadcast did. 

“I’m a little bit surprised,” South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley said on ESPN after the bracket was revealed, “because we manufacture our schedule and put ourselves in position to be the No. 1 overall seed. I do think if you do the blind test and put our resume against any other team in the field, I think you’d pick us. That’s just plain and simple.

“It’s not going to be a motivation for us moving forward. It’s hard enough to win a national championship. We don’t need a chip on our shoulder. I do need to voice the fact that we put our schedule together — we’ve got the most Quad 1 wins. If having more Quad 1 wins doesn’t supercede some of the hiccups we had during the season, I don’t know what will.”

Here’s the full Birmingham Regional 2 bracket:

• No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 16 Tennessee Tech (Columbia, S.C.)
• No. 8 Utah vs. No. 9 Indiana (Columbia, S.C.)
• No. 5 Alabama vs. No. 12 Green Bay (College Park, Md.)
• No. 4 Maryland vs. No. 13 Norfolk State (College Park, Md.) 
• No. 6 West Virginia vs. No. 11 Columbia/Washington winner (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
• No. 3 UNC vs. No. 14 Oregon State (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
• No. 7 Vanderbilt vs. No. 10 Oregon (Durham, N.C.)
• No. 2 Duke vs. No. 15 Lehigh (Durham, N.C.)

Texas women’s basketball earns No. 1 seed in Region 3

Madison Booker and the Texas Longhorns are the No. 1 seed in Region 3. They will face the winner of High Point vs. Washington, who play in the First Four. Here’s the full Brimingham Regional 3 bracket:

• No. 1 Texas vs. No. 16 High Point/Washington winner (Austin, Texas)
• No. 8 Illinois vs. No. 9 Creighton (Austin, Texas)
• No. 5 Tennessee vs. No. 12 South Florida (Columbis, Ohio)
• No. 4 Ohio State vs. No. 13 Montana State (Columbis, Ohio)
• No. 6 Michigan vs. No. 11 Iowa State/Princeton winner (Notre Dame, Ind.)
• No. 3 Notre Dame vs. No. 14 Stephen F. Austin (Notre Dame, Ind.)
• No. 7 Louisville vs. No. 10 Nebraska (Fort Worth, Texas)
• No. 2 TCU vs. No. 15 FDU (Fort Worth, Texas)

USC women’s basketball gets No. 1 seed in Region 4

JuJu Watkins and the USC Trojans have earned a top seed in Region 4. Here’s the full bracket for Region 4:

• No. 1 USC vs. No. 16 UNC Greensboro (LA)
• No. 8 California vs. No. 9 Mississippi St. (LA)
• No. 5 Kansas State vs. No. 12 Fairfield (Lexington, Ky.)
• No. 4 Kentucky vs. No. 13 Liberty (Lexington, Ky.)
• No. 6 Iowa vs. No. 11 Murray State (Norman, Okla.) 
• No. 3 Oklahoma vs. No. 14 Florida Gulf Coast (Norman, Okla.)
• No. 7 Oklahoma State vs. No. 10 South Dakota State (Storrs, Conn.)
• No. 2 UConn vs. No. 15 Arkansas State (Storrs, Conn.)

Women’s March Madness schedule

Here is the schedule for the first-round games in the women’s NCAA Tournament. Games times will be announced soon.

Friday

• (1) UCLA vs. (16) UC San Diego/Southern U.
• (8) Richmond vs. (9) Georgia Tech
• (5) Ole Miss vs. (12) Ball State
• (4) Baylor vs. (13) Grand Canyon
• (1) South Carolina vs. (16) Tennessee Tech
• (8) Utah vs. (9) Indiana
• (7) Vanderbilt vs. (10) Oregon
• (5) Tennessee vs. (12) South Florida
• (4) Ohio State vs. (13) Montana State
• (3) Notre Dame vs. (14) Stephen F. Austin
• (7) Louisville vs. (10) Nebraska 
• (2) TCU vs. (15) FDU
• (5) Kansas State vs. (12) Fairfield
• (4) Kentucky vs. (13) Liberty

Saturday

• (6) Florida State vs. (11) George Mason
• (3) LSU vs. (14) San Diego State
• (7) Michigan State vs. (10) Harvard
• (2) NC State vs. (15) Vermont
• (5) Alabama vs. (12) Green Bay
• (4) Maryland vs. (13) Norfolk State
• (6) West Virginia vs. (11) Columbia/Washington
• (3) North Carolina vs. (14) Oregon State
• (2) Duke vs. (15) Lehigh
• (1) Texas vs. (16) High Point/William & Mary
• (8) Illinois vs. (9) Creighton
• (6) Michigan vs. (11) Iowa State/Princeton
• (1) Southern California vs. (16) UNC Greensboro
• (8) California vs. (9) Mississippi State
• (6) Iowa vs. (11) Murray State
• (3) Oklahoma vs. (14) FGCU
• (7) Oklahoma State vs. (10) South Dakota State
• (2) UConn vs. (15) Arkansas State

Did South Carolina women’s basketball get snubbed not being top overall seed?

South Carolina women’s basketball had been the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament each of the last four years. That streak came to an end on Sunday night when UCLA earned the spot.

“There were two key factors between UCLA and South Carolina,” Derita Dawkins, chair of selection committee, said on Sunday night. “One was the head to head matchup and the other was one of our criteria which was competitive in losses and South Carolina suffered a 29-point loss to UConn.”

ESPN analyst Charlie Crème made his case for why Dawn Staley’s South Carolina team should have been the overall No. 1 seed over UCLA. “I thought they should have been the No. 1 overall seed, more Quad 1 wins than any other team in the country,” he said. South Carolina is 

16-3 in Quad 1 games. (UCLA was 13-2 in Quad 1 games, according to NET rankings.)

South Carolina (30-3) also won more big games against all the best teams, Crème said.

“Now you have given Dawn Staley a little more motivation.” —

Roxanna Scott and Nancy Armour

Who will win women’s March Madness? Odds, favorites

South Carolina’s experience and proven ability to win NCAA women’s tournament, having triumphed in two of the past three seasons, is enough to lift it over UCLA for now, according to BetMGM.

• South Carolina (+275)
• UConn (+280)
• UCLA (+500)
• USC (+525)
• Texas (+600)
• Notre Dame (+600)
• NC State (+4000)
• LSU (+6600)
• Duke (+10000)
• Tennessee (+10000)

Women’s March Madness snubs

This is unfamiliar territory for Stanford. For the first time since 1987, the Cardinal will miss the NCAA tournament, ending a streak of 36 consecutive appearances. Only Tennessee, which has made every tournament since it began in 1982, has had a longer run.

Stanford won five of its last six regular-season games to give it a shot of sneaking into the tournament. But at 16-13, the Cardinal needed to make a run in the ACC tournament and that didn’t happen. Stanford bowed out in the first round, losing to Clemson.

“We’re not going to let this one game define us or who we are,” first-year coach Kate Paye said after the loss.

Stanford isn’t the only notable name to miss out on the NCAA tournament. Here’s a look at some of the other NCAA women’s tournament snubs.

Why Maryland over Ole Miss for the rights to host games?

Ole Miss was on the bubble to land a top-16 seed, which would have allowed the Rebels to host games in Oxford. Derita Dawkins, chair of the selection committee, was asked by ESPN’s Holly Rowe what gave Maryland the edge over Ole Miss.

“When you look at the wins against top 100 NET, that tips to Maryland,” she said. “When you look at the total number of losses, that tips to Maryland.”

The Rebels (20-10) are a No. 5 seed and are slated to play No. 12 Ball State (27-7) in Waco, Texas, on Friday. Maryland (23-7), a No. 4 seed, will host No. 13 Norfolk State in College Park on Saturday. It’s the Terps’ 15th consecutive NCAA Tournament bid.

USC, UConn on NCAA Tournament collison course

USC got the best of its crosstown rival UCLA in both of their regular-season matchups. The Bruins, however, got their revenge when it mattered most and bested USC in epic comeback fashion in the Big 10 Title game, which helped UCLA lock in the No. 1 overall seed of the NCAA Tournament. The Trojans have arguably the best player in college basketball in JuJu Watkins, who has been rewriting the history books. Can Watkins lead USC to its first NCAA title since 1984? If the chalk holds, the Trojans will have to go through the UConn Huskies, again. The Huskies, led by Paige Bueckers, ousted the Trojans in the Elite Eight last year, but USC recently defeated UConn in December. — Cydney Henderson

Notre Dame women’s basketball drops to No. 3 seed

If Notre Dame was looking for motivation, the Irish have it. A No. 1 seed in the last field projection, Notre Dame plummeted to a No. seed 3 seed in the Birmingham 3 regional. The Irish will play Stephen F. Austin at home in the first-round. Big a drop as Notre Dame took, it’s not a complete surprise. The Irish went 2-3 in their last five games, and didn’t even reach the ACC title game. — Nancy Armour

South Carolina women’s basketball going for March Madness history

South Carolina is trying to become the first school since UConn to repeat as national champion. And to join UConn, Tennessee and Southern California as the only schools to go back-to-back.

That’s right, since the tournament began in 1982, only these three schools have been repeat champions. USC won in 1983 and 1984; Tennessee did it twice, in 1996-98 and 2007-08; while UConn has done it three times, 2002-04, 2009-10 and 2013-16.

This will be South Carolina’s third try at going back-to-back. It reached the Final Four in 2023 only to be upset by Caitlin Clark and Iowa. The Gamecocks lost to UConn in the Elite Eight in 2018, a year after winning their first title. 

When does women’s March Madness start?

Here is the women’s schedule: 

• Selection Sunday: 8 p.m. ET Sunday, March 16 on ESPN
• First Four: March 19-20
• First round: March 21-22
• Second round: March 23-24
• Sweet 16: March 28-29
• Elite Eight: March 30-March 31
• Final Four: Friday, April 4, 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, hosted at Amalie Arena in Tampa. Second game starts 30 minutes after first game ends.
• NCAA championship game: Sunday, April 6 at 3 p.m. ET on ABC, hosted at Amalie Arena in Tampa.

UCLA women’s basketball working toward program history

Will this be the season that UCLA women’s basketball finally breaks through and advances to the Final Four? The Lady Bruins have yet to make a Final Four appearance in program history, advancing as far as the Elite Eight (1999, 2018) twice and Sweet Sixteen nine times, most recently last season.

NCAA women’s basketball tournament sites 2025

The 2025 NCAA women’s tournament will feature two super regionals, with two 16-team brackets at each regional, which are in Spokane, Wash., and Birmingham, Ala. That means two teams will qualify for the Final Four at each regional. First- and second-round games are played at campus sites, with the top four seeds in each of the four regions hosting. Location and venues for the First Four, as well as those first- and second-round campus sites, will be determined on Selection Sunday. 

Notre Dame women’s basketball powered by two stars

Notre Dame’s backcourt has been the best in women’s basketball all season long, powered by Olivia Miles and Hannah Hidalgo.

Miles missed the entire 2023-24 season due to a knee injury, but made a statement in her first game back with a 20-point, 10-rebound and 10-assist triple-double to open the season on Nov. 4. She became the first player in ACC history to record back-to-back triple-doubles a month later against Loyola and Virginia. Miles’ three triple-doubles lead the nation. The floor general also leads the ACC in assists per game (5.8). Notre Dame stumbled to the finish line, dropping back-to-back games to NC State and Florida State in late February, but expect Miles to dazzle in her first NCAA Tournament since 2023. 

Hidalgo is the fourth-leading scorer in the nation at 24.2 points per game and ranks fourth in the country in steals (3.7 per game). Hidalgo was named the ACC’s Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year (for the second consecutive season), becoming only the third player in ACC history to win both in the same season.

UConn women’s basketball led by superstar Paige Bueckers 

It takes a lot to set yourself apart at UConn, but Paige Bueckers has managed to do it. Bueckers was named Most Outstanding Player of the Big East tournament, making her the first player to win it three times. Bueckers had 24 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals in UConn’s 70-50 win over Creighton. 

“You work entirely for this moment,” Bueckers said. 

Bueckers was the first to win national Player of the Year honors as a freshman, when she also led UConn to the Final Four. Injuries derailed her next two seasons, and she played just 17 games. But she has been outstanding the last two years, leading UConn back to the Final Four last year and putting them in position to make another deep run this year. 

“It was a dream since I was a kid, and it’s been everything I could dream of,” Bueckers said of her UConn career. “I can’t be grateful enough.” — Nancy Armour 

William & Mary women’s basketball makes history with NCAA Tournament bid

The William & Mary women’s basketball team pulled off a 66-63 win over Campbell in the Coastal Athletic Association tournament on Sunday to earn an automatic bid in the NCAA Tournament, the first time the school has reached March Madness. It was also the first time in program history the Tribe captured a CAA tournament championship. Bella Nascimento led the way with a double-double of 11 rebounds and 33 points on 14-of-26 shooting.

Grand Canyon women’s basketball winning streak 

With the nation’s longest active winning streak, Grand Canyon makes its first trip to March Madness. The Lopes collected their 30th consecutive victory by beating UT-Arlington for the WAC tournament championship. 

A video of coach Molly Miller went viral when players stunned her with an ice water bath in the locker room, and she celebrated by making angels in the puddle on the floor. The Lopes are led by senior guard Trinity San Antonio, the WAC player of the year who averages 15.7 and 5.5 assists. 

JuJu Watkins’ defense is what makes USC so dangerous 

JuJu Watkins’ glitzy offensive stats are enough to earn her national player of the year honors. It’s her defense that’s going to make USC so dangerous heading into the NCAA tournament. 

“How she has developed into the two-way player that she is is really remarkable,” USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said after the Trojans’ escaped with an 84-79 win that was even tighter than the scoreline indicates. 

“The ways that she makes game-changing plays and makes something out of nothing for us and takes away something that looks easy for the other team is really tremendous,” Gottlieb added. “Look, you guys probably know how I feel about it. I think she’s the Player of the Year nationally for a number of different reasons. But I am glad that her game-changing ability on the defensive end is being talked about a little bit more because you see it.” 

Read Nancy Armour’s full story on JuJu Watkins’ defense. 

Women’s basketball stars to watch in March Madness 

The NCAA Tournament championship is going to come down to stellar performances from the best players on the court. So here are the top 10 players in women’s basketball. The list includes: USC’s JuJu Watkins, UConn’s Paige Bueckers, Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo and Olivia Miles and UCLA’s Lauren Betts. 

George Mason women’s basketball makes turnaround to reach March Madness

George Mason was winless in the Atlantic 10 four years ago. Last week, the Patriots beat St. Joseph’s to win the conference tournament. It also was George Mason’s 28th win, extending the program’s single-season record.

“We asked these players, four years ago, to believe in something that was nowhere near present,” Patriots coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis said, according to The Washington Post.

How does Selection Sunday work? 

On Selection Sunday, the full women’s bracket will be revealed on ESPN, along with matchups and locations for every first- and second-round game. A 12-person selection committee decides who will be in the tournament, as well as where each team is seeded and plays. Derita Dawkins, assistant vice chancellor and deputy athletics director at Arkansas, is the chair of the women’s committee. 

NCAA Tournament bracket challenge 2025 

The USA TODAY Sports Bracket Challenge is back. There’s a $1 million grand prize for a perfect bracket. The Challenge is free to enter for those age 21 and over. Terms apply, void where prohibited by law. See official rules and get in the game.