The time has come. March Madness is upon us and, if you’re anything like us, you’ve been planning your entire schedule around watching the women’s tournament. If you’re unfamiliar with March Madness, or have been living under a rock, March Madness is the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1 Basketball Tournament. It is a single-elimination tournament held in March and April, featuring seven rounds of college basketball. The tournament is split into four regional divisions of 16 teams each.
With 64 possible choices, picking which team to root for may seem impossible. So, to help you not seem like a bandwagon fan when the Final Four rolls around, we’ve picked out some notable teams for you to root for—from the top seeds to possible Cinderella stories.
The tournament will start Friday, March 20 at 11:30 a.m. with a matchup between Duke University and the College of Charleston.
The Regional Number One Seeds
University of Connecticut (UConn) Huskies (No. 1 overall)
The UConn Huskies are the reigning national champions after beating South Carolina in the title game last season, in large part due to the efforts of then–graduate student Paige Bueckers. Bueckers was a first pick in the 2025 WNBA draft and averaged 24.8 points per game (PPG) for the Huskies in the tournament last year. Even without Bueckers this season, the Huskies have gone undefeated and are favored to win the tournament again. With sophomore Sarah Strong—a favorite for national player of the year—and DMV native and senior Azzi Fudd averaging a combined 33 PPG, UConn is likely unbeatable. The Huskies will look to add to their record number of 12 national championships this spring.
Next game: No. 1 UConn vs. No. 16 UTSA (Saturday, 3:00 p.m. EDT on ABC)
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Bruins (No. 2 overall)
The UCLA Bruins have a 31–1 overall record this season and have not lost since they played the University of Texas in November. The Bruins won their second straight Big Ten tournament title this month and have five projected WNBA first-round players in their starting lineup, including Lauren Betts (16.4 PPG) and Sidwell Friends School graduate Kiki Rice (15.3 PPG). However, they could have one of the hardest paths to the Final Four, with LSU (No. 5 overall), Duke (No. 8), Ole Miss (No. 20) and Minnesota (No. 9) all in the Regional 2 Sacramento with the Bruins. UCLA is coming off a Final Four appearance last year and an undefeated conference season this year. If there’s ever a season for head coach Cori Close and the Bruins to go all the way, it’s this one.
Next game: No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 16 California Baptist (Saturday, 10:00 p.m. EDT on ESPN)
The University of Texas at Austin Longhorns (No. 3 overall)
The Texas Longhorns enter the tournament on an eight-game winning streak after upsetting South Carolina in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) tournament championship. Led by junior Madison Booker (18.9 PPG) and graduate student Rori Harmon (8.4 PPG), the Longhorns have their sights set on another Final Four after the team made the finals last year. After a knee injury kept Harmon out of the 2023–24 NCAA tournament, and the Longhorns lost in the Final Four last year, Harmon is looking to win her first championship in her final year of eligibility.
This season, the Longhorns have racked up impressive wins against highly ranked teams. They have had the third-highest strength of schedule (which measures the difficulty of a team’s schedule based on their opponents’ records, as well as other factors), and notably beat South Carolina twice and UCLA once.
Next game: No. 1 Texas vs. No. 16 Missouri State (Friday, 4:00 p.m. EDT on ESPN)
University of South Carolina Gamecocks (No. 4 overall)
In the past few years, South Carolina has cemented their name as one of the powerhouses in women’s college basketball, winning the championship two years ago and coming in second to UConn last year. While the team lost four starters from last season, they’re still coming into the tournament as a No. 1 seed for the sixth year in a row, led by sophomore Joyce Edwards (19.6 PPG) and fifth-year guard Raven Johnson (10.3 PPG). South Carolina has had a chip on their shoulder since losing to Texas in the SEC championship game, and the Gamecocks have historically stepped up to the challenge when they are looking for revenge.
Next game: No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 16 Southern (Saturday, 1:00 p.m. EDT on ABC)
Other Notable Teams
A “Cinderella” Team: Tennessee Lady Volunteers (No. 10 in Fort Worth 3)
Despite their low seed in the tournament, the Tennessee Lady Vols are a force to be reckoned with. They have held their own in matchups against high-seeded opponents, including a narrow loss to Texas in February. Head coach Kim Caldwell implements a hockey-style substitution—with five players substituting at a time—that ensures players on the court have high energy at all times. Ten of her players average double-digit minutes. With energy coming off the bench, Tennessee aggressively presses their opponents, averaging 10.4 steals per game. Second-team All-SEC honoree Talaysia Cooper leads the way with 15.7 PPG, and freshman Mia Pauldo averages 10.6 PPG. The Lady Vols will certainly put up a fight against their first-round opponent, NC State, and despite being the lower seed could go far in the tournament.
Next game: No. 7 NC State vs. No. 10 Tennessee (Friday, 8:00 p.m. EDT on ESPN)
Rising Stars: University of Michigan Wolverines (No. 2 in Fort Worth 3)
If you’re looking for a team to support in the long run, Michigan is your best bet. Nine of their players are underclassmen, and they’re delivering despite their age. Their top four scorers—Olivia Olson, Syla Swords, Mila Holloway and Te’Yala Delfosse—are all sophomores. This season, the team has held their own against a competitive Big Ten conference. Additionally, they’ve given some strong teams a run for their money: The Wolverines only lost by three against No. 1–ranked UConn in November. The Huskies, on average, win games by over 30 points. This year, Michigan earned their highest tournament seed ever in program history, and they’re hungry for more. They’ll be joined next year by two four-star recruits, Fope Ayo and Devin Cosgriff, who have experience competing at a high level and are sure to impact Michigan’s game in the coming seasons.
Next game: No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 15 Holy Cross (Friday, 5:30 p.m. EDT on ESPN2)
Hometown Heroes: University of Maryland Terrapins (No. 5 in Fort Worth 1)
With their close proximity to GDS and good chances of going deep into the tournament, the Maryland Terrapins are the local team to root for. Maryland has repeatedly proven that they are ready for March, earning themselves a fifth seed going into the tournament. Head Coach Brenda Frese has been with the team for 24 seasons and has taken them to 22 national tournaments—including 12 Sweet Sixteen appearances. Maryland has proved themselves against multiple ranked teams throughout the season, beating Minnesota (No. 9 overall) in December and Ohio State (No. 15) in February. Maryland is also ranked third in the Big Ten for both PPG and rebounds per game (RPG). Led by junior Oluchi Okananwa (18 PPG, 5.5 RPG), the team is looking to dominate in their first matchup against 12th-ranked Murray State.
Next game: No. 5 Maryland vs. No. 12 Murray State (Friday, 3:00 p.m. EDT on ESPNU)
Our Bracket:
While the start of March Madness may seem completely overwhelming, we’ve created our own bracket to give you a place to start. In future articles, we’ll keep track of how our predictions hold up and give more in-depth analysis of the teams in the Sweet Sixteen and beyond.
