2025 NCAA Basketball Women's Tournament
The 2025 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament is down to the Final Four which takes place on Friday, April 4 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. The women’s title game will take place at the same location on Sunday, April 6. The women’s Final Four in 2025 is almost as power-packed as the men’s with three of the top four seeds advancing. No. 1 seeds South Carolina and Texas will play in the first semifinal on Friday on ESPN, while No. 1 seed UCLA will face No. 2 seed Connecticut in the nightcap on ESPN. The UCLA Bruins are the No. 1 overall seed and they will be making their first Final Four appearance in the NCAA era. South Carolina is also a No. 1 seed and the overall favorite to win the national title. Head coach Dawn Staley is looking to become the first coach to lead a team to back-to-back national titles since Connecticut’s Geno Auriemma. Texas is a No. 1 seed and they will be looking to win their first title since 1986. Connecticut is a No. 2 seed and they advanced to the Final Four by defeating No. 1 seed USC who was without JuJu Watkins. The Huskies got 31 points from Paige Bueckers in that win that sent UConn to their 24th Final Four.
2025 NCAA Basketball Women’s Tournament
First Four (Play-in Round): March 18-19
Second Round: March 23-24 (Campus sites)
Sweet Sixteen: March 28-29 (Legacy Arena, Birmingham, Alabama & Spokane Arena, Spokane, Washington)
Elite Eight: March 30-31 (Legacy Arena, Birmingham, Alabama & Spokane Arena, Spokane, Washington)
Final Four: April 4 (Amalie Arena, Tampa, Florida)
Championship: April 6 (Amalie Arena, Tampa, Florida)
NCAA Basketball Betting Lines
National Semifinals (Final Four)
Friday, April 4
(1) South Carolina vs. (1) Texas, 7:00 PM | ESPN (South Carolina -4.5, O/U 125.5)
(1) UCLA vs. (2) UConn, 9:30 PM | ESPN (Connecticut -8, O/U 134.5)
2025 NCAA Tournament Results
First Four
Wednesday, March 19
(11) Iowa State 68, (11) Princeton 63
(16) Southern U. 68, (16) UC San Diego 56
Thursday, March 20
(11) Columbia 63, (11) Washington 60
(16) William & Mary 69, (16) High Point 63
First Round/Round of 64
Friday, March 21
(6) Michigan 80, (11) Iowa State 74
(4) Kentucky 79, (13) Liberty 78
(9) Indiana 76, (8) Utah 68
(3) Notre Dame 106, (14) Stephen F. Austin 54
(5) Kansas State 85, (12) Fairfield 41
(4) Baylor 73, (13) Grand Canyon 60
(2) TCU 73, (15) FDU 51
(1) South Carolina 108, (16) Tennessee Tech 48
(10) Oregon 77, (7) Vanderbilt 73 (OT)
(4) Ohio State 71, (13) Montana State 51
(5) Ole Miss 83, (12) Ball State 65
(7) Louisville 63, (10) Nebraska 58
(8) Richmond 74, (9) Georgia Tech 49
(5) Tennessee 101, (12) South Florida 66
(2) Duke 86, (15) Lehigh 25
(1) UCLA 84, (16) Southern U. 46
Saturday, March 22
(6) Iowa 92, (11) Murray State 57
(2) UConn 103, (15) Arkansas State 34
(5) Alabama 81, (12) Green Bay 67
(2) NC State 75, (15) Vermont 55
(6) West Virginia 78, (11) Columbia 59
(3) Oklahoma 81, (14) FGCU 58
(1) Southern California 71, (16) UNC Greensboro 25
(10) South Dakota State 74, (7) Oklahoma State 68
(4) Maryland 82, (13) Norfolk State 69
(3) North Carolina 70, (14) Oregon State 49
(7) Michigan State 64, (10) Harvard 50
(9) Mississippi State 59, (8) California 46
(8) Illinois 66, (9) Creighton 57
(6) Florida State 94, (11) George Mason 59
(1) Texas 105, (16) William & Mary 61
(3) LSU 103, (14) San Diego State 48
Second Round/Round of 32
Sunday, March 23
(2) Duke 59, (10) Oregon 53
(3) Notre Dame 76, (6) Michigan 55
(5) Kansas State 80, (4) Kentucky 79 (OT)
(1) South Carolina 64, (9) Indiana 53
(5) Ole Miss 69, (4) Baylor 63
(2) TCU 85, (7) Louisville 70
(5) Tennessee 82, (4) Ohio State 67
(1) UCLA 84, (8) Richmond 67
Monday, March 24
(2) NC State 83, (7) Michigan State 49
(1) Texas 65, (8) Illinois 48
(3) Oklahoma 96, (6) Iowa 62
(4) Maryland 111, (5) Alabama 108 (2OT)
(3) LSU 101, (6) Florida State 71
(3) North Carolina 58, (6) West Virginia 47
(2) UConn 91, (10) South Dakota State 57
(1) Southern California 96, (9) Mississippi State 59
Regional Semifinals/Sweet 16
Friday, March 28
(2) Duke 47, (3) North Carolina 38
(1) South Carolina 71, (4) Maryland 67
(3) LSU 80, (2) NC State 73
(1) UCLA 76, (5) Ole Miss 62
Saturday, March 29
(2) TCU 71, (3) Notre Dame 62
(1) Texas 67, (5) Tennessee 59
(2) UConn 82, (3) Oklahoma 59
(1) Southern California 67, (5) Kansas State 61
Regional Finals (Elite 8)
Sunday, March 30
(1) South Carolina 54, (2) Duke 50
(1) UCLA 72, (3) LSU 65
Monday, March 31
(1) Texas 58, (2) TCU 47
(2) UConn 78, (1) Southern California 64
Women's NCAA Tournament Format
The NCAA didn't sanction the initial tournament for women's basketball. Officially, what we know today as the Women’s NCAA Tournament was founded in 1982, and the original edition of this event had 32 teams. The bracket expanded to 36 teams in 1983, then went back to 32 teams for 1984 and 1985. Then, just as the men moved to a 64-team field in 1985, the ladies started working in that direction as well.
The first 40-team WNCAA Tournament happened in 1986, and three years later, the field expanded again to 48 teams. In 1994, the field grew to the full 64 teams we have today. The number of automatic and at-large bids only slightly fluctuated for a while, generally sticking right around 32 conference winners and 32 at-large selections. However, the Women’s NCAA Tournament followed the men in expanding to 68 teams in 2022. Unlike the men’s tournament though, the First Four is not held exclusively in Dayton, but instead the teams that are trying to qualify for the tournament proper are sent ahead to regional sites they will play at if they manage to win.
We saw another change in the Women’s NCAA Tournament in 2023. There are still 16 tournament hosts for the first and second round, but only two cities will host the Regional Finals instead of the usual four sites.
National Championship Game Winners
| YEARS |
WINNER |
RUNNER-UP |
VENUE |
| 2024 |
South Carolina |
Iowa |
Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse |
| 2023 |
LSU |
Iowa |
American Airlines Center |
| 2022 |
South Carolina |
Connecticut |
Target Center |
| 2021 |
Stanford |
Arizona |
Alamodome |
| 2020 |
Cancelled |
| 2019 |
Baylor |
Notre Dame |
Amalie Arena |
| 2018 |
Notre Dame |
Mississippi St. |
Nationwide Arena |
| 2017 |
South Carolina |
Mississippi St. |
American Airlines Center |
| 2016 |
Connecticut |
Syracuse |
Bankers Life Fieldhouse |
| 2015 |
Connecticut |
Notre Dame |
Amalie Arena |
| 2014 |
Connecticut |
Notre Dame |
Bridgestone Arena |
| 2013 |
Connecticut |
Louisville |
New Orleans Arena |
| 2012 |
Baylor |
Notre Dame |
Pepsi Center |
| 2011 |
Texas A&M |
Notre Dame |
Conseco Fieldhouse |
| 2010 |
Connecticut |
Stanford |
Alamodome |
| 2009 |
Connecticut |
Louisville |
Scottrade Center |
| 2008 |
Tennessee |
Stanford |
St. Pete Times Forum |
| 2007 |
Tennessee |
Rutgers |
Quicken Loans Arena |
| 2006 |
Maryland |
Duke |
TD Garden |
| 2005 |
Baylor |
Michigan State |
RCA Dome |
| 2004 |
Connecticut |
Tennessee |
New Orleans Arena |
| 2003 |
Connecticut |
Tennessee |
Georgia Dome |
| 2002 |
Connecticut |
Oklahoma |
Alamodome |
| 2001 |
Notre Dame |
Purdue |
Savvis Center |
| 2000 |
Connecticut |
Tennessee |
First Union Center |
| 1999 |
Purdue |
Duke |
San Jose Arena |
| 1998 |
Tennessee |
Louisiana Tech |
Kemper Arena |
| 1997 |
Tennessee |
Old Dominion |
Riverfront Coliseum |
| 1996 |
Tennessee |
Georgia |
Charlotte Coliseum |
| 1995 |
Connecticut |
Tennessee |
Target Center |
| 1994 |
North Carolina |
Louisiana Tech |
Richmond Coliseum |
| 1993 |
Texas Tech |
Ohio State |
Omni Coliseum |
| 1992 |
Stanford |
Western Kentucky |
Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena |
| 1991 |
Tennessee |
Virginia |
Lakefront Arena |
| 1990 |
Stanford |
Auburn |
Thompson-Boling Arena |
| 1989 |
Tennessee |
Auburn |
Tacoma Dome |
| 1988 |
Louisiana Tech |
Auburn |
Tacoma Dome |
| 1987 |
Tennessee |
Louisiana Tech |
Frank Erwin Center |
| 1986 |
Texas |
USC |
Rupp Arena |
| 1985 |
Old Dominion |
Georgia |
Frank Erwin Center |
| 1984 |
USC |
Tennessee |
Pauley Pavilion |
| 1983 |
USC |
Louisiana Tech |
Norfolk Scope |
| 1982 |
Louisiana Tech |
Cheyney State |
Norfolk Scope |
Most National Championships
| WINS |
TEAM |
YEARS |
| 11 |
Connecticut |
1995, 2000, 2002-2004, 2009-2010, 2013-2016 |
| 8 |
Tennessee |
1987, 1989, 1991, 1996-1998, 2007-2008 |
| 3 |
South Carolina |
2017, 2022, 2024 |
| 3 |
Stanford |
1990, 1992, 2021 |
| 3 |
Baylor |
2005, 2012, 2019 |
| 2 |
Louisiana Tech |
1982, 1988 |
| 2 |
USC |
1983, 1984 |
| 2 |
Notre Dame |
2001, 2018 |
| 1 |
LSU |
2023 |
| 1 |
Maryland |
2006 |
| 1 |
North Carolina |
1994 |
| 1 |
Old Dominion |
1985 |
| 1 |
Purdue |
1999 |
| 1 |
Texas |
1986 |
| 1 |
Texas A&M |
2011 |
| 1 |
Texas Tech |
1993 |
After a little more than two decades as THE premier program in the sport, the Connecticut Huskies’ women’s basketball team has taken a step back in recent years. UConn won 11 national championships between 1995 and 2016, but the playing field is starting to even out with South Carolina, Stanford, Baylor, and Notre Dame all claiming national titles in the last several years.
The first dynasty in women’s basketball was Tennessee, and the Volunteers are the only school to make every edition of the NCAA Tournament to date. Pat Summitt established herself as a household name by leading the Lady Vols to eight national championships, and she retired with 1,098 career wins to her name.
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