The women’s NCAA tournament is today with 16 first-round games. Top seeds South Carolina and Texas host their games this afternoon. Other notable matchups today: Angel Reese and LSU also open their March Madness slate at home with a late-afternoon contest, and Cameron Brink and Stanford are one of two night caps tonight.
Women’s March Madness games are airing and streaming across ESPN’s family of channels. USA TODAY Sports will provide the latest NCAA women’s tournament scores, highlights, upsets and more all day. Follow along.
More:Men’s March Madness live updates
March Madness women’s bracket
You can find the complete women’s March Madness bracket here.
FOLLOW THE MADNESS: NCAA basketball bracket, scores, schedules, teams and more.
NCAA women’s tournament scores
Here’s the full scoreboard for all of the women’s March Madness first-round games on Friday.
Where to watch women’s March Madness
ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNews and ABC carry games in the first and second rounds, the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight. ESPN will air Final Four games. ABC will air the national championship game. You can stream all the games in the ESPN app by logging in with your TV provider. Here’s how to watch women’s March Madness like a pro.
North Carolina coach Courtney Banghart wins big bonus
North Carolina’s win gives Tar Heels coach Courtney Banghart the 350th victory of her career. It also gives her a $50,000 bonus — not for that milestone, but for reaching the tournament’s round of 32. UNC will play South Carolina or Presbyterian on Sunday. If it’s the top-seeded Gamecocks, Sunday’s game will be a rematch for teams, which met on Nov. 30 in Chapel Hill with South Carolina winning, 65-58.
North Carolina beats Michigan State: Deja Kelly free throws clutch
Deja Kelly makes the first of two free throws, then misses the second — but she gets the rebound and gets fouled again. She again goes 1 for 2, but UNC’s Alyssa Ustby got another offensive rebound (UNC’s 18th of the game) and the Tar Heels win 59-56.
Michigan State’s monster run
After North Carolina’s Deja Kelly made one of two free throws, Michigan State’s Tory Ozment hit a layup and the Spartans keep closing in on the Tar Heels. That makes it an 11-1 run here by Michigan State, which had trailed by as many as 16 points.
After North Carolina’s Lexi Donarski made two free throws, Michigan State’s Theryn Hallock hit a three-pointer — and the Spartans are now within 57-56 with 5.4 seconds to play.
Maine hangs in vs. Ohio State entering final quarter
Maine regrouped at halftime and played Ohio State nearly even in the third quarter. But the Buckeyes lead 66-54 heading to the fourth quarter — and they exceeded 20 points in each of the first three.
Michigan State holds on
Well, just when it appeared that North Carolina had matters in hand against Michigan State, the Spartans have put together a 7-0 run to get within 54-49 with 48.2 seconds left.
And with a steal and score by DeeDee Hagemann, Michigan State is within 54-51 with 30.6 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. — Steve Berkowitz
North Carolina pulls away from Michigan State
North Carolina has gradually added to its lead over Michigan State as the fourth quarter has progressed. The Tar Heels lead 54-44 with two minutes to play as senior guard Alyssa Ustby has taken charge, totaling 16 points, 16 rebounds and six assists. Earlier this season, against Syracuse, Ustby picked up the first triple-double in UNC. That feat came amid an increase in women’s speed of play that USA TODAY Sports’ Lindsay Schnell reports on here.
Middle Tennessee vs. Louisville tips off at 1:30 p.m. ET
Looking ahead to the third game of the day in the women’s tournament: It’s No. 11 seed Middle Tennessee playing No. 6 Louisville in Baton Rouge.
These teams actually are familiar with each other. MTSU routed Louisville, 67-49, in a regular-season game early in December in Murfreesboro.
The Cardinals regrouped to make a run to the NCAA tournament final eight — the fifth consecutive season in which they accomplished that feat. Louisville also will be looking to make it 15-0 in first-round games under coach Jeff Walz, and make it seven consecutive appearances in the NCAA round of 16.
Should they win, a former Cardinal is likely waiting for them in the second round: Hailey Van Lith, who earned All-American honors last year for Louisville before transferring to LSU in the offseason.
Sisters Teonni and Tamari Key star in March Madness
It’s going to be a busy weekend for Tammy Brown.
Brown has two daughters playing in March Madness this year: Teonni Key is a sophomore guard/forward for eighth-seeded North Carolina, currently up 48-37 on ninth-seeded Michigan State in the fourth quarter. And Tamari, a senior for the sixth-seeded Tennessee Lady Vols.
Tennessee takes on 11th-seeded Green Bay, with tip scheduled for 12 p.m. ET Saturday. Can Tammy get there in time? Read more. – Lindsay Schnell
North Carolina leads Michigan State entering final quarter
Michigan State and North Carolina played to a stalemate in the third quarter of their game. North Carolina won the quarter 9-8, but neither team scored during the final 2:50. For the quarter, Michigan State made 3 of 12 shots, North Carolina 4 of 18. The Tar Heels will take a 44-35 lead to the fourth quarter.
Maine star Adrianna Smith rolls ankle
Trailing 40-22 late the second quarter, Maine had an even worse development in the final minute of the second quarter when second-leading scorer Adrianna Smith stepped on a Ohio State player’s foot and appeared to badly roll an ankle. She came into the game averaging 16.6 points per game. She had to be helped off the court. For one final bit of adversity, Ohio State hit a three-pointer at the halftime buzzer to extend its lead to 43-24. For the second quarter, the Buckeyes outscored Maine, 21-8.
Ohio State’s Jacy Sheldon passes 2,000 points
Ohio State grad student guard Jacy Sheldon just surpassed 2,000 points for her career with a layup she converted into a three-point play. She is the eighth Ohio State player to reach 2,000 points for her career.
No one in the gym is more excited about this milestone than Jacy’s sister, Emmy, who is a big part of Ohio State’s program.
Ohio State gaining on Maine
Just over halfway through the second quarter, Ohio State has started to gain control of its game against Maine. The margin was 22-16 after one quarter. It’s now 35-18, as Maine has racked up 12 turnovers, equaling its season average. Three of Maine’s starters now have two fouls, including leading scorer Anne Simon.
When does Caitlin Clark play next?
Iowa star Caitlin Clark is tipping off in her final March Madness at 3 p.m. Saturday. Clark and Iowa begin their bid to return to the NCAA women’s national championship game as the No. 1 Hawkeyes take on No. 16 Holy Cross, which blew out UT Martin in the the First Four on Thursday. This is the first time Iowa has received a No. 1 seed in the tournament since 1992. — Cydney Henderson
Get to know Maine coach Amy Vachon
While Maine certainly faces an uphill proposition against Ohio State, the Black Bears have a steady and tournament-experienced hand with coach Amy Vachon. Vachon, who attended Maine, participated in four NCAA tournaments as a player and has taken the school to two previous NCAA tournament appearances as a coach. Part of playing experience included being the point guard for a team that beat Stanford in a first round game in 1999 — Maine’s only NCAA tournament win.
Maine vs. Ohio State tips off
After one quarter, 15th-seeded Maine is hanging in against Ohio State in Columbus. The Black Bears are with 22-16, as they shot 6 for 9 from the field, including 4 for 6 from three-point range. But a potential sign: Maine committed its eighth turnover at the start of the second quarter, and its ninth shortly after. Ohio State has two turnovers so far.
Maine has averaged 12 turnovers per game this season. The team’s high this year was 22, twice: vs. LaSalle (Nov. 9) and New Hampshire (Jan. 11). Ohio State averages 13.5 turnovers per game, but its opponents this season have averaged 21.2.
Halftime score: UNC 35, Michigan State 27
Michigan State managed to cut its 16-point, mid-second-quarter deficit to eight points late in the quarter, but then with 36.8 seconds left in the half, leading scorer Julia Ayrault committed her third foul. The Spartans scored again just before the buzzer to make it 35-27, but their top two scorers will begin the third quarter with three fouls apiece. Moira Joiner committed her third early in the second quarter.
Foul trouble for Spartans stars Moira Joiner, Julia Ayrault
Michigan State managed to get its offense going a bit against North Carolina, but then three minutes into the second quarter, the team’s second-leading scorer, guard Moira Joiner, committed her third foul. That meant the Spartans’ top two scorers, Joiner and Julia Ayrault, both were in foul trouble with more than half of the quarter remaining.
Joiner sat out for about two minutes, then returned. But North Carolina extended its lead to 30-14, prompting Spartans coach Robyn Fralick to call for a timeout with just over four minutes left before halftime.
Michigan State women’s basketball struggling vs. North Carolina
The first quarter of North Carolina-Michigan State could not have gone much better for the Tar Heels — or much worse for the Spartans. Michigan State trailed 23-7 before scoring the final three point of the quarter. Amid that was a 16-2 run for North Carolina, which ended the quarter 10 of 19 from the field while Michigan State shot 3 of 10. The differential in shot attempts was largely due to Michigan State committing seven turnovers in the quarter. — Steve Berkowitz
North Carolina’s Alyssa Ustby is doing it all vs. Michigan State
Alyssa Ustby is the epitome of a do-everything player for North Carolina. After just one quarter the 6-foot-1 guard already has eight points, five rebounds, two assists and one block as UNC leads Michigan State 23-10 at the end of the first quarter.
Earlier this season, the senior recorded the program’s first-ever triple-double in an upset win over Syracuse (at the time, UNC was not ranked, but ‘Cuse was). Afterward, UNC coach Courtney Banghart told reporters that she and Ustby had a frank conversation early in the ACC season during which Banghart emphasized that good players have to play well in big games. Clearly, Ustby took those words to heart against Syracuse and today against Michigan State. Also of note: Banghart said that triple-double record came, in part, because of how much faster the women’s game is getting. — Lindsay Schnell
UNC rides layups to get early lead vs. Michigan State
North Carolina has jumped out to 15-5 lead on Michigan State, and all of the Tar Heels’ points have come on layups. Making matters worse for the Spartans, their leading scorer, grad student Julia Ayrault has already committed her second foul. — Steve Berkowitz
UNC impressing early vs. Michigan State
North Carolina has been inconsistent all season, but the way they look the first four minutes against Michigan State is reinforcing to me that when they want to be, they’re a top 20 team. — Lindsay Schnell
No. 8 North Carolina vs. No. 9 Michigan State underway
Don’t be fooled by the seeds here for No. 8 North Carolina and No. 9 Michigan State. Either of these teams could make life difficult for top-ranked South Carolina — once they get past each other. The game is airing and streaming now on ESPN2. — Lindsay Schnell
Women’s March Madness schedule today, by TV channel and time
Here is the complete NCAA women’s tournament schedule for Friday’s first-round games.
ESPN
ESPN2
ESPNU
ESPNews
What to know about UNC head coach Courtney Bangart
It’s funny that Courtney Bangart, the UNC women’s basketball coach, wound up at arguably the most dominant women’s soccer school in the country. She was originally supposed to play soccer at Dartmouth. Then the Dartmouth coach got the job at Stanford, called Bangart and said she was welcome to come to Stanford with him if she wanted, presumably on some sort of scholarship because Stanford had athletic scholarships, whereas the Ivy League doesn’t. She was so in love with Dartmouth that instead she called the Dartmouth basketball coach and asked if she could play basketball instead. That kicked off her hoops career at the collegiate level, but she still has soccer in her veins, because whenever she talks about taking a player one-on-one she says one-v-one like they do in soccer. — Lindsay Schnell
North Carolina-Michigan State history
Today’s game between No. 8 seed North Carolina and No. 9 Michigan State makes for an interesting event for Michigan State President Kevin Guskiewicz. He began the job in East Lansing on March 4 — after being North Carolina’s chancellor since 2019 and a member of the UNC faculty since 1995. And Guskiewicz is no stranger to sports. He’s a renown researcher on concussions in sports and has been involved in the NCAA and NFL setting guidelines concerning the treatment of players who suffer a concussion. — Steve Berkowitz
Women’s March Madness players to watch
Here are the players in action this afternoon in the NCAA women’s tournament.
- North Carolina G Deja Kelly (16.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.3 apg), can take over a game at any time
- Ohio State F Cotie McMahon (14.1 ppg, 6.5 rpg), who plays with a tremendous balance of passion and poise
- South Carolina G Te-Hina Paopao (47.1% from 3), the most impactful transfer of the 2023-24 season
- Texas G Madison Booker (16.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 4.9 apg), who doesn’t play like a rookie
- Virginia Tech G Georgia Amoore (19.2 ppg, 6.9 apg), one of the top floor generals in the country
— Lindsay Schnell
When does Caitlin Clark play next?
Iowa star Caitlin Clark is tipping off in her final March Madness at 3 p.m. Saturday. Clark and Iowa begin their bid to return to the NCAA women’s national championship game as the No. 1 Hawkeyes take on No. 16 Holy Cross, which blew out UT Martin in the the First Four on Thursday. This is the first time Iowa has received a No. 1 seed in the tournament since 1992. — Cydney Henderson
Women’s college basketball is faster than it’s ever been. Result: More records falling
Shortly after Alyssa Ustby recorded the first triple-double in North Carolina women’s basketball history in early January, coach Courtney Banghart was asked: Why are so many records being broken lately in women’s college basketball? What’s different about now compared to, say, 10 years ago?
“The game is so fast,” Banghart said, shaking her head in awe. “There’s so many possessions — the stats guys might know that better than me — but the talent level and speed of play is remarkable. I’ve been in this game a long time and (players today) can all do so much with the ball. There’s just more versatility as well as athleticism, and that leads to more possessions and more impact on the game.”
As the women’s tournament tips off Friday, more eyeballs are on the game than ever. Much of that attention can be directly attributed to Caitlin Clark, the Iowa superstar who has spent her four-year career shattering records (and TV ratings). Read Lindsay Schnell’s full story.
Women’s March Madness games today
Here’s the complete schedule.
Women’s March Madness predictions
Here are the USA TODAY Sports staff’s predictions for all 16 games:
- Nancy Armour: North Carolina, Ohio State, Middle Tennessee, South Carolina, Duke, Texas, Virginia Tech, LSU, Kansas State, Florida State, Vanderbilt, Colorado, Maryland, Oregon State, Stanford, Nebraska.
- Scooby Axson: North Carolina, Ohio State, Louisville, South Carolina, Duke, Texas, Virginia Tech, LSU, Kansas State, Alabama, Baylor, Colorado, Iowa State, Oregon State, Stanford, Nebraska.
- Ellen Horrow: North Carolina, Ohio State, Louisville, South Carolina, Duke, Texas, Virginia Tech, LSU, Kansas State, Alabama, Baylor, Colorado, Maryland, Oregon State, Stanford, Nebraska.
- Lindsay Schnell: North Carolina, Ohio State, Louisville, South Carolina, Duke, Texas, Virginia Tech, LSU, Kansas State, Florida State, Baylor, Colorado, Iowa State, Oregon State, Stanford, Nebraska.
Women’s March Madness upset predictions
USA TODAY Sports’ Nancy Armour picked No. 12 Vanderbilt to upset No. 5 Baylor, No. 11 MIddle Tennessee to upset No. 6 Louisville and No. 10 Maryland to upset No. 7 Iowa State. Check out all of Nancy Armour’s picks here.
Women’s basketball stars to watch in March Madness 2024
The Hawkeyes’ Caitlin Clark is poised for another Final Four run after her landmark season where she broke Pete Maravich’s all-time scoring record. LSU’s Angel Reese, Stanford’s Cameron Brink, Connecticut’s Paige Bueckers and South Carolina’s Te-Hina Paopao are hoping to stand in the way of her first national title.
NCAA women’s tournament locations 2024
A quick reminder that like in 2023, the women’s tournament will have two “super” regionals, meaning there will be four Sweet 16 and two Elite Eight games at each site. This change was made in an effort to draw more fans, and worked well last year. Given the star power in the game this season — Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Paige Bueckers — you can expect more of the same.
First round
- Dates: March 22-23
- Venues and locations: Colonial Life Arena (Columbia, S.C.); Moody Center (Austin, Texas); Value City Arena (Columbus, Ohio); Maples Pavilion (Stanford, Calif.); Pete Maravich Assembly Center (Baton Rouge, La.); Gill Coliseum (Corvallis, Ore.); Cassell Coliseum (Blacksburg, Va.); Bramlage Coliseum (Manhattan, Kan).; Carver-Hawkeye Arena (Iowa City, Iowa); Galen Center (Los Angeles, Calif.); Purcell Pavilion (South Bend, Ind.); Pauley Pavilion (Los Angeles, Calif.); Gampel Pavilion (Storrs, Conn.), Reynolds Coliseum (Raleigh, N.C.); Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall (Bloomington, Ind.); McCarthey Athletic Center (Spokane, Wash).
Second round
- Dates: March 24-25
- Venues and locations: Colonial Life Arena (Columbia, S.C.); Moody Center (Austin, Texas); Value City Arena (Columbus, Ohio); Maples Pavilion (Stanford, Calif.); Pete Maravich Assembly Center (Baton Rouge, La.); Gill Coliseum (Corvallis, Ore.); Cassell Coliseum (Blacksburg, Va.); Bramlage Coliseum (Manhattan, Kan).; Carver-Hawkeye Arena (Iowa City, Iowa); Galen Center (Los Angeles, Calif.); Purcell Pavilion (South Bend, Ind.); Pauley Pavilion (Los Angeles, Calif.); Gampel Pavilion (Storrs, Conn.), Reynolds Coliseum (Raleigh, N.C.); Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall (Bloomington, Ind.); McCarthey Athletic Center (Spokane, Wash).
| Round | Locations | Venues | Dates |
| Sweet 16 | Portland | Moda Center | March 29-30 |
| Sweet 16 | Albany, N.Y. | Times Union Center | March 29-30 |
| Elite Eight | Portland | Moda Center | March 31-April 1 |
| Elite Eight | Albany, N.Y. | Times Union Center | March 31-April 1 |
| Final Four | Cleveland | Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse | April 5 |
| National championship | Cleveland | Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse | April 7 |
Women’s March Madness schedule
Here is the women’s schedule:
- First round: March 22-23
- Second round: March 24-25
- Sweet 16: March 29-30
- Elite Eight: March 31-April 1
- Final Four: Friday, April 5 at 7:30 and 9 p.m. ET on ESPN
- NCAA championship game: Sunday, April 7 at 3 p.m. ET on ABC
How to watch women’s March Madness like a pro
So, you’re going to watch women’s March Madness. Is this your first time? If so, welcome. The women’s game is growing at a rapid rate, and we’re happy to have you here. You’ve picked a great time to join the party, given the star power of players like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, who are playing in their last March Madness. But don’t worry, there’s plenty of young superstars in the game too, from JuJu Watkins (Southern Cal) to Hannah Hidalgo (Notre Dame)to Madison Booker (Texas) and a whole host of others.
Filling out men’s brackets has always been par for the course but this year, nearly every bracket competition has seen a significant uptick in people filling out women’s brackets. There’s no question the women’s tournament is going to shine this year — maybe even outshine the men’s — and we’re here to help you enjoy it. So let’s talk semantics, so you can have the best women’s tournament viewing experience possible. — Lindsay Schnell
Who won the 2023 women’s basketball national championship?
Last year’s NCAA Tournament featured the most-watched Final Four in the sport’s history when Iowa handed South Carolina a rare loss and then lost a nail-biter to LSU in the championship.
