March 21, 2026, 8:24 a.m. ET
The second day of the Women’s NCAA Tournament will get underway Saturday with matchups throughout the nation. Sixteen video games might be held throughout eight websites. The prime 4 seeds in every bracket play host to first- and second-round video games.
Odds say we’ll see a repeat Final Four with UConn, UCLA, Texas and South Carolina. There are 64 different groups who need to have a say in that.
The opening day of the event did not see any upsets, however No. 6 Baylor did have a close call with No. 11 Nebraska.
The instances listed can differ barely if previous contests run lengthy, however there ought to all the time be one thing taking place all through the afternoon and night hours. Here’s the rating of all the video games and the whole lot that you must find out about tips on how to watch Saturday’s contests.
1. No. 9 Syracuse vs. No. 8 Iowa State
Time/TV: 5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2
This might be a conflict of two facilities at the prime of their sport. Iowa State is armed with Audi Crooks, the nation’s third-leading scorer at 25.2 factors per sport. Syracuse is anchored by ACC Freshman of the Year, who averages 15.5 factors, 9.4 rebounds and a pair of.6 blocks per sport.
2. No. 9 Princeton vs. No. 8 Oklahoma State
Time/TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Two high-powered offenses will attempt to outshoot one another on this sport. The Cowgirls rank in the prime 30 nationally in most taking pictures metrics and have scored at the least 80 factors 16 instances this season and are undefeated when doing so. Princeton is twenty sixth in factors per-play and twenty eighth in free throw share. Two gamers to look at are Madison St. Rose for the Tigers and Stailee Heard from Oklahoma State.
3. No. 11 Fairfield vs. No. 6 Notre Dame
Time/TV: 2 p.m. ET, ESPN
We’re on upset watch right here. While Notre Dame is powered by two-time ACC Player of the Year Hannah Hidalgo, the Irish aren’t all that good at defending shooters. They rank 296th in subject objective protection, 198th in 3-point protection, and 272nd in efficient subject objective protection. The Irish are 6-7 this season when an opponent makes at the least six 3-pointers. Meanwhile, Fairfield leads the nation in 3-pointers made per sport with 11.4. The Stags, coached by Carly Thibault-DuDonis, are in the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive season.
4. No. 9 USC vs. No. 8 Clemson
Time/TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2
The vibes are excessive proper now for Clemson, which is dancing for the first time since 2019 and the second time since 2002. The Tigers ended their season on a excessive notice below second-year coach Shawn Poppie, securing their place in the event subject with an upset win over Duke, a victory on the street at Cal and an ACC Tournament conquer Virginia. USC has had an up-and-down season with out JuJu Watkins, however are powered by Jazzy Davidson, a contender for National Freshman of the Year.
5. No. 11 Rhode Island vs. No. 6 Alabama
Time/TV: 2:30 p.m. ET, ESPNEWS
The Rams are in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1996 and second time in program historical past. Tammi Reiss’ workforce isn’t led by a star, however has a collective unit that does a number of the necessary issues very well. Rhode Island ranks twenty fifth nationally in free throw taking pictures share (77.1%), fifteenth in defensive rebounding fee (74.8%), nineteenth in offensive rebounds allowed per sport (9.0), and seventh in least turnovers per sport (11.7). Simply put, Rhode Island makes free throws, rebounds properly and takes care of the ball. Alabama doesn’t rank in the prime 100 in both of these statistics and enters the event having misplaced six of its final 9 video games.
6. No. 5 Kentucky vs. No. 12 James Madison
Time/TV: 2:30 p.m. ET, ESPNU
Kenny Brooks faces the workforce his former workforce. Long earlier than he was the head coach at Virginia Tech after which Kentucky, Brooks performed for Hall of Famer Lefty Driesell at JMU and years later turned the Dukes head coach and turned the program right into a mid-major powerhouse, going to 6 NCAA Tournaments in 10 seasons. Sean O’Regan, a former Brooks’ assistant, took over for him and has saved issues rolling as the Dukes have received 20 or extra video games in eight of his 10 seasons. James Madison is one in every of the greatest mid-major groups in the event, however that is unlikely to be a sport the place the apprentice defeats the grasp.
7. No. 7 Georgia vs. No. 10 Virginia
Time/TV: 1:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Virginia is in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2018 and superior to this sport by narrowly beating Arizona State in the First Four. The Bulldogs are dancing for the second time below fourth-year coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson. Georgia picked up some spectacular wins in SEC play by taking victories over Ole Miss, Kentucky and Vanderbilt, whereas Virginia notched wins this season over Louisville and Notre Dame. This is a matchup between two former Missouri State head coaches, as Abrahamson-Henderson from 2002 to 2007, whereas Amaka Agugua-Hamilton was the coach from 2019 to 2022 earlier than arriving at Virginia.
8. No. 7 Illinois vs. No. 10 Colorado
Time/TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Illinois ranks second nationally in free throw taking pictures with an 81.5% mark. Colorado ranks 298th nationally in foul fee at 22.2%. The numbers say this sport might be determined by how disciplined the Buffs might be on protection and the way properly the Illini capitalize on their journeys to the free throw line.
9. No. 3 Louisville vs. No. 14 Vermont
Time/TV: 12 p.m. ET, ESPN
The Catamounts — who rank in the prime 100 in each NET and WAB — are dancing for the third time in 4 years below coach Alisa Kresge. Nikola Priede is a participant to look at for Vermont as she averages 17.4 factors and seven.7 rebounds per sport, and in addition ranks eighth nationally in win shares with 7.1. Louisville is predicted to win this sport comfortably on its house ground, however should do without key reserve guard Skylar Jones.
10. No. 4 West Virginia vs. No. 13 Miami Ohio
Time/TV: 5 p.m. ET, ESPNU
The Mountaineers are internet hosting NCAA Tournament video games in Morgantown for the first time since 1992. The constructing needs to be rocking and Mark Kellogg’s workforce will seemingly be heavy favorites, however Miami Ohio is prime 75 in NET and WAB, and twelfth nationally in complete 3-pointers made.
11. No. 2 Iowa vs. No. 15 FDU
Time/TV: 4 p.m. ET, ESPN
FDU coach Steph Gaitley has greater than 750 profession wins and isn’t any stranger to March Madness, making her eleventh journey to the NCAA Tournament together with her fourth totally different workforce. Still, all the metrics favor Iowa, who might be taking part in on their house court docket in entrance of a sold-out crowd.
12. No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 16 Southern
Time/TV: 1 p.m. ET, ABC
This sport will not be shut, however ought to function a get-right sport for South Carolina after dropping in the SEC Tournament title sport. Come to see what Dawn Staley is sporting, stick round for the play of Raven Johnson and Joyce Edwards.
13. No. 3 Ohio State vs. No. 14 Howard
Time/TV: 11: 30 a.m. ET, ESPN2
Howard beat one Power 4 opponent this yr in Cincinnati, however misplaced its different three video games to main convention opponents by a median margin of 24 factors. This needs to be a showcase sport for Jaloni Cambridge, a sophomore guard for the Buckeyes who averages 22.8 factors, 5.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists per sport.
14. No. 2 Vanderbilt vs. No. 15 High Point
Time/TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPNEWS
This is the third time in six years that Chelsea Banbury has guided the Panthers to the NCAA Tournament. It’s unlikely they will have the identical form of luck as the High Point males’s workforce, as they face SEC Player of the Year Mikayla Blakes, who leads the nation in scoring with 27 factors per sport.
15. No. 1 UConn vs. No. 16 UTSA
Time/TV: 3 p.m. ET, ABC
Karen Aston’s Roadrunners rank larger in NET than 4 Big East groups, however the results of this sport is prone to be similar to how UConn handled the remainder of its league. Tune in early to see Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd cook dinner.
16. No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 16 Cal Baptist
Time/TV: 10 p.m. ET, ESPN
This sport will not be shut. Sorry, Lancers. But tune in if you wish to see Lauren Betts and the Bruins dominate.
