Day 1 of the NCAA Tournament is a rush to the senses, a four-paneled split-screen opening act. There\u2019s nothing quite like elimination basketball, let alone 12+ hours of it.<\/p>\n
The Friday slate introduces some splashy favorites, including the No. 1 seed Texas Longhorns. We also meet the unsung chaos agents \u2014 for rising programs like South Dakota State, it\u2019s time to shock the system and throw red across our brackets. Let\u2019s see how it all plays out on one of live sports\u2019 singular days.<\/p>\n
All times ET.<\/p>\n
Women\u2019s March Madness schedule for round of 64, Day 1
\n GameTimeTVStream<\/p>\n
Duke vs. Charleston<\/p>\n
11:30 a.m.<\/p>\n
ESPN2<\/p>\n
TCU vs. UC San Diego<\/p>\n
Noon<\/p>\n
ESPN<\/p>\n
Oregon vs. Virginia Tech<\/p>\n
1:30 p.m.<\/p>\n
ESPN2<\/p>\n
Baylor vs. Nebraska<\/p>\n
2 p.m. <\/p>\n
ESPN<\/p>\n
Washington vs. South Dakota St.<\/p>\n
2:30 p.m. <\/p>\n
ESPNEWS<\/p>\n
Maryland vs. Murray St.<\/p>\n
3 p.m.<\/p>\n
ESPNU<\/p>\n
Ole Miss vs. Gonzaga<\/p>\n
3:30 p.m.<\/p>\n
ESPN2<\/p>\n
Texas vs. Missouri St.<\/p>\n
4 p.m.<\/p>\n
ESPN<\/p>\n
Michigan vs. Holy Cross<\/p>\n
5:30 p.m.<\/p>\n
ESPN2<\/p>\n
UNC vs. Western Illinois<\/p>\n
5:30 p.m.<\/p>\n
ESPNEWS<\/p>\n
LSU vs. Jacksonville<\/p>\n
6 p.m.<\/p>\n
ESPN<\/p>\n
Minnesota vs. Green Bay<\/p>\n
6 p.m.<\/p>\n
ESPNU<\/p>\n
Michigan St. vs. Colorado St.<\/p>\n
7:30 p.m.<\/p>\n
ESPNEWS<\/p>\n
NC State vs. Tennessee<\/p>\n
8 p.m. <\/p>\n
ESPN<\/p>\n
Texas Tech vs. Villanova<\/p>\n
8:30 p.m.<\/p>\n
ESPNU<\/p>\n
Oklahoma vs. Idaho<\/p>\n
10 p.m.<\/p>\n
ESPN<\/p>\n
All ESPN networks are available on ESPN Unlimited.<\/p>\n
No. 3 Duke vs. No. 14 Charleston<\/p>\n
Sacramento 2 Region<\/p>\n
Toby Fournier is a force for the Blue Devils. The Canadian sophomore averages north of 17 points, eight rebounds and two blocks per game. Under coach Kara Lawson, Duke won the ACC\u2019s regular-season and tournament titles. All-conference senior guards Ashlon Jackson and Taina Mair try to graduate with emphasis.<\/p>\n
Charleston makes its dancing debut. The Cougars are led by twin sisters Taryn and Taylor Barbot.<\/p>\n
No. 3 TCU vs. No. 14 UC San Diego<\/p>\n
Sacramento 4 Region<\/p>\n
TCU has truly maximized the transfer portal. Last season\u2019s addition of Hailey Van Lith lifted the Horned Frogs to their first Elite Eight berth. This year\u2019s fifth-year leader is Olivia Miles, two-way point guard with a deep playmaking bag. She averages 19.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game.<\/p>\n
This is only the second year that UC San Diego has had postseason eligibility after reclassifying to Division I; the Tritons have made the NCAA Tournament both years. The Big West champs are trending up around program architect Heidi VanDerveer, sister of legendary coach Tara VanDerveer.<\/p>\n
No. 8 Oregon vs. No. 9 Virginia Tech<\/p>\n
Fort Worth 3 Region<\/p>\n
Katie Fiso took the leap for Oregon, a school known for developing star point guards. The sophomore Fiso averages more than 15 points and six dimes on high volume. Virginia Tech likes to muddy games around strident defense and inside action. Let\u2019s see which style prevails.<\/p>\n
No. 6 Baylor vs. No. 11 Nebraska<\/p>\n
Sacramento 2 Region<\/p>\n
Baylor was ranked No. 12 in the Feb. 9 AP poll. From there, the Bears lost all three of their ranked matchups by double figures, then dropped their one and only game in the Big 12 tournament. The team still has a strong duo in Taliah Scott and Darianna Littlepage-Buggs, but there\u2019s upset potential on Nebraska\u2019s sideline.<\/p>\n
The Cornhuskers dropped six straight games in February. The ledger is wiped clean for March Madness, though, and Nebraska comes in ranking 14th in the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency, per Bart Torvik. The Huskers looked good in Wednesday\u2019s First Four defeat of Richmond.<\/p>\n
No. 6 Washington vs. No. 11 South Dakota State<\/p>\n
Sacramento 4 Region<\/p>\n
So let there be rain. Washington has sophomore Avery Howell, who shoots 41.9 percent on 3s. South Dakota State counters with sophomore Emilee Fox, national 3-point shooting leader at a 47.7 percent clip. The Jackrabbits tout a well-balanced offense behind senior paint presence Brooklyn Meyer, but the Huskies have been tested by a far tougher strength of schedule.<\/p>\n
No. 5 Maryland vs. No. 12 Murray State<\/p>\n
Fort Worth 1 Region<\/p>\n
Brenda Frese knows how to win in March. Maryland\u2019s head coach has held her position since 2002. Last year\u2019s Terrapins made a Sweet 16 run and lost to formidable South Carolina by just four points. Junior Duke transfer Oluchi Okananwa adds extra punch to this season\u2019s bid.<\/p>\n
The Racers live up to their name with fast pace and gaudy point totals. Now to see if the offense can hang with power-conference pressure.<\/p>\n
No. 5 Ole Miss vs. No. 12 Gonzaga<\/p>\n
Sacramento 2 Region<\/p>\n
Rebels senior Cotie McMahon can wear teams down in the paint or decelerate a game at the foul line. After three seasons at Ohio State, the 6-foot forward is averaging nearly 20 points per contest and has put herself on the WNBA radar.<\/p>\n
For the Zags, Lauren Whittaker is just a freshman, but her versatility is remarkable \u2014 in the WCC tournament title game versus Oregon State, she finished with 26 points, nine boards, three assists, three made 3s and two steals.<\/p>\n
No. 1 Texas vs. No. 16 Missouri State<\/p>\n
Fort Worth 3 Region<\/p>\n
The region runs burnt orange. Texas is an overwhelming favorite after dominating a stacked SEC tournament. In the finale, the Longhorns shot 54 percent against South Carolina\u2019s vaunted defense. They took just seven 3s and still racked up 78 points.<\/p>\n
All-American Madison Booker thrives in the midrange, while senior Rori Harmon pesters along the perimeter and Jordan Lee spots up for buckets. Vic Schaefer coaches up top-10 rankings in offensive and defensive rating. Godspeed, Missouri State, which beat Stephen F. Austin in Wednesday\u2019s First Four.<\/p>\n
No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 15 Holy Cross<\/p>\n
Fort Worth 3 Region<\/p>\n
Michigan\u2019s sophomore trio of Olivia Olson, Mila Holloway and Syla Swords can hang with the best cores in the field. Olson has third-team All-American honors for her efficient scoring. Holloway tallies assists and makes space off the dribble. Swords stretches the court with her limitless range. Holy Cross allows just 56.8 points per game \u2026 but yeah, it probably needs a miracle.<\/p>\n
No. 4 North Carolina vs. No. 13 Western Illinois<\/p>\n
Fort Worth 1 Region<\/p>\n
UNC topped the ACC in 3-point efficiency during the regular season, and it plays aggressive defense under coach Courtney Banghart. Nyla Harris joined the Tar Heels from Louisville in the transfer portal. The senior big is surrounded by reliable shooters. For Western Illinois, senior Mia Nicastro is the nation\u2019s fourth-leading scorer at 24.2 points per game.<\/p>\n
No. 2 LSU vs. No. 15 Jacksonville<\/p>\n
Sacramento 2 Region<\/p>\n
The Tigers have the No. 1 scoring offense \u2026 and the best per-game average in Division I since the 1990-91 Providence Friars. They\u2019re also second to mighty UConn in scoring differential. When fully locked in, LSU offers must-see hooping with unmatched swagger. Senior Flau\u2019jae Johnson is the face of the collective, but MiLaysia Fulwiley and Mikaylah Williams are game-breaking stars on their own.<\/p>\n
Jacksonville goes for its first NCAA Tournament win ever. Does coach Special Jennings have something special in the works?<\/p>\n
No. 4 Minnesota vs. No. 13 Green Bay<\/p>\n
Sacramento 2 Region<\/p>\n
The Golden Gophers are in the tourney for the first time since 2018, cutting their teeth in a crowded Big Ten. Grace Grocholski can be a heat-checker off the looks generated by senior distributor Amaya Battle. The Horizon-winning Phoenix rally around senior stretch center Jenna Guyer.<\/p>\n
Minnesota versus Green Bay sounds like a Lambeau Field classic, but it teases some upset potential on the hardwood.<\/p>\n
No. 5 Michigan State vs. No. 12 Colorado State<\/p>\n
Sacramento 4 Region<\/p>\n
Consistent senior Grace VanSlooten has put up between 15 and 15.5 points per game across her last three seasons, split between the Spartans and Oregon. She\u2019s a great offensive rebounder and has nine stocks (steals + blocks) in her last two outings.<\/p>\n
Colorado State comes in hot on a nine-game win streak. The Rams\u2019 last NCAA Tournament W was in 2001, but maybe Ryun Williams\u2019 side is due for disruption.<\/p>\n
No. 7 NC State vs. No. 10 Tennessee<\/p>\n
Fort Worth 3 Region<\/p>\n
Wes Moore\u2019s Wolfpack made a Sweet 16 run in 2025. Then they added two intriguing juniors \u2014 Khamil Pierre from Vanderbilt and Qadence Samuels from defending champ UConn. The team hasn\u2019t quite jelled as expected, from ninth in the preseason AP poll to unranked since December.<\/p>\n
The same can be said for Tennessee, the orange-colored blue blood with eight national titles (second to UConn). The Lady Vols have made every women\u2019s NCAA Tournament; this is just their second time as a double-digit seed. Kim Caldwell\u2019s crew has lost its last seven contests, but no one will wholly discount Tennessee in March.<\/p>\n
No. 7 Texas Tech vs. No. 10 Villanova<\/p>\n
Sacramento 2 Region<\/p>\n
Texas Tech is a defense-first, defense-second kind of team. Villanova plays slow, small, effective offense. For the Red Raiders, junior Jalynn Bristow just led the Big 12 in blocks per game. For the Wildcats, sophomore Jasmine Bascoe finished the regular season as the Big East leader in points and assists per game. We\u2019ve got a true style clash in Friday\u2019s penultimate matchup.<\/p>\n
No. 4 Oklahoma vs. No. 13 Idaho<\/p>\n
Sacramento 4 Region<\/p>\n
This iteration of Oklahoma puts the \u201csoon\u201d in Sooners, zipping through sets with quick pace. The buckets are layered. Breakout freshman Aaliyah Chavez is there as an outside option, while senior Raegan Beers is elite at the rim. The brisk pace does open the door for extra turnovers and momentum swings, which the Big Sky champions will try to manipulate.<\/p>\n
Idaho has seven international players on its roster, representing countries from Brazil to Estonia. The Vandals have a chance to put the whole world on notice.<\/p>\n
Ticketing and streaming links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply.\u00a0The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process, and do not review stories before publication.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Day 1 of the NCAA Tournament is a rush to the senses, a four-paneled split-screen opening act. There\u2019s…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":822826,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[5],"tags":[9436,114159,6871,7643,7,33965,81116,61260,24145,30236,104740,1868,2549,71,4727,114160,14154,49,48,4604,4714,4717,1787,7207,575,32173,4724,56215,1078,114161,100917,15605,3863,671,45738,5481],"class_list":{"0":"post-822825","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-ncaa-football","8":"tag-baylor-bears","9":"tag-charleston-cougars","10":"tag-colorado-state-rams","11":"tag-duke-blue-devils","12":"tag-football","13":"tag-gonzaga-bulldogs","14":"tag-green-bay-phoenix","15":"tag-holy-cross-crusaders","16":"tag-idaho-vandals","17":"tag-jacksonville-dolphins","18":"tag-lsu-lady-tigers","19":"tag-maryland-terrapins","20":"tag-michigan-state-spartans","21":"tag-michigan-wolverines","22":"tag-minnesota-golden-gophers","23":"tag-missouri-state-lady-bears","24":"tag-murray-state-racers","25":"tag-ncaa","26":"tag-ncaa-football","27":"tag-nebraska-cornhuskers","28":"tag-north-carolina-state-wolfpack","29":"tag-north-carolina-tar-heels","30":"tag-oklahoma-sooners","31":"tag-ole-miss-rebels","32":"tag-oregon-ducks","33":"tag-south-dakota-state-jackrabbits","34":"tag-tcu-horned-frogs","35":"tag-tennessee-lady-volunteers","36":"tag-texas-longhorns","37":"tag-texas-tech-lady-raiders","38":"tag-uc-san-diego-tritons","39":"tag-villanova-wildcats","40":"tag-virginia-tech-hokies","41":"tag-washington-huskies","42":"tag-western-illinois-leathernecks","43":"tag-womens-college-basketball"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":"Validation failed: Text character limit of 500 exceeded"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/822825","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=822825"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/822825\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/822826"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=822825"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=822825"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=822825"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}