Last Updated 11:46 AM, June 16, 2021
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Stanford wins 2021 NCAA championship in a thriller over Arizona

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Recap: No. 1 Stanford wins third NCAA title by beating No. 3 Arizona in thriller
1:20
3:00 am, March 31, 2021

No. 1 Stanford tops No. 2 Louisville to reach Final Four

No. 1 Stanford fought its way back with an incredible second half to defeat No. 2 Louisville, 78-63, and advance to the Final Four. The No. 1 overall seed used a 13-0 run to cut the deficit to a 1-point game, getting a massive 3 from Ashten Prechtel. From that point, Prechtel was unstoppable with 16 points off the bench. Stanford got a huge lift in the second half from the big, who was 3-for-3 on 3-pointers.

Stanford used that spark to come alive and continued that momentum with a 10-0 run to start the fourth quarter and never look back. Louisville's Dana Evans tried to cut into the lead with back-to-back 3-pointers that brought the score to 68-60, but it wasn't enough to outpower the Cardinal's endless scoring attacks down the stretch that was led by Lexie Hull, who finished with 21 points. 

1:39 am, March 31, 2021

No. 2 Louisville leads No. 1 Stanford at the half

Louisville's Dana Evans

No. 2 Louisville is looking to take out No. 1 overall seed Stanford, as the Cardinals are heading at the half, 38-26. That's credit to Louisville's disruptive defense flustering the Cardinal, forcing Stanford to shoot nearly 28 percent from the floor. Stanford has been blazing beyond the arc in its past three NCAA tournament games with a record 43 3-pointers, but hasn't had much luck shooting 1-for-9 from the 3. Louisville however has knocked down six 3-pointers. 

Louisville's offense has been about Dana Evans and Kianna Smith's consistent shooting, combining for 18 points together so far, with both finding open looks in midrange and beyond the arc.  

12:37 am, March 31, 2021

No. 1 South Carolina blows past No. 6 Texas

No. 1 South Carolina advanced to the 2021 Women's Final Four after handling No. 6 Texas, 62-34. All eyes were in the paint with South Carolina's Aliyah Boston matching up with Texas' Charli Collier. Boston came out victorious with 10 points, eight rebounds, two blocks and two steals. Collier, on the other hand, was held to only 4 points, shooting 2-for-10 from the floor.  

Boston's supporting cast was dominant against the Longhorns with five Gamecocks scoring in double figures, lead by Zia Cooke with 16 points. Victaria Saxton set the pace out of the tip with the first eight points of the game, shooting 4-for-4. Saxton finished with 12 points. Destanni Henderson also chipped in 12 points, running a quickly paced offense in transition.

South Carolina's defense shut down Texas and left the Longhorns scoreless in the fourth quarter. The Longhorns couldn't get pass Laeticia Amihere, who finished with nine blocks, while chipping in 10 points off the bench.

South Carolina beats Texas, 62-34
4:50 am, March 30, 2021

Recap: Day 1 of the Elite Eight — No. 1 UConn and No. 3 Arizona punch tickets to the Final Four

Two teams punched their Final Four tickets on the first day of the Elite Eight. No. 1 UConn took down No. 2 Baylor, who were the 2019 defending NCAA champs. The night ended with a historic win when No. 3 Arizona defeated No. 4 Indiana to reach the Final Four for the first time. NCAA.com's Autumn Johnson recaps all of Monday's action: 

Recap: Elite Eight, Day 1 of the 2021 NCAA women's basketball tournament

Here are the results and highlights of each thriller: 

Day 2 of the Elite Eight will set the stage for the Final Four. Here's Tuesday's schedule: 

Tuesday, March 30  
7 p.m., ESPN No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 6 Texas
9 p.m., ESPN No. 1 Stanford vs. No. 2 Louisville
2:00 am, March 30, 2021

No. 3 Arizona makes history with win over No. 4 Indiana

No. 3 Arizona will make its first appearance in the Final Four after defeating No. 4 Indiana, 66-53. It was a close battle with both teams looking to advance to a stage they have never been to before. The Wildcats had the four-point lead at the half and carried that momentum all the way to the end.

Arizona's Aari McDonald, who came off of a 30-point performance to knock off No. 2 Texas A&M, sent Indiana home in the same dominant fashion, topping her performance with 33 points against the Hoosiers. McDonald made five of Arizona's nine 3-pointers, while Indiana couldn't find any luck beyond the arc, shooting 0-for-9. 

The Wildcats' pressure defense left Indiana scoreless for nearly four minutes and held them to nine points in the fourth quarter to help Arizona outlast Indiana and make program history.

1:08 am, March 30, 2021

No. 1 UConn survives No. 2 Baylor to advance to the Final Four

No. 1 UConn survived the upset push from No. 2 Baylor, 69-67, to send the defending champs home. The Huskies used a 19-0 run in the third quarter to take the lead after trailing to the Bears by two points heading into the second half.

Baylor's Didi Richards went down with a hamstring injury, a setback for the Bears then tasked with defending Paige Bueckers. Bueckers went on a scoring rampage in the second half, finishing with 28 points.

Christyn Williams chipped in 21 points for the Huskies. Williams missed three crucial free throws down the line when it was a one point game against Baylor, but she redeemed herself knocking down her last free throw to advance the score to 69-67. Baylor had its last chance to get a final shot off, but Bueckers jumped into the passing lane to get a massive steal that sent UConn to its 13th consecutive Final Four. 

11:47 pm, March 29, 2021

No. 2 Baylor leads at halftime after a slow start against No. 1 UConn

No. 2 Baylor is looking to upset No. 1 UConn — and the Bears have a two-point lead at halftime, 39-37. UConn came out to a quick start taking over the first five minutes, 16-4. Hot scoring and transition points from the Huskies, led by Paige Bueckers and Evina Westbrook, pushed the lead. They combined for 24 points.

But Baylor turned up its defense to cut the deficit with 10 straight points. Plus, Dijonai Carrington gave a spark on both ends to give Baylor the lead, finishing the half with 14 points, two steals and one block. 

11:00 pm, March 29, 2021

Elite Eight action is happening now

The 2021 NCAA women's basketball championship rolls on Monday with the start of the Elite Eight.

Monday's match-ups include the team with the most national titles in women's basketball championship history and a first-timer to the Elite Eight.

No. 1 UConn takes on No. 2 Baylor at 7 p.m. on ESPN followed by No. 3 Arizona vs. No. 4 Indiana at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Check out a preview of the Elite Eight day 1 below: 

Preview: Elite Eight, Day 1 of the 2021 NCAA women's basketball tournament
3:28 am, March 29, 2021

Recap: Day 2 of the Sweet 16

Only eight teams remain after Sunday solidified the rest of the Elite Eight.

No. 1 seeds Stanford and South Carolina both advanced, with the Cardinal taking down No. 5 Missouri State and the Gamecocks defeating No. 5 Georgia Tech. No. 2 Louisville then beat No. 6 Oregon, but No. 6 Texas shocked No. 2 Maryland to close out the Sweet 16.

Sunday, March 28 Game
1 p.m., ABC No. 1 South Carolina def. No. 5 Georgia Tech, 76-65
3 p.m., ABC No. 1 Stanford def. No. 5 Missouri State, 89-62
7 p.m., ESPN No. 2 Louisville def. No. 6 Oregon, 60-42
9 p.m., ESPN No. 6 Texas def. No. 2 Maryland, 64-61
Recap: Sweet 16, Day 2 of the 2021 NCAA women's basketball tournament

The Elite Eight games will be played on Monday, March 29 and Tuesday, March 30. On Monday, No. 1 UConn meets No. 2 Baylor at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. No. 3 Arizona plays No. 4 Indiana at 9 p.m. on ESPN.

Day 1 of Sweet 16 action yesterday provided two big upsets — as No. 1 NC State and No. 2 Texas A&M both lost. 

Here are the results and highlights for Saturday games: 

3:00 am, March 29, 2021

UPSET! No. 6 Texas stuns No. 2 Maryland

No. 6 Texas will dance to the Elite Eight after taking down No. 2 Maryland, 64-61, in a back-and-forth second half performance. Texas' tough defense held the No. 1 scoring offense in the nation, which averages nearly 92 points per game, to a season-low 61 points.

The Texas fight was lead by Charli Collier with 16 points and 11 rebounds, but it was a team effort with three more Longhorns joining Collier in double figures. Celeste Taylor and Joanne Allen-Taylor had an impressive second half performance to help shut down the Terps, combining for 29 points. Back-to-back buckets from Celeste and Kyra Lambert with a massive steal to score in fast break forced the lead to 61-59. Texas shot free throws the rest of the way to advance to its first Elite Eight since 2016. The Longhorns will next play No. 1 South Carolina on Tuesday, March 30.  

2:18 am, March 29, 2021

UPSET ALERT🚨 No. 6 Texas takes the lead heading into the fourth quarter against No. 2 Maryland

No. 6 Texas heads into the fourth quarter with a two point lead over No. 2 Maryland, who is the No. 1 scoring offense in the nation. What started off as a 9-0 run in the first quarter from the Terps has come to a back-and-forth battle as Texas' elite defense keeps the Longhorns in the game.

It's been an impressive scoring attack from Texas' Celeste Taylor, who has given the Longhorns nine crucial points in the third quarter to advance the lead. Taylor currently has 12 points and Joanne Allen-Taylor has 14 points. Maryland's Diamond Miller is currently leading the Terps with 18 points. 

12:21 am, March 29, 2021

No. 2 Louisville takes down No. 6 Oregon

No. 2 Louisville advanced to the Elite Eight and a meeting with Stanford with a 60-42 victory over No. 6 Oregon. It was all Dana Evans, who came out of a postseason shooting slump against the Ducks and tied her career-high with 29 points. Evans had a cold start, but she began to come alive by scoring in multiple fashions in midrange and beyond the arc. Evans was 11-for-21 from the floor while knocking down three 3s, including a 25-footer. 

Oregon trailed by as many as 18 points, but it tried to use a run to chip away at the deficit in the third quarter. Unfortunately, Oregon's Nyara Sabally, who was the top scorer at the time, went down with an ankle injury. Sabally finished with 14 points. Senior guard Erin Boley tried to keep the Ducks hopes alive, shooting 6-for-17 from the floor and and recording Oregon's only two 3s of the game. Boley finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds, but Evans had an answer every time the Ducks tried to get back into the game. 

Louisville forced Oregon to turn the ball over 14 times. The Ducks' last turnover was turned into a flex by Louisville's Mykasa Robinson stealing the ball and finding Evans with a behind-the-back pass. Evans took off with the assist to find herself wide open for an easy fast break point.  

8:46 pm, March 28, 2021

No. 1 Stanford breezes by No. 5 Missouri State to advance to the Elite 8

No. 1 Stanford used a balanced scoring attack to cruise past No. 5 Missouri State, 89-62, with four Cardinal scoring in double figures and 24 assists. The Lady Bears put up a fight against the Cardinal in the first half, but the star power of Stanford's endless depth was too much to contain — especially from beyond the arc. The seventh-ranked team in the country in field goals made was relentless from deep, knocking down 15 3-pointers. Senior guard Kiana Williams flexed her range, shooting 4-for-8 from deep. Williams has had stand-out performances in NCAA tournament play in front of her hometown, finishing with 16 points, four rebounds and four assists against the Lady Bears.

Missouri State's leading scorer Brice Calip was held to only two free throws in the first half and finished with 9 points overall. That's credit to Anna Wilson shutting down Calip on defense. Wilson was a on both ends, shooting 5-for-6 from the floor, 2-for-3 from the free throw line and 1-for-1 from 3. 

No. 1 Stanford dominates No. 5 Missouri State to advance to the Elite Eight

6:29 pm, March 28, 2021

No. 1 South Carolina pulls away from No. 5 Georgia Tech, 76-65

NCAA Photos South Carolina advances to the Elite Eight.

No. 1 South Carolina topped No. 5 Georgia Tech 76-65 to reach the Elite Eight for the third time in the past four tournaments. The Yellow Jackets got 16 first-half points from Lotta-Maj Lahtinen and went into the break down 39-35. 

The top-seeded Gamecocks were down star forward Aliyah Boston for much of the first half with foul trouble, but the sophomore went on a 7-0 run by herself early in the third quarter which sparked a run, turning a 4-point halftime lead into a 12-point edge by the end of the period. GT cut the deficit to six late in the game, but South Carolina's efficient shooting — 56 percent from the floor and 57 percent from 3 — was too much to overcome.  

Zia Cooke had a team-high 17 points and 5-of-6 makes from deep for the Gamecocks. She was joined in double-digits by Laeticia Amihere's 15 points and eight rebounds off the bench and another dozen points from Victaria Saxton.

No. 1 South Carolina holds off No. 5 Georgia Tech to advance to the Elite Eight
12:24 pm, March 27, 2021

Recap: Day 1 of the Sweet 16

Half of the bracket is set for the Elite 8. In the River Walk region, No. 1 UConn will take on No. 2 Baylor. As for the Mercado region, No. 4 Indiana will face No. 3 Arizona. NCAA.com's Autumn Johnson recaps how it all happened - including two major upsets that sent No. 1 NC State and No. 2 Texas A&M home. 

Recap: Sweet 16, Day 1 of the 2021 NCAA women's basketball tournament

Four more regional semifinal games will be played on Sunday, March 28. Here are the results and highlights for Saturday games: 

No. 4 Indiana upsets No. 1 NC State to advance to the Elite Eight

 

2:11 am, March 28, 2021

UPSET 🚨 No. 3 Arizona beats No. 2 Texas A&M to cap Saturday action

No. 3 Arizona upset No. 2 Texas A&M, 74-59, to advance to its first Elite Eight. The Aggies couldn't find an answer to contain Aari McDonald, who finished with 31 points, including six 3-pointers. In fact, it was raining 3s for the Wildcats, who knocked down 13 treys as a team against the Aggies. 

Arizona showcased its pressure defense that features McDonald, the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. The Wildcats forced Texas A&M to turn the ball over 19 times to send the Aggies home. 

Arizona followed Indiana in making program history on Saturday. Like the Wildcats, the Hoosiers are in the Elite Eight for the first time. Indiana upset No. 1 NC State. Here's a look at Saturday's scores:

1:38 am, March 28, 2021

UPSET ALERT 👀 No. 3 Arizona is blazing with the lead over No. 2 Texas A&M

No. 3 Arizona is blazing as the Wildcats take the lead heading into the fourth quarter against No. 2 Texas A&m, 59-46. Arizona took over the third quarter with an 8-0 run, followed by huge three from Aari McDonald. McDonald has 28 points and six 3's, so far. 

11:54 pm, March 27, 2021

UPSET ALERT 🚨No. 4 Indiana advances to the Elite Eight over No. 1 NC State

No. 4 Indiana will play in its first-ever Elite Eight game after taking down No. 1 NC State, 73-70. Indiana's leading scorer Mackenzie Holmes was a force inside with 16 points facing Elyssa Cunane, but unfortunately Holmes fouled out in the fourth quarter. Indiana stepped up in her absence with five Hoosiers finishing in double figures for the team win. 

Ali Patberg and Nicole Cardano-Hilary were an unstoppable backcourt duo, combining 31 points together. Back-to-back points from NC State's Jada Boyd made it a one-possession game with the Wolfpack down, 70-68, with 1:32 remaining, but it was Cardano-Hilary's two crucial free throws that helped Indiana come out on top. But it wasn't all offense for the Hoosiers. Indiana forced 17 turnovers to knock off the No. 1 seed. 

11:27 pm, March 27, 2021

No. 4 Indiana takes the lead over No. 1 NC State heading into the fourth quarter👀

No. 4 Indiana is looking to knock off No. 1 NC State, currently up 58-48 against the Wolfpack heading into the final quarter. A win could give the Hoosiers their first-ever appearance in the Elite 8. 

It's been balanced scoring for Indiana with four Hoosiers in double-figures, led by Ali Patberg with 14 points and four assists.

9:18 pm, March 27, 2021

No. 2 Baylor survives upset against No. 6 Michigan

No. 2 Baylor survives and advances in a nail-bitting win over No. 6 Michigan, 78-75, in overtime. The last Sweet 16 game that went to overtime was back in 2015. 

Baylor's NaLyssa Smith had the hot hand the entire game, shooting 11-for-11 from the floor, 1-for-1 from the three and 1-for-2 from the charity stripe. Smith finished with 24 points to help her team advance to the Elite 8. 

It was a team effort with Moon Ursin and Dijonai Carrington combining for 39 points. Back-to-back buckets from Carrington pushed Baylor's lead in the extra quarter and an easy find to Ursin underneath the basket to put the dagger in the game. 

Michigan's Leigha Brown had a chance to tie the game from beyond the arc with .9 seconds in the extra quarter, but came up short. Brown had a night in the Wolverine's first ever Sweet 16 appearance in program history finishing with 23 points. 

9:06 pm, March 27, 2021

OT 🚨 — No. 6 Michigan forces overtime against No. 2 Baylor

No. 6 Michigan trailed No. 2 Baylor all three quarters up until the last minute in the fourth quarter when Michigan's Naz Hillmon found an easy bucket underneath to tie the game, 63-63, with 15 seconds left. 

The Wolverines took their first lead in overtime, but it's been back-to-back buckets from Baylor's Dijonai Carrington to push the Bears' lead, 75-73.

7:25 pm, March 27, 2021

No. 1 UConn takes down No. 5 Iowa, 92-72

The most anticipated matchup that was hyped as the freshman showdown between UConn's Paige Bueckers and Iowa's Caitlin Clark immediately shifted to a new narrative after a slow start from both. UConn's Christyn Williams stole the show, putting up a career-high of 27 points to help the Huskies advance to the Elite 8 over Iowa, 92-72. 

Williams was also tasked with shutting down Clark on the defensive end, limiting her to only seven points in the first half. Clark came alive in the second half to finish with 21 points. Bueckers - who only had six points in the first half - was on triple-double watch with 18 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Evina Westbrook was also on the verge of a triple-double with 17 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds to chip into the team win. 

7:44 pm, March 26, 2021

Here's a breakdown of every Sweet 16 matchup

In the video below, NCAA.com's Autumn Johnson explains what she's looking for in every Sweet 16 game. Here are some highlights, including timestamps for every game preview:

  • No. 1 UConn vs. No. 5 Iowa includes a dream rookie battle between Huskies sensation Paige Bueckers and Hawkeyes star Caitlin Clark. And UConn's Geno Auriemma returns to coach after missing the first two rounds by testing positive for COVID-19. (0:05)
  • No. 2 Baylor's lead scorer NaLyssa Smith and No. 6 Michigan's Naz Hillmon face off in the paint. (0:35)
  • This will be No. 4 Indiana's first time in program history to compete in the Sweet 16, which makes the contest against No. 1 NC State all the more meaningful. (0:56)
  • Can No. 2 Texas A&M's Jordan Nixon's lead the Aggies to another win in the tournament? No. 3 Arizona's defense will have something to say about that. (1:23)
Preview: Sweet 16, Day 1 of the 2021 NCAA women's basketball tournament
5:03 pm, March 27, 2021

Preview: Sweet 16, Day 2 of the 2021 NCAA women's basketball tournament

We don't want to get ahead of ourselves, but here's all of the action that will happen on Day 2 of the Sweet 16 in the 2021 NCAA women's basketball tournament. 

  • No. Georgia Tech vs. No. 1 South Carolina @ 1pm ET 
  • No. 5 Missouri State vs. No. 1 Stanford @ 3 pm ET 
  • No. 6 Oregon vs. No. 2 Louisville @ 7 pm ET 
  • No. 6 Texas vs No. 2 Maryland @ 9 pm ET 

NCAA.com's Autumn Johnson previews every matchup: 

Preview: Sweet 16, Day 2 of the 2021 NCAA women's basketball tournament
7:12 pm, March 25, 2021

What you need to know ahead of the 2021 Sweet 16

What started as a 64-team field is down to the Sweet 16 in the 2021 DI women's basketball tournament. Regional semifinal games will tip off on Saturday, March 27, beginning with No. 1 UConn and No. 5 Iowa. But before then, here's what you need to know:

MORE: View the updated bracket

  • The top four seeds — Stanford, UConn, South Carolina and NC State — advanced. Every No. 1 seed has reached the Sweet 16 in each of the past 11 tournaments. There have also been four 1-seeds remaining in the each of the previous three Elite Eights. 
  • No. 2 seed and defending champion Baylor is looking to repeat and become the fourth program in DI women's basketball history to win back-to-back titles. The Bears will face No. 6 seed Michigan, which will appear in the program's first-ever Sweet 16. You can watch NCAA.com's Autumn Johnson catch up with UM's Naz Hillmon and Leigha Brown below ahead of the matchup.
Michigan's Naz Hillmon and Leigha Brown talk about facing No. 2 Baylor in program's first Sweet 16 appearance
  • The Wolverines are tied for the lowest-seeded team remaining with Texas and Oregon. The Longhorns knocked off No. 3 seed UCLA in the second round. 
  • Speaking of teams from Texas, No. 2 seed Texas A&M has danced with defeat twice and came away unscathed both times. The Aggies narrowly avoided a 15-2 upset in the opening round, then erased a 12-point second-half deficit against Iowa State before Jordan Nixon's overtime heroics at the buzzer sent Texas A&M into the Sweet 16. Re-watch the buzzer-beater below.
Jordan Nixon's overtime buzzer beater sends Texas A&M to Sweet 16
3:45 am, March 25, 2021

2021 DI women's basketball championship round of 32 results

The 2021 DI women's basketball tournament continued Wednesday with the second day of the round of 32 for a chance to advance to the Sweet 16. 

No. 2 Maryland tipped off today's action by defeating No. 7 Alabama, 100-64. This is the seventh time the No. 1 scoring offense in the nation has reached 100 points this season. Later, No. 2 Louisville rallied from down 18 to beat No. 7 Northwestern. No. 2 Texas A&M then beat No. 7 Iowa State at the buzzer in overtime.

You can follow live updates on this page. Here were Wednesday's scores: 

1:32 am, March 25, 2021

Texas A&M's Jordan Nixon has an impressive 35-point performance to defeat No. 7 Iowa State 👀

No. 2 Texas A&M trailed the entire game against No. 7 Iowa State in the second round matchup, but the Aggies were able to bring the game to a nail-bitting ending in the fourth quarter. Back-to-back buckets from Jordan Nixon tied the game 75-75 to force the game into overtime. Nixon continued the momentum scoring seven of the Aggies nine points in the extra quarter, including a buzzer-beating layup to continue Texas A&M's dance to the Sweet 16. 

Jordan Nixon finished with 35 points and seven assists. Cierra Johnson followed behind her with 19 points and eight rebounds. Iowa State's Ashley Joens lead the way with 32 points and Lexi Donarski chipped in 18. The Cyclones knocked down 16 three's against the Aggies, shooting 53 percent from beyond the arc, but couldn't find an answer to shut down Nixon. 

9:53 pm, March 24, 2021

UPSET 🚨 No. 6 Oregon defeats No. 3 Georgia

No. 6 Oregon will continue to dance it way to the Sweet 16 with the upset over No. 3 Georgia, 57-50. This was a back-and-forth game that was tied at the half, 27-27. Oregon was able to get the job done through its frontcourt duo Nyara Sabally and Sedona Prince who dominated in the paint. The duo combined for 37 points together.

The young Ducks were also able to knock down five three's, while the Bulldog's veteran squad shot 1-for-13 from beyond the arc. Georgia's Jenna Staiti was the only Bulldog to score in double digit figures with 18 points. 

9:47 pm, March 24, 2021

2021 NCAA women's basketball tournament schedule

Here's the full women's basketball tournament schedule: 

TIME (ET), TV MATCHUP
Sunday, April 4  
6 p.m., ESPN No. 1 Stanford def. No. 3 Arizona, 54-53
2021 NCAA TOURNAMENT RESULTS LOCATION
Sunday, March 21
Noon No. 5 Iowa def. No. 12 Central Michigan 87-72
Noon No. 7 Virginia Tech def. No. 10 Marquette 70-63
1 p.m. No. 8 Oklahoma State def. No. 9 Wake Forest 84-61
2 p.m. No. 4 Kentucky def. No. 13 Idaho State 71-63
2 p.m. No. 3 Tennessee def. No. 14 Middle Tennessee 87-62
3 p.m. No. 6 Michigan def. No. 11 Florida Gulf Coast 87-66
4 p.m. No. 1 NC State def. No. 16 North Carolina A&T 79-58
4 p.m. No. 2 Baylor def. No. 15 Jackson State 101-52
4:30 p.m. No. 5 Georgia Tech def. No. 12 Stephen F. Austin 54-52
5:30 p.m. No. 8 Syracuse def. No. 9 South Dakota State 72-55
6 p.m. No. 1 South Carolina def. No. 16 Mercer 79-53
7:30 p.m. No. 8 Oregon State def. No. 9 Florida State 83-59
8 p.m. No. 1 UConn def. No. 16 High Point 102-59
8 p.m. No. 4 West Virginia def. No 13 Lehigh 77-53
9:30 p.m. No. 8 South Florida def. No. 9 Washington State 57-53
10 p.m. No. 1 Stanford def. No. 16 Utah Valley 87-44
Monday, March 22  
Noon No. 7 Alabama def. No. 10 North Carolina 80-71
Noon No. 3 Georgia def. No. 14 Drexel 67-53
Noon No. 11 BYU def. No. 6 Rutgers 69-66
2 p.m. No. 13 Wright State def. No. 4 Arkansas 66-62
2 p.m. No. 3 Arizona def. No. 14 Stony Brook 79-44
2 p.m. No. 4 Indiana def. No. 13 VCU 63-32
4 p.m. No. 2 Maryland def. No. 15 Mount St. Mary's, 98-45
4 p.m. No. 12 Belmont 64 def. No. 5 Gonzaga, 64-59
4 p.m. No. 7 Northwestern def. No. 10 UCF, 62-51
6 p.m. No. 7 Iowa State def. No. 10 Michigan State, 79-75
6 p.m. No. 2 Texas A&M def. No. 15 Troy, 84-80
7:30 p.m. No. 5 Missouri State def. No. 12 UC Davis, 70-51
8 p.m. No. 2 Louisville def. No. 15 Marist, 74-43
8 p.m. No. 6 Texas def. No. 11 Bradley, 81-62
10 p.m. No. 3 UCLA def. No. 14 Wyoming, 69-48
10 p.m. No. 6 Oregon def. No. 11 South Dakota, 67-47
Tuesday, March 23  
3 p.m. No. 1 N.C. State def. No. 8 South Florida 79-67
3:30 p.m. No. 5 Iowa def. No. 4 Kentucky 86-72
5 p.m. No. 6 Michigan def. No. 3 Tennessee 70-55
5:30 p.m. No. 5 Georgia Tech def. No. 4 West Virginia 73-56
7 p.m. No. 1 South Carolina def. No. 8 Oregon State 59-42
7 p.m. No. 2 Baylor def. No. 7 Virginia Tech 90-48
9 p.m. No. 1 UConn def. No. 8 Syracuse 83-47
9 p.m. No. 1 Stanford def. No. 8 Oklahoma State 73-62
Wednesday, March 24  
1 p.m. No. 2 Maryland def. No. 7 Alabama, 100-64
3 p.m. No. 6 Oregon def. No. 3 Georgia, 57-50
3 p.m. No. 5 Missouri State def. No. 13 Wright State, 64-39
5 p.m. No. 2 Louisville def. No. 7 Northwestern, 62-53
5 p.m. No. 4 Indiana def. No. 12 Belmont, 70-48
7 p.m. No. 2 Texas A&M def. No. 7 Iowa State, 84-82 (OT)
7 p.m. No. 3 Arizona def. No. 11 BYU, 52-46
9 p.m. No. 6 Texas def. No. 3 UCLA, 71-62
Saturday, March 27  
1 p.m. No. 1 UConn def. No. 5 Iowa, 92-72
3 p.m. No. 2 Baylor def. No. 6 Michigan, 78-75 
6 p.m. No. 4 Indiana def. No. 1 NC State, 73-70
8 p.m. No. 3 Arizona def. No. 2 Texas A&M, 74-59
Sunday, March 28  
1 p.m. No. 1 South Carolina def. No. 5 Georgia Tech, 76-65
3 p.m. No. 1 Stanford def. No. 5 Missouri State, 89-62
7 p.m. No. 2 Louisville def. No. 6 Oregon, 60-42
9 p.m. No. 6 Texas def. No. 2 Maryland, 64-61
Monday, March 29  
7 p.m. No. 1 UConn def. No. 2 Baylor, 69-67
9 p.m. No. 3 Arizona def. No. 4 Indiana, 66-53
Tuesday, March 30  
7 p.m. No. 1 South Carolina def. No. 6 Texas, 62-34
9 p.m. No. 1 Stanford def. No. 2 Louisville, 78-63
Friday, April 2  
6 p.m. No. 1 Stanford def. No. 1 South Carolina, 66-65
9:30 p.m. No. 3 Arizona def. No. 1 UConn, 69-59
1:01 pm, March 23, 2021

Day 1 of the Round of 32 recap

Michigan gif

The fashion of how the 5-seeds — Iowa and Georgia Tech — stormed past its 4-seed opponent headlined Day 1 of the Round of 32 on Tuesday. No. 5 Iowa breezed pass No. 4 Kentucky, 86-72. Iowa's freshman sensation Caitlin Clark outdid her NCAA tournament debut in the second round against the Wildcats, putting on a show with 35 points to help Iowa to advance to the Sweet 16. Clark outscored Kentucky in the second half alone with 24 points. 

No. 5 Georgia Tech overpowered No. 4 West Virginia, 73-56. Georgia Tech will make its first Sweet 16 appearance thanks to the Yellow Jacket duo Lorela Cubaj and Lotta-Maj Lahtinen combined for 43 points.

No. 5 Iowa beats No. 4 Kentucky in the second round of the DI women's basketball tournament

No. 6 Michigan is another team who will make its first Sweet 16 appearance after taking down No. 3 Tennessee, 70-55. The Big Ten duo of Naz Hillmon and Leigha Brown were unstoppable against the Vols, combining for 42 points. Hailey Brown knocked down six big 3s for the Wolverines, adding 14 points to help dominate Tennessee. 

All of the No. 1 seeds — NC State, South Carolina, Stanford and UConn — won their matchups against its 8-seed opponents to advance to the Sweet 16. The Huskies' win over Syracuse and Iowa's victory against Kentucky means we will get the anticipated freshman showdown we hoped for when the River Walk region was released. UConn's Paige Bueckers taking on Iowa' Caitlin Clark will be must-see TV on Saturday, March 27.

Bueckers scored a game-high 20 points against Syracuse. You can watch her top highlights here.

Here are the results and highlights of all eight games from Day 1 of the Round of 32:

The last eight Sweet 16 spots will be determined Wednesday, starting at 1 p.m. ET with No. 2 Maryland vs. No. 7 Alabama.

The Sweet 16 will be played on March 27 and 28, followed by the Elite Eight on March 29 and 30. The Women's Final Four is set for Friday April 2 with the national championship on April 4. 

You can see the complete schedule of the 2021 women's tournament here. Plus, print your bracket and view the compete tournament field.

11:11 pm, March 23, 2021

UPSET 🚨 No. 6 Michigan upsets No. 3 Tennessee

Michigan advances to its first-ever Sweet 16 appearance with a 70-55 victory to take down No. 3 Tennessee. The Wolverines led the entire way and didn't look back, notably holding the Vols to seven points in the second quarter. The Big Ten duo Naz Hillmon and Leigha Brown put up an impressive 42 points together. Hailey Brown stepped up and chipped in 14 points, shooting  4-for-6 from beyond the arc to help put Tennessee away.

No. 6 Michigan upsets No. 3 Tennessee in the second round of the DI women's basketball tournament
9:36 pm, March 23, 2021

No. 4 Iowa is headed to the Sweet 16 with a win over No. 5 Kentucky

No. 4 Iowa defeats No. 5 Kentucky 86-72 to advance to the Sweet 16. Freshman sensation Caitlin Clark topped her NCAA tournament debut with a 35 point performance against the Wildcats. She had 24 points in the first half, shooting 6-for-8 from beyond the arc. Her duo Monika Czinano chipped in 14 points in the paint. 

Clark shared with NCAA.com coming into this matchup that Iowa will look to throw multiple defensive stops at Kentucky's offensive threat Rhyne Howard, who had 28 points, but it wasn't enough to continue Kentucky's dance in San Antonio.

No. 5 Iowa beats No. 4 Kentucky in the second round of the DI women's basketball tournament
4:30 am, March 23, 2021

2021 NCAA tournament: Day 2 of the Round of 64

After all games went chalk in Day 1, it was a different story for Day 2 in the first round of the 2021 NCAA women's basketball tournament. We saw three major upsets on Monday that busted many brackets. Two upsets shook up the Mercado Region, when No. 12 Belmont defeated No. 5 Gonzaga and No. 11 BYU took down Rutgers. No. 13 Wright State upset No. 4 Arkansas in the Alamo Region.

No. 2 Texas A&M had a scare against No. 15 Troy, as the Trojans looked to make history to become the first 15 seed to knock off a 2 seed. It was a back-and-forth game throughout the entire fourth quarter, but the Aggies were able to pull away with crucial free throws down the stretch to survive and advance, 84-80. 

No. 2 Texas A&M outlasts No. 15 Troy in the 2021 DI women's basketball tournament

Here is the results and highlights of all 16 games: 


You can see the complete schedule of the 2021 women's tournament here. The second round starts at 3 p.m. ET Tuesday with No. 1 NC State playing No. 8 South Florida.

Plus, print your bracket and view the compete tournament field.

3:09 am, March 23, 2021

No. 6 Oregon hold No. 11 South Dakota to ONE point in the second quarter👀

No. 6 Oregon cruised in the first half to pull away from the No. 11 South Dakota, 34-9. In fact, the Ducks held the Coyotes to only one point in the second quarter. 

Senior Erin Boley is having a night with 17 points, so far, shooting 7-for-10 from the floor. 

10:15 pm, March 22, 2021

UPSET ALERT 🚨 No. 12 Belmont defeats No. 5 Gonzaga

No. 12 Belmont earns its first-ever NCAA tournament win with a 64-59 victory over No. 5 Gonzaga. The Bruins were big on the boards, out-rebounding the Bulldogs 37-18. Destinee Wells impacted the game as the only Bruin to score in double-digit figures, finishing with 25 points and seven assists. 

8:28 pm, March 22, 2021

UPSET 🚨 No. 13 Wright State upsets No. 4 Arkansas

Down goes No. 4 Arkansas. No.13 Wright State took down the Razorbacks to earn their first-ever NCAA Tournament win, 66-62. 

Arkansas trailed up until the last two minutes of the game with the help of senior guard Chelsea Dungee knocking down a critical three to take the lead. It was a back-and-forth game in the last minute as both team traded the lead, including the dagger from Angel Baker with 30 seconds left. Baker finished with 26 points. As a team, Wright State outworked Arkansas the entire game by out-rebounding the Razorbacks by 14.

Dungee struggled offensively in the first half, but she was dominant from the free-throw line, shooting 14-for-18. Dungee finished with 27 points, but it wasn't enough to keep dancing.

No. 13 Wright State upsets No. 4 Arkansas in the 2021 DI women's basketball tournament
6:18 pm, March 22, 2021

UPSET ALERT 🚨No. 11 BYU takes down No. 6 Rutgers

We have our first upset of the 2021 NCAA women's basketball tournament. No. 11 BYU will advance to the second round of the NCAA tournament after taking down No. 6 Rutgers, 69-66. 

BYU was down by seven points heading into the fourth quarter, but the Cougars were able to step on the gas with relentless shooting and critical free throws from Paisley Harding. Nine of BYU's 26 points in the fourth quarter came from Harding to climb its way back. She finished with 28 points to help BYU continue to dance.

No. 11 BYU upsets No. 6 Rutgers in 2021 DI women's basketball tournament
3:35 am, March 22, 2021

2021 NCAA tournament: Day 1 of the Round of 64

Michigan Gif

Waiting 713 days for the NCAA women's basketball tournament did not disappoint. There was plenty of action Sunday to open the first round.

We didn't see any upsets, but many games that came down to the wire. No. 5 seed Georgia Tech survived No. 12 seed Stephen F. Austin, No. 7 seed Virginia Tech held off No. 10 seed Marquette and No. 8 seed South Florida withstood No. 9 seed Washington State. 

Here's everything that happened in Sunday's games:

Women's Basketball first round: Virginia Tech holds off Marquette 70-63

The first round action continues on Monday with the remaining 16 games: 

All Eastern time

11:28 am, March 21, 2021

Round 1 of the 2021 NCAA women's tournament is happening now

The 2021 NCAA women's basketball tournament begins today with a full set of 16 games.

All four No 1 seeds play today with UConn playing now and Stanford at 10 p.m. ET. NC State and South Carolina will advance to the second round with wins over its 16 seed opponents. 

Second-round games are March 23 and 24. All games in the tournament will be on ESPN networks and on the ESPN app.

Here is the full schedule of today's games: 

DATE TIME (ET) MATCHUP NETWORK 
Sun, Mar 21 Noon (5) Iowa def. (12) Central Michigan 87-72 ESPN
Sun, Mar 21 Noon (7) Virginia Tech def. (10) Marquette 70-63 ESPNU
Sun, Mar 21 1 p.m. (8) Oklahoma State def. (9) Wake Forest, 84-61 ESPN2
Sun, Mar 21 2 p.m. (4) Kentucky def. (13) Idaho State 71-63 ESPN
Sun, Mar 21 2 p.m. (3) Tennessee def. (14) Middle Tennessee 87-62 ABC
Sun, Mar 21 3 p.m. (6) Michigan def. (11) FGCU 87-66 ESPN2
Sun, Mar 21 4 p.m. (1) NC State def. (16) North Carolina A&T 79-58 ESPN
Sun, Mar 21 4 p.m. (2) Baylor def. (15) Jackson State 101-52 ABC
Sun, Mar 21 4:30 p.m. (5) Georgia Tech def. 12 Stephen F. Austin 54-52  ESPNU
Sun, Mar 21 5:30 p.m. (8) Syracuse def. (9) South Dakota State 72-55  ESPN2
Sun, Mar 21 6 p.m. (1) South Carolina def. (16) Mercer 79-53   ESPN
Sun, Mar 21 7:30 p.m. (8) Oregon State def. (9) Florida State 83-59 ESPN2
Sun, Mar 21 8 p.m. (1) UConn def. (16) High Point 102-59 ESPN
Sun, Mar 21 8 p.m. (4) West Virginia def. (13) Lehigh 77-53 ESPNU
Sun, Mar 21 9:30 p.m. (8) South Florida def. (9) Washington State 57-53 ESPN2
Sun, Mar 21 10 p.m. (1) Stanford def. (16) Utah Valley 87-44 ESPN

You can see the complete schedule of the 2021 women's tournament here. 

Plus, print your bracket and view the compete tournament field. 

10:09 pm, March 21, 2021

No. 5 Georgia Tech survives upset from No. 12 Stephen F. Austin in overtime

No. 5 Georgia Tech survives in overtime against No. 12 Stephen F. Austin, 54-52. The Yellow Jackets erased a 17 point deficit to tie the game 48-48. 

Georgia Tech took control of the second half by shooting 12-for-27 from the floor to rack up 31 points. It was two huge free throws followed by a lifesaving block on the defensive end from the true freshman Anaya Boyd that helped force the extra quarter. Lorela Cubaj and Lotta-Maj Lahtinen both finished with 14 points a piece.

2021 DI women's basketball tournament: No. 5 Georgia Tech escapes No. 12 Stephen F. Austin in OT
8:28 pm, March 21, 2021

Women's basketball first round: Iowa takes down Central Michigan 87-72

Iowa advances to the second round of the 2021 NCAA women's basketball tournament with a 87-72 victory over Central Michigan. Freshman sensation Caitlin Clark and her duo Monika Czinano had 23 points a piece to lead the Hawkeyes. 

Here is a condensed look at Iowa's win: 

Women's basketball first round: Iowa takes down Central Michigan 87-72
4:50 pm, March 21, 2021

The case for every women's basketball player-of-the-year finalist

Aliyah Boston, Dana Evans, Paige Bueckers and Rhyne Howard are the 2021 Naismith Women's Player of the Year finalists. NCAA.com's Autumn Johnson makes her strongest case for why each player should win the award.

The case for every women’s basketball player-of-the-year finalist