The women’s March Madness Round of 64 continues with an exciting Saturday featuring 16 games throughout the day, keeping women’s basketball fans on the edge of their seats.
The day’s action began with an eagerly awaited matchup between No. 11 seed Murray State and No. 6 seed Iowa. Iowa, making their sixth consecutive appearance in the tournament, overwhelmed Murray State, defeating them 90-57.
Throughout the day, the UConn Huskies led by Paige Bueckers, the Oklahoma Sooners with Reagan Beers, the USC Trojans under JuJu Watkins, and the Texas Longhorns, guided by Madison Booker, will all take the court. These teams are filled with determination, hoping to kick off their NCAA Tournament journey on a strong note.
Stay tuned for all the women’s March Madness action on Saturday as teams battle it out in the crucial Round of 64.
The No. 2 seed NC State lead the No. 15 seed Vermont 35-33 at the start of the second half.
A first team All-American, JuJu Watkins is trying to lead USC to its first national title since 1984. She’s averaging 24.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.2 steals. A 6-foot-2 guard, she’s also tied for the team lead in blocked shots with 1.9 per game.
If you’re wondering how she plays at such a terrific level with a magnificent, crisp high bun, read more here. — Josh Peter
The love: Sisters Aylah Johnson, 7, and Ari Johnson, wearing puffy buns and No. 12 jersey in tribute to USC superstar JuJu Watkins. They’re rocking the JuJu look since Watkins joined the team last year, said their father, Justin.
The hate: Art Ortiz, wearing around his neck a vanity plate that reads: “H8 BRUIN.’’ As in hating the UCLA Bruins. Ortiz took out his phone and showed a photo of Watkins autographing his license plate he said he pulled off one of his former cars.
“I’m a super fan of USC,’’ said Ortiz, who did not need to note he’s also a super hater of UCLA. — Josh Peter
The No. 2 seed UConn Huskies dominated the No. 15 Arkansas State Red Wolves, winning 103-34. Azzi Fudd was a standout player for the Huskies, scoring 27 points and providing seven assists. Additionally, Sarah Strong and Ashlynn Shade teamed up to contribute an impressive total of 40 points in this Round of 64 victory.
The No. 5 seed Alabama leads No. 12 seed Green Bay 38-29 at halftime. The Crimson Tide is led in scoring by Zaay Green with 14 points.
No. 2 NC State is facing No. 15 Vermont, with the Wolfpack taking an early 16-8 lead against the Catamounts. There are 3:05 remaining in the first quarter.
No. 2 UConn leads No. 15 Arkansas 66-16 at halftime. Azzi Fudd is the leading scorer for the Huskies with 21 points and seven assists, while Ashlynn Shade contributed 13 points off the bench.
No. 6 seed West Virginia and No. 11 seed Columbia are underway, with the Mountaineers holding a slim lead over the Lions. West Virginia leads Columbia 14-10 with 6:30 remaining in the first quarter.
No. 5 Alabama and No. 12 Green Bay have tipped off, with the Crimson Tide taking a slim lead at the end of the first quarter. Alabama leads Green Bay 19-17 as the second quarter begins.
The No. 6 Iowa Hawkeyes defeated the No. 11 Murray State Racers 90-57, advancing to the second round of the women’s NCAA Tournament. Ava Heiden led the scoring for the Hawkeyes, contributing 15 points and seven rebounds. Hannah Stuelk and Sydney Affolter combined for 22 points, aiding in the Hawkeyes’ victory in the first round.
The No. 6 Iowa Hawkeyes are dominating No. 11 Murray State 88-56 in the final minutes, ensuring their March Madness journey continues while sending the Racers home early from the tournament.
The No. 2seed UConn Huskies are making a strong statement in the first quarter against the No. 15 seed Arkansas State Red Wolves, finishing the quarter with a score of 34-5. Both Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd contributed significantly, scoring 13 points each in the first quarter.
The No. 2 seed UConn Huskies are facing off against the No. 15 seed Arkansas State Red Wolves, and the Huskies have come out strong, quickly building an early double-digit lead in the first quarter. With 6:56 remaining in the first quarter, UConn leads Arkansas State 13-2.
Katelyn Young was helped off the court early in the third quarter due to what appeared to be a foot injury. She had scored six points and grabbed seven rebounds in the first half of the game against Iowa.
The No. 6 seed Iowa Hawkeyes lead the Murray State Racers 42-30 at halftime. Ava Heiden came off the bench to contribute 13 points, while Lucy Olson finished the first half with 12 points and six assists.
No. 11 Murray State continues to battle against No. 6 Iowa, with Ava Learn leading the Racers by scoring six points and grabbing ten rebounds. Lucy Olsen is leading the Hawkeyes with ten points and six assists. Iowa holds a 33-26 lead over Murray State with just two minutes remaining in the second quarter.
No. 6 seed Iowa is leading No. 11 seed Murray State 18-12 at the end of the first quarter in the first matchup of the day.
Saturday’s women’s NCAA tournament round of 64 has begun with No. 11 Murray State going up against No. 6 Iowa. The next game of the day will feature No. 15 Arkansas facing No. 2 UConn at 1 p.m. ET on ABC.
Women’s March Madness continues Saturday with another 16 games slated throughout the day. The action kicks off with No. 11 Murray State taking on No. 6 Iowa at 12 p.m. ET. The first-round concludes with No. 14 San Diego State vs. No. 3 LSU at 10:10 p.m. ET.
The women’s NCAA Tournament comes to a close starting on Friday, April 4 at 7 p.m. with the second semifinal starting 30 minutes after the first game ends. Both games will be held at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.
The championship game will take place two days later on Sunday, April 6 at 3 p.m. ET at Amalie Arena.
Time, TV: Saturday, 12 p.m. | ESPN (Fubo)
Murray State has the leading scoring offense in the nation (87.8 ppg) and averages 10.2 3-pointers per game. Speaking of threes, Iowa’s Lucy Olsen is averaging a career-high 36% from beyond the arc. Look forward to a high-scoring game. Look forward to a high-scoring game. — Cydney Henderson, USA TODAY
If you like points, be sure to tune into this one. Murray State, led by Katelyn Young, averages almost 90 points per game. Iowa will have to score a lot to fend off the Racers. — Cory Diaz, The Daily Advertiser
Time, TV: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. | ESPN2
Oklahoma State had a great season but it faces a Jackrabbit team that knows how to win in March. South Dakota State has shown it is capable of playing against top teams, and the Cowgirls have a tough test awaiting them. — Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY
These two teams have done a lot of winning this season and the Jackrabbits have hung around with top competition this season and could pull the upset on Saturday. — Maxwell Donaldson, Gadsden Times
Time, TV: Saturday, 4:30 p.m. | ESPNews (Fubo)
Harmoni Turner is a three-level scorer with a signature three-point shot that’s hard to defend. Teams have struggled to contain her, making Michigan State a prime candidate for the upset list. — Meghan Hall, For The Win
Harmoni Turner is one of the best guards in the nation, and she just might lead Harvard to an upset on Saturday. — Cora Hall, Knoxville News Sentinel
Time, TV: Saturday, 5:30 p.m. | ESPN2 (Fubo)
Both teams hung with top talent late in the regular season (MSU almost beat Texas, Cal lost by 9 to Notre Dame) but both also have some interesting losses. Sam Purcell and his Bulldogs have a lot of heart, but can they stop five scorers from Cal who are averaging 11 or more points per game? — Lulu Kesin, Greenville News
Coverage for Saturday’s Day 2 action will be broadcast The 2025 women’s NCAA Tournament will air on the ESPN family of networks, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPNews. ABC will also carry two games today. You can also watch the conclusion of the first round via streaming options: March Madness Live, ESPN app and Fubo, which offers a free trial subscription to new users.
March Madness championship odds, according to BetMGM. Odds as of Friday, March 21.
Here’s a full look at the favorites to win the women’s tournament, everyone who sits at better odds than +5000.
USA TODAY experts set their picks ahead of the NCAA Tournament. Here is who they picked to win the national championship.
No. 13 Norfolk State enters today’s game against No. 4 Maryland on a 19-game win streak and a 30-4 overall record. The Spartans earned their third consecutive trip to March Madness and reached 30 wins for the second time in school history.
The team is led by guard Diamond Johnson, a graduate student who averages 19 points, 6.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists. Johnson, who transferred from NC State two seasons ago, says she’s proud to show the world what HBCU basketball is all about. It’s not just Norfolk State, Johnson says, after watching Southern beat San Diego in Wednesday’s play-in game.
“HBCU’s we kind of like the underdog. Like you said, the SWAC, the MEAC, not a lot people know about a lot of HBCUs,” she said Friday. “It’s not just for us, it’s for literally every HBCU in the world and even just mid-majors that don’t get the recognition that I feel like they should.”— Roxanna Scott
All times Eastern.
Ahead of the NCAA Tournament, USA TODAY experts highlight several potential bracket busters. Here is who they picked.
The women’s NCAA Tournament comes to a close starting on Friday, April 4 at 7 p.m. with the second semifinal starting 30 minutes after the first game ends. Both games will be held at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.
The championship game will take place two days later on Sunday, April 6 at 3 p.m. ET at Amalie Arena.
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