UCLA has clinched the top overall seed in the women’s NCAA Tournament for the first time in its history. Accompanying them as No. 1 seeds are South Carolina, Southern California, and Texas, as announced by the NCAA on Sunday night.
This marks a historic moment for the Bruins, who have lost only twice this season, both times to the Southern California Trojans. While South Carolina’s coach Dawn Staley believed her team deserved the top overall seed, the Gamecocks, embarking on March Madness with three losses, including one to UCLA, ranked second. NCAA selection committee chair Derita Dawkins explained the decision, noting the head-to-head matchups and South Carolina’s significant 29-point defeat by UConn as determining factors.
Staley’s squad aims to achieve back-to-back championship titles, a feat not accomplished since UConn’s dominant four-year run from 2013 to 2016. Meanwhile, as a No. 2 seed, UConn is eager to break this streak with their standout player, Paige Bueckers. They could face a potential rematch against the Trojans in the Elite Eight if they succeed in reaching the Sweet 16.
The journey through this year’s tournament is expected to be challenging due to increased parity in women’s basketball. This edition of the NCAA Tournament is the second in almost two decades where no team enters with zero or one loss, the other such occurrence being in 2022.
With the Bruins and Trojans integrating into the Big Ten this season, they strive to bring the conference its first national championship since Purdue’s victory in 1999. The Big Ten leads with a record 12 teams in the tournament, while the SEC has ten representatives, the ACC has eight, and the Big 12 counts seven teams.
In a historic first, the Ivy League has secured three bids to the tournament. Princeton and Columbia, the latter earning its second at-large bid in history, join Harvard, which clinched the conference championship, in the tournament. Princeton and Columbia both hold 11 seeds and face play-in games, while Harvard is a 10 seed.
Joining UConn as No. 2 seeds are Duke, TCU, and N.C. State. Notre Dame, boasting victories over top-seeded teams such as Texas, USC, and UConn, slipped to a three-seed after a late-season decline. William & Mary stands out as one of six teams making their debut in the women’s NCAA Tournament, alongside Arkansas State, Fairleigh Dickinson, George Mason, Grand Canyon, and UC San Diego.
On the men’s side, High Point, Omaha, SIU Edwardsville, and UC San Diego make their inaugural tournament appearances. Meanwhile, William & Mary becomes the first sub-.500 team since Incarnate Word in 2022 to participate in the tournament. Unfortunately, Virginia Tech, James Madison, Saint Joseph’s, and Colorado were the first teams not selected.
For the first time, financial incentives are being introduced for women’s teams in the NCAA Tournament, aligning with the men’s program. Performance units, translating to revenue, will be awarded per victory, with a Final Four team potentially earning its conference around $1.26 million over the following three years.
Reflecting the growing interest in women’s basketball, the previous women’s championship game, where South Carolina triumphed over Iowa, garnered higher TV ratings than the men’s title game. In the current tournament, the top 16 seeds will host the initial rounds, while regional rounds are set for neutral sites in Spokane, Washington, and Birmingham, Alabama. The Final Four is scheduled in Tampa, Florida, on April 4, with the championship two days later.
One notable absence this year is Stanford, whose 36-year NCAA Tournament participation streak has concluded, missing for the first time since 1987. However, Tennessee maintains its impressive run, having appeared in every NCAA Tournament since its inception in 1982. The Lady Vols enter as a five-seed.
