The first round of the women's NCAA tournament is complete. Dominating performances from the USC Trojans, UConn Huskies and Texas Longhorns gave notice to the field, while Maryland and NC State fended off would-be upsets.
We captured all the action here, with reporters on site and analysis of every matchup. Find out what's next for the winners or relive the day's action -- and come back tomorrow, when the round of 32 begins and we do it all over again.
Jump to: Full results and analysis | Relive the action
Saturday's full results and analysis
(16) UNC Greensboro vs.
(1) USC
Final: USC 71, UNC Greensboro 25
How did USC win?: Defense, defense and more defense. The Trojans showed once again why they are one of the elite defensive teams in the country, shutting down UNC Greensboro to just 25 points (tied for the second fewest in a game in NCAA tournament history; Duke also held Lehigh to 25 on Friday) and seven field goals in the game. JuJu Watkins led all scorers with 22 points but the performance was overshadowed by her two in-game injuries. During the first half, Watkins appeared to hurt her left wrist, but she stayed in the game. Then in the second half, she rolled her left ankle and, after a short stint in the locker room, returned to the game. The large margin of victory made her continued appearance on the floor puzzling, but the rest of USC's offense wasn't at its best. Only Kiki Iriafen reached double digits.
What's the latest on Watkins? Watkins downplayed the severity of both injuries after the Trojans' win. "I'm all good, don't worry," Watkins said when asked about her injuries. "End of the season, body is a little bit banged up, but onto the next."
In the first half, Watkins hurt her left wrist and appeared to jam a finger on the same hand while attempting to corral a loose ball. She stayed in the game and received treatment on the sidelines during timeouts. In the second half, she sported some athletic tape on that left wrist before ripping it off in frustration. Later in the half, Watkins drove the basket and rolled her left ankle. She winced and limped on it before returning to the floor and sinking a 3-pointer. She then exited the game and limped to the locker room for a short visit. Even with the Trojans up 53-16 at the start of the fourth quarter, Watkins remained in the game.
She played 28 minutes, one of her lowest totals this season. "I think we earned the right to be in a game where we can rest some people somewhat, [but] when it's in the middle of regular rotations, it's not time to sit people down yet," Gottlieb said. "I trust her, I listen to her. I trust our trainers. When she says she's good, I'm probably not going to shut her down when she says she's good before it's time to shut her down."
What's next for USC? The Trojans will be the first to say that despite the lopsided 46-point win, they didn't play their best basketball. Offensively, they'll have to be much more efficient in the second round and beyond, but it will be crucial to see how Watkins is able to manage her ailing left wrist and ankle over the next 48 hours or so. The tournament is a marathon, not a sprint, and how coach Lindsay Gottlieb manages Watkins' minutes going forward as tougher opponents await will be a key storyline to watch. Defense will carry the Trojans far in this tournament, but their ceiling is ultimately tied to Watkins' scoring potential. -- Paolo Uggetti
JuJu Watkins sinks a deep three despite rolling her ankle. She returned to the game after receiving treatment in the locker room.
(15) Arkansas State vs.
(2) UConn
Final: UConn 103, Arkansas State
Is this the best UConn has played this season?: UConn's win over South Carolina probably ranks higher given the quality of the competition, but this was about as perfect of a start to the NCAA tournament, on both ends, that coach Geno Auriemma could have asked for. It's hard to take issue with much when you produce the second-largest halftime lead in NCAA tournament history (50 points). Paige Bueckers had a muted game by her standards (11 points, 4 assists), but she didn't need to take over with Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong going nuclear. In her first March Madness game since the 2023 Sweet 16, Fudd was unstoppable. She scored a NCAA tournament career-high 27 points (6-for-9 shooting from 3) while impacting the game in a variety of other ways with 7 assists, 6 steals and 2 blocks. It was a similar story for the freshman Strong, who became the first player in the past 25 seasons to record 20 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 blocks in a NCAA tournament game. Bueckers and this version of Strong and Fudd give the Huskies the best trio in the country -- and their best shot of cutting down the nets for the first time since 2016.
Also of note, Aubrey Griffin returned to the floor after missing the Big East tournament with knee soreness, playing 10 minutes. She wasn't quite as impactful as we've seen her be, but the more she can be reincorporated into the rotation, the more a UConn squad that's already short on frontcourt depth will benefit.
What's next for UConn?: The Huskies will face the winner of No. 7 seed Oklahoma State and No. 10 seed South Dakota State, and either squad would present much stiffer competition than what they saw Saturday at Gampel. Fortunately for UConn, none of its starters played more than 22 minutes, which should help keep the Huskies fresh as the tournament progresses. -- Alexa Philippou
(16) William & Mary Tribe vs.
Texas Longhorns
Final: Texas 105, William & Mary 61
What made it a historic win for Texas?: The Longhorns cruised past the Tribe in the first round in Austin, tying their largest margin of victory in an NCAA tournament game and hitting the 100-point mark for only the second time in program history in an NCAA tournament game. The other time was in the second round in 1986 -- the year that the Longhorns went 34-0 and won the NCAA championship.
Saturday's game was close for the first quarter -- Texas led 23-18 -- but then the Longhorns' superior talent took over. Texas had a big advantage inside, outscoring the Tribe 56-22 in the paint. Regardless of the score, the tournament appearance was a big win for William & Mary, which made the NCAA field for the first time in school history -- for either the Tribe women's or men's basketball teams.
What's next for Texas?: As a team, Texas shot 54.7%, great news for a team known more for its defense but clearly capable of putting points on the board: Five Longhorns scored in double figures, led by SEC player of the year Madison Booker with 20 points and 14 rebounds. Taylor Jones had 19 points and six rebounds; Booker and Jones were a combined 15-of-21 from the field. Next up, the Longhorns face No. 8 seed Illinois, which beat Creighton on Saturday for the program's first NCAA tournament victory since 2000. -- Michael Voepel
Aneesah Morrow gets it to go at the buzzer
(14) San Diego State Aztecs vs.
(3) LSU Tigers
Final: LSU 103, SDSU 48
How did LSU dominate?: LSU never gave the Atzecs a chance in this one, and finished the day with its largest margin of victory in an NCAA tournament game. It's also just the second time the Tigers have scored 100 points in a tournament game (the other was the 2023 title game against Iowa). Six LSU players finished in double-figure scoring, led by Flau'Jae Johnson's 22 points. Aneesah Morrow had a 12-point, 12-rebound double-double. Meanwhile, LSU's defense held the Atzecs to just 32.1% shooting from the floor: San Diego's 48 points were the fewest it has scored all season.
What's next for LSU?: LSU came into the tournament losing three of its last four games, so to win in such dominant fashion gives the team momentum going into a second-round matchup with No. 6 Florida State. The Tigers have the pieces to stay competitive in this tournament and make a deep run. The most encouraging signs were the performances from Johnson and Marrow, who didn't need much time to regain their rhythm. -- Kendra Andrews
(11) George Mason Patriots vs.
(6) Florida State Seminoles
Final: FSU 94, George Mason 59
How did Florida State dominate George Mason?: The Seminoles jumped in front immediately and held firm control of the game throughout. The Patriots had a couple of different runs to get within single digits in the second and third quarters, but Florida State was always about to answer those spurts with its own -- then put the game away in the fourth quarter. Ta'Niya Latson, the nation's leading scorer, only made one 3-pointer, but got anywhere on the court she wanted, went to the free throw line 14 times and finished with 28 points. She left the 3-point shooting to Sydney Bowles, who made all five of her shots from beyond the arc. Florida State shot 56.9% from the field and scored 46 of those 96 points in the paint.
What's next for Florida State: The Seminoles snapped a five-game NCAA tournament losing streak with their first March Madness win since 2019. To get to their first Sweet 16 since 2017, though, they will likely have to beat LSU -- on the Tigers' home floor. Scoring 94 points was a good sign -- despite being the third-highest scoring team in the country this season, Florida State struggled offensively in the final two games this year, posting just 57 and 56 points against Duke and North Carolina respectively. -- Charlie Creme
Watch the Game Highlights from Florida State Seminoles vs. George Mason Patriots
(9) Creighton Bluejays vs.
(8) Illinois Fighting Illini
Final: Illinois 66, Creighton 57
How did the Illini squeak out the victory?: Illinois saw what was once a 12-point lead evaporate, but the squad put together just enough runs toward the end of the game to seal the win. After Creighton got within four, Berry Wallace grabbed an offensive rebound after two missed free throws to get the putback. From there, it was all about knocking down their free throws, which they did. With Creighton face-guarding Genesis Bryant -- she went scoreless in the second half -- Illinois relied on an even-keeled scoring performance from the six available players. Bryant led the way with 15 points, but Adalia McKenzie also got 14 points on 7-of-12 shooting, 12 points from Kendall Bostic, 11 points from Wallace and nine from Brynn Shoup-Hill. Bostic finished with her 20th double-double of the season, grabbing 17 rebounds to go with her double-digit scoring.
What's next for Illinois: This was Illinois' first NCAA tournament win since 2000; next up, the Illini will face the winner of No. 1 Texas vs. No. 16 William & Mary. They'll be hoping for another historic game from Bostic. Her 17 rebounds were the most by an Illinois player in a tournament game -- men's or women's -- and she also became the first Big 10 player since 2019 with at least 10 points and 17 rebounds in an NCAA tournament game. -- Kendra Andrews
(9) Mississippi State Bulldogs vs.
(8) California Golden Bears
Final: Mississippi State 59, Cal 46
How was Mississippi State able to handle Cal?: Don't call it an upset. The Bulldogs might have been the higher seed in this game, but they comported themselves like the favorites. They led 2-1 in the first quarter all the way through their 59-46 victory over the Golden Bears. Mississippi State showcased the best of its defense -- forcing Cal into 24 turnovers -- as well as its stout play inside the paint. Junior center Madina Okot, who has averaged nearly a double-double this season, had 14 points, 13 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks, helping fuel the Bulldogs' whopping 32 points inside the restricted area. It was the perfect recipe to push them into the next round.
What's next for Mississippi State: The Bulldogs will enter Monday's matchup against USC with plenty of momentum and none of the pressure. Their size will present a particular challenge to the Trojans, though USC's stingy defense will likely force the Bulldogs to do something they struggled to do on Saturday if they want to pull off the upset: make jump shots. Against Cal, only eight of their 59 points did not come inside the paint or via free throws. -- Paolo Uggetti
Jerkaila Jordan credits her coach after the Bulldogs advance to the Round of 32 and says they play tough and aggressive following the 59-46 win over 8-seed California.
(10) Harvard Crimson vs.
(7) Michigan State Spartans
Final: MSU 64, Harvard 50
How did Michigan State put the clamps on Harmoni Turner and Harvard?: Robyn Fralick's strategy for dealing with the Ivy League player of the year was clear: run multiple defenders at her whenever she had the ball inside the 3-point line and crowd her on every possession. The Spartans' strategy was to make someone else in a Harvard uniform make shots, and no one else could (the Crimson shot 27.7% as a team). Turner had to work extremely hard for her 24 points (7-of-22 from the field), and no other Harvard player reached double figures. The Crimson did pull within one-point with an early second-half surge, only for Michigan State to rip off 11 straight points, the first five by Grace VanSlooten, to restore control of the game. VanSlooten, who failed to make the NCAA tournament in her two years at Oregon, led the Spartans with 17 points.
What's next for Michigan State: Michigan State earned its first NCAA tournament win in six years, and Fralick the first of her career. The Spartans have some areas to clean up before meeting No. 2 seed NC State on Monday if they want to make their first Sweet 16 since 2009. They had 23 turnovers against Harvard, and second-leading scorer Julia Ayrault took only five shots and scored eight points, seven below her average. -- Charlie Creme
(13) Norfolk State Spartans vs.
(4) Maryland Terrapins
Final: Maryland 82, NSU 69
What was the key for the Terps in the second half?: Their 30-point third quarter. There were plenty of reasons for Maryland to be nervous going into the locker room at halftime, down 32-30 to a Norfolk State team that had won 19 games in a row. It was the first time in the past 25 years that a MEAC team had a halftime lead in any NCAA tournament game. And with former Power 4 conference player Diamond Johnson, who previously played for Rutgers and NC State, the Spartans had an experienced guard leading them.
That's why it was so important for Maryland (24-7) to make a statement -- and quickly. The Terps finished the game going 9-of-18 from 3-point range, led by Sarah Te-Biasu's 6-of-8 shooting from behind the arc. She led Maryland with 22 points, while Kaylene Smikle had 21 points. The Terps went 23-of-25 from the free throw line, led by Smikle's 9-of-9.
What's next for Maryland: The Terps might have one of the toughest second-round matchups of any of the top 16 seeds, as they play No. 5 seed Alabama, which beat No. 12 Green Bay 81-67 Saturday. The Crimson Tide were in the mix for a top-16 seed but fell out of contention when they were upset by Florida in the SEC tournament. The Tide (24-8) finished in a tie for sixth in the SEC with Ole Miss at 10-6. -- Michael Voepel
(14) Oregon State Beavers vs.
3) North Carolina Tar Heels
Final: UNC 70, OSU 49
How did UNC create separation in the second half?: It all started when Lexi Donarski exploded in the third quarter, scoring the Tar Heels' first 14 points of the quarter and hitting five 3-pointers in that period --- good for the most 3s by a player in a single quarter so far this tournament. After Donarski lit the spark, everyone else followed along. Maria Gakdeng -- who found herself in early foul trouble -- scored almost as many points in the third (6) as she did the entire first half (7), finishing the game with 13 points, 5 rebounds and 1 steal. North Carolina's defense played a huge role in slowing Oregon State -- the Beavers managed just 3-for-13 shooting when UNC used a zone defense, and it was only the third time this season that Oregon State finished with fewer than 50 points in a game.
What's next for UNC: Though this is the fifth consecutive year that the Tar Heels are playing in the tournament, it's the first time they're hosting since 2015, and they're determined to capitalize on that. As a No. 3 seed, UNC won the title back in 1994, but it has also failed to make it out of the second round as a No. 3 on three occasions. This year, the Tar Heels face West Virginia -- a squad they've faced only once, in 1979 -- in the round of 32.
-- Kendra Andrews
(10) South Dakota State vs.
(7) Oklahoma State
Final: SDSU 74, OSU 68
How did the Jackrabbits upset Oklahoma State?: The Jackrabbits have been one of the most dominant mid-major programs in the country, and on Saturday they showed that, taking down an Oklahoma State squad that had one of its best seasons in school history. South Dakota State doesn't have a player taller than 6-foot-2 and struggled at times going up against the 6-foot-6 Tenin Magassa down low, but the squad ultimately won points in the paint battle (38-26), held a plus-18 edge on the glass and were plus-10 from the free throw line. Entering today, the Jackrabbits' roster boasted 1,036 combined games played at the school, the second most of any program in this year's NCAA tournament; that experience and cohesion showed in the way they rallied despite facing an 11-point deficit in the third quarter. Madison Mathiowetz, Paige Meyer and Brooklyn Meyer (no relation) combined for 42 of the Jackrabbits' 50 second-half points.
South Dakota State has now won 20 consecutive games, which after today's results marks the longest active win streak in the country.
What's next for South Dakota State: The Jackrabbits advance to the second round of the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2023, the program's second win as a double-digit seed in the round of 64. They'll hope to make it to their second-ever Sweet 16 in Division I -- but standing in their way are the 2-seed UConn Huskies, who haven't lost that early in the tournament since 1993. -- Alexa Philippou
(14) Florida Gulf Coast vs.
(3) Oklahoma
Final: Oklahoma 81, FGCU 58
How did the Sooners step on the gas in the fourth quarter?: It's what Oklahoma does: When the Sooners' offense takes off, it really takes off. The Sooners led by 10 at halftime, but the Eagles were as close as eight points with seven minutes left in the game. Then the Sooners went on an 18-2 run keyed by center Raegan Beers that sealed the victory. Oklahoma's inside game was just too much for FGCU: The Sooners got a single-game NCAA tournament-record 72 rebounds to 35 for the Eagles. Beers had a season-high 18 boards, which ranks second in Oklahoma's NCAA tournament history -- behind only Courtney Paris, who had 20 in 2007 against Ole Miss. Beers also led Oklahoma with 25 points, while forward Skylar Vann had 24 points and nine rebounds. The Sooners had 23 assists to the Eagles' seven.
What's next for Oklahoma?: The Sooners will face No. 6 seed Iowa, a team Oklahoma coach Jennie Baranczyk is familiar with. She played for the Hawkeyes from 2000-04 and then faced off against them yearly when she coached Drake from 2012-21. Oklahoma has lost in the second round of the NCAA tournament each of the previous three seasons under Baranczyk; the Sooners' last trip to the Sweet 16 was in 2013 under longtime coach Sherri Coale. Oklahoma will face stiffer competition inside against the Hawkeyes, who offer more size to counter Beers. Iowa beat Murray State 92-57 on Saturday, so expect Monday's Sooners-Hawkeyes matchup to be high-scoring. -- Michael Voepel
(15) Vermont vs.
(2) NC State
Final: NC State 75, Vermont 55
What made the difference after a close first half?: A 15-seed has never posted a victory in the women's NCAA tournament, but Vermont was thinking upset when it trailed by just two points at halftime and by six after the third quarter. Then the Wolfpack took over in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Catamounts 23-9. The Wolfpack struggled all game from 3-point range (4-of-20) but were able to put away the victory inside the arc, where they were 23 of 49 (46.9%). Zoe Brooks led NC State with 19 points, while fellow guard Saniya Rivers had 15 points and 12 rebounds. The Wolfpack's leading scorer this season, guard Aziaha James, had 15 points but was 4-of-15 from the field. NC State won the rebounding battle 45-34 -- Madison Hayes joined Rivers with 12 boards -- and had just four turnovers to Vermont's 13.
What's next for NC State?: The Wolfpack, a Final Four team last year, will look to get to the Sweet 16 when they face the winner of No. 7 Michigan State vs. No. 10 Harvard on Monday. NC State has made it to at least the regional semifinals in five of its past six NCAA tournament appearances. -- Michael Voepel
Zoe Brooks pulls off a spin move and wrap-around drive to the basket, getting the and-1 to fall for NC State.
(11) Columbia vs.
(6) West Virginia
Final: West Virginia 78, Columbia 59
How good is West Virginia's defense?: Columbia would likely agree: The Mountaineers' defense is elite and was the catalyst in their win in Chapel Hill. That defense was particularly devastating in the first half, which is where this game was decided. West Virginia ranks third in the country in forcing turnovers and second in steals per game (13.6), and West Virginia turned 15 first-half Columbia turnovers into 15 points. The Mountaineers led by 17 at the break. West Virginia finished the game with 17 steals (25 total turnovers forced), getting many of them from a full-court press that dictated the rhythm of the game. Ten steals came from JJ Quinerly (7) and Jordan Harrison (3), who were also West Virginia's leading scorers as they have been in all but six Mountaineers games this season. Quinerly finished with 27 points and Harrison had 23.
What's next for West Virginia?: The Mountaineers have won a game in six of their past seven trips to the NCAA tournament. But getting beyond the second round has been the issue. Their last trip to the Sweet 16 was 1992. Ending that streak will be a challenge given West Virginia's struggles on the road this season. They are 9-7 away from Morgantown and 5-5 in true road games. If North Carolina survives Oregon State, West Virginia will be playing the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill, a true road game. -- Charlie Creme
JJ Quinerly drains a smooth basket for West Virginia.
(12) Green Bay vs.
(5) Alabama
Final: Alabama 81, Green Bay 67
How did Alabama finally pull away from Green Bay?: For 3½ quarters, the Crimson Tide couldn't shake the veteran Phoenix. But their size and Aaliyah Nye's shooting sparked the decisive late run in College Park. Nye scored 11 of her game-high 23 points during a 22-7 run that began at the 6:52 mark and ended in the final minute. Nye made three 3-pointers in the stretch, giving her 109 for the season, breaking her own Alabama record she set a year ago. The Phoenix, who feature five senior starters but none over 6-foot-1, ultimately succumbed to Alabama's superior length. The Crimson Tide won on the boards 43-27 and had 40 points in the paint.
What's next for Alabama?: Zaay Green's career has taken her from Tennessee to Texas A&M to Arkansas Pine-Bluff and then back to the SEC with the Crimson Tide. Before Saturday's game she had played a total of 23.9 minutes in two NCAA tournament games (with Tennessee in 2019 and Texas A&M in 2021). She made her first real opportunity count. The 6-2 point guard controlled the game and was the best player on the court. She finished with 22 points and five assists, using her size to get open midrange shots. That means Alabama moves into the second round for the second year in a row and for the third time in five seasons under Kristy Curry. Prior to that, the Crimson Tide hadn't won an NCAA tournament game since 1999 and they haven't been to the Sweet 16 since 1998. Green will be the key to ending that drought. -- Charlie Creme
Aaliyah Nye sinks a smooth 3-pointer from the top corner of the arc against Green Bay.
(11) Murray State vs.
(6) Iowa
Final: Iowa 92, Murray State 57
How did Iowa overcome early foul trouble?: Hawkeyes starting forward Hannah Stuelke had barely broken a sweat Saturday before she had two fouls and was on the bench. However, freshman Ava Heiden came in for her and had 13 points in the first half. Depth was a big part of the story for Iowa. Even with key players in foul trouble, the Hawkeyes had answers. As a team, they shot 56.2% from the field for the game, 47.1% (8 of 17) from 3-point range. All 12 Hawkeyes who got into the game scored, with five in double figures. Heiden led the way with 15 points, while guard Lucy Olsen had 12 points and 12 assists. Stuelke, despite playing just 14 minutes, had 11 points and six rebounds.
It also hurt the Racers (25-8) that standout fifth-year senior Katelyn Young went out early in the third quarter with a foot injury, finishing with just six points. She came into the game averaging 22.2 points. Young finishes her career with 3,029 points.
What's next for Iowa?: From Jan. 5 to Jan. 19, the Hawkeyes lost five Big Ten games in a row. But then things turned around dramatically. They have won 11 of 14 since, which included a victory against USC, a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. The only losses were to another No. 1 seed, UCLA, and to No. 4 seed Ohio State twice. If seeds hold, the Hawkeyes would have to face No. 3 seed Oklahoma in the second round. Sooners coach Jennie Baranczyk played at Iowa (2000-04) and faced the Hawkeyes every year during her coaching career at Drake from 2012 to '21. -- Michael Voepel