The games have gotten bigger, more competitive and exciting, but chalk remains the writing utensil of choice as the 2025 women's NCAA tournament shifts to the Elite Eight.
UConn, TCU and UCLA Bruins rode big performances by their stars -- Paige Bueckers, Hailey Van Lith and Lauren Betts, respectively. South Carolina, Duke and Texas leaned into defense. USC somehow overcame the loss of star JuJu Watkins. And LSU got production from an unlikely source.
That leaves us with three 1 vs. 2 matchups and one 1 vs. 3 in the regional finals, which feature many of the big-time matchups that were anticipated when the bracket was announced two weeks ago.
That also makes the rankings of the final eight teams that much more difficult, but we took our shot.
1. UConn Huskies
Original seed: No. 2 (Spokane 4)
Tournament results: 103-34 vs. No. 15 Arkansas State (first round); 91-57 vs. No. 10 South Dakota State (round of 32); 82-59 over No. 3 Oklahoma (Sweet 16)
With all that Bueckers has accomplished with the Huskies, it's hard to believe that she just had the greatest two-game stretch in her career and the greatest back-to-back NCAA tournament games in UConn history. She set a career-high 34 points in the round of 32 against South Dakota State and then blew past that with 40 in the Sweet 16 on Saturday against Oklahoma. Bueckers completely took over in the second half after the Huskies trailed by four at halftime. She had 29 points after the break and during one stretch scored 19 straight fourth-quarter points for the Huskies. No UConn player had ever scored 40 points in a NCAA tournament game. Bueckers also just passed Maya Moore for the highest per game scoring average (19.8) in UConn history. The Huskies have won their three NCAA tournament games by an average of 42 points and easily retain the top spot in the rankings heading to the Elite Eight.
Up next: USC (Monday, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN)
2. UCLA Bruins
Original seed: No. 1 (Spokane 1)
Tournament results: 84-46 vs. No. 16 Southern (first round); 84-67 vs. No. 8 Richmond (round of 32); 76-62 vs. No. 5 Ole Miss (Sweet 16)
Everything with UCLA starts with Lauren Betts. The Bruins spread their half-court offense with a focus on getting their 6-foot-7 junior the ball in isolated one-on-one matchups. That neutralized an aggressive Ole Miss defense and helped Betts score 31 points on 15-of-16 from the field. When she grabbed her 10th rebound, Betts became just the third player in the past 25 years to record back-to-back 30-point, 10-rebound performances in the NCAA tournament. That's some elite company: Elena Delle Donne did it in 2012 and Brittney Griner in 2013. Betts' legacy would be cemented at UCLA if she can get the Bruins one final step into their first Final Four.
Up next: LSU (Sunday, 3 p.m. ET, ABC)
Lauren Betts tallies 31 points and 10 rebounds, becoming the third player in the past 25 seasons with multiple 30-point, 10-rebound games in a single NCAA tournament.
3. South Carolina Gamecocks
Original seed: No. 1 (Birmingham 2)
Tournament results: 108-48 vs. No. 16 Tennessee Tech (first round); 64-53 vs. No. 9 Indiana (round of 32); 71-67 vs. No. 4 Maryland (Sweet 16)
The irony is striking: One of the most consistent programs of the past decade once again relied on its most wildly inconsistent player to deliver in the biggest game of the year. MiLaysia Fulwiley -- the Gamecocks' second-leading scorer on the season but also a player who three times this season played 10 minutes or fewer -- was the best player on the court Friday against Maryland. Her 23 points, eight of which came in the final 2:22, were one shy of her season high but also came just days after Fulwiley had one of those stints with short minutes in the second-round win. Now comes Duke, a rematch of the SEC/ACC Challenge in December. South Carolina won that game by 11, but it was another three-point performance for Fulwiley in 15 minutes of playing time. In keeping with the script, she scored 20 points just three days later against TCU. Consistency sustains the Gamecocks and is the only part missing for Fulwiley.
Up next: Duke (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, ABC)
MiLaysia Fulwiley leads all scorers with 23 points in South Carolina's narrow win over Maryland.
4. Texas Longhorns
Original seed: No. 1 (Birmingham 3)
Tournament results: Defeated No. 16 William & Mary 105-61 (first round); defeated No. 8 Illinois 65-48 (round of 32); 67-59 vs. No. 5 Tennessee (Sweet 16)
Tennessee pushed Texas, but the defense once again delivered for the Longhorns, securing the program's fourth Elite Eight appearance in the five years since Vic Schaefer arrived in Austin. A Lady Vols team that was third in the country in scoring at 86.6 points per game was held 27.6 below its average. Schaefer tweaked his lineup to accommodate for Tennessee's frantic style of play and it paid off. Rotation regulars Shay Holle and Kyla Oldacre played a total of just 17 minutes, while freshmen Bryanna Preston and Jordan Lee played above their average minutes and combined for 25 points. Preston played a season-high 27 minutes and became the key to the Longhorns' press break with her speed. That depth might pay dividends against a TCU team that has very little as the Longhorns try to break through for their first Final Four since 1987.
Up next: TCU (Monday, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN)
After the Longhorns reach their fourth Elite Eight in five years, Rori Harmon praises her younger teammates for their contributions to the win over Tennessee.
5. TCU Horned Frogs
Original seed: No. 2 (Birmingham 3)
Tournament results: 73-51 vs. No. 15 FDU (first round); 85-70 vs. No. 7 Louisville (round of 32); 71-62 vs. No. 3 Notre Dame (Sweet 16)
TCU's magical season continues, largely because Hailey Van Lith's success in the postseason rolls on. In a game with likely three future top-five WNBA draft picks playing on the other team, Van Lith was the best player on the court. Her 18 second-half points and 26 for the game helped the Horned Frogs erase a nine-point deficit. TCU dominated Notre Dame defensively, particularly in the second half when the Horned Frogs blocked eight shots, including five by Sedona Prince. The Irish's 62 points were their lowest output of the season. While this marks the first Elite Eight in TCU history, it's now the fifth for Van Lith with her third school. She is the first player, in women's or men's college basketball, in at least 25 years to appear in five regional finals.
Up next: Texas (Monday, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Hailey Van Lith goes off with 26 points and nine rebounds in TCU's 71-62 Sweet 16 win over Notre Dame.
6. LSU Tigers
Original seed: No. 3 (Spokane 1)
Tournament results: 103-48 vs. No. 14 San Diego State (first round); 101-71 vs. No. 6 Florida State (round of 32); 80-73 vs. No. 2 NC State (Sweet 16)
Mikaylah Williams made multiple key plays down the stretch Friday (10 points in the final 4:09) and Aneesah Morrow was dominant throughout (30 points, 19 rebounds), but teams that make deep NCAA tournament runs often have that one player who plays above her regular-season level. Sa'Myah Smith has been that player for LSU. Her second consecutive double-double (21 points, 11 rebounds) was a huge boost against NC State, especially with Flau'Jae Johnson struggling through a three-point performance. Smith, who equaled her career high in scoring, is playing the best basketball of her career as she continues to come back from last season's knee injury. She has become LSU's security blanket if one the Tigers' big three has an unproductive night like Johnson's 1-of-8 shooting Friday.
Up next: UCLA (Sunday, 3 p.m. ET, ABC)
Aneesah Morrow scores 30 points and grabs 19 rebounds in a dominant double-double performance to power LSU to the Elite Eight.
7. USC Trojans
Original seed: No. 1 (Spokane)
Tournament opener: Defeated No. 16 UNC Greensboro 71-25 (first round); defeated No. 9 Mississippi State 96-59 (round of 32); 67-61 vs. No. 5 Kansas State (Sweet 16)
Two years ago, Lindsay Gottlieb landed JuJu Watkins as the No. 1 recruit in the country. Last year she brought in the top-rated class. Watkins has transformed the program. With their star now out after suffering a torn ACL in the round of 32, it was time to lean on the group of freshmen. That's exactly what the Trojans did to reach their second consecutive Elite Eight. Kennedy Smith delivered the most important performance of her career with 19 points and outstanding defense. Classmate Avery Howell made 4-of-8 3-pointers and scored 18 points. Not only did USC overcome the loss of Watkins, the freshman also helped pick up senior Kiki Iriafen, who only made 3 of 13 shots to finish with 7 points (she averages 18.6 PPG).
Up next: UConn (Monday, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN)
8. Duke Blue Devils
Original seed: No. 2 (Birmingham 2)
Tournament results: 80-57 vs. No. 15 Lehigh (first round); 59-53 vs. No. 10 Oregon 59-53 (round of 32); 47-38 vs. No. 3 North Carolina (Sweet 16)
The Blue Devils gave up the first 11 points of Friday's game over the opening four minutes, then gave up 27 points over the next 36 minutes. It was another incredible performance by a team whose success is based on its defense. That's how Duke reached its first regional final since 2013. The Blue Devils' three opponents in the tournament have averaged 38.7 points per game and shot 29.8% from the field. Only UConn in 2010 and South Carolina's 2022 team allowed fewer points through three games. Both of those teams won the national championship. Duke has forced 62 turnovers and allowed nine 3-pointers in the NCAA tournament, but the offense might be as concerning as the defense is devastating. Duke's 47 points in the win over North Carolina tied for the fewest in an NCAA tournament win, and the Blue Devils are about to face a South Carolina team that allows the third-fewest points per 100 possessions in the country.
Up next: South Carolina (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, ABC)
Ashlon Jackson dimes Delaney Thomas for a Duke layup vs. North Carolina.