No. 10 seed Virginia defeated Arizona State 57-55 in Thursday's First Four finale, claiming its first Women's March Madness victory since 2018 and setting up a first-round showdown with No. 7 seed Georgia basketball.
The Cavaliers (20-11) overcame the fellow No. 10 seed Sun Devils (24-11) behind double-doubles from Kymora Johnson and Caitlin Weimar. Johnson led Virginia with 17 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists. Weimar provided a crucial spark off the bench with 11 points and 12 rebounds, while Paris Clark added nine points and four steals.
"I'm really proud of our players," head coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton said postgame. "That was a gutsy performance. We had to grind that one out."
Neither team led by more than four points until late in the first quarter, when Virginia subsequently rattled off a 7-0 run. The Cavaliers then took a 19-14 lead into the second quarter, after shooting 7-for-13 from the field.
Virginia extended its advantage to nine points in the first half to lead 30-22 at halftime. However, the Cavaliers held Arizona State to 0 made baskets in their final seven first-half attempts.
Arizona State trimmed the deficit to four points heading into the fourth quarter, before Johnson responded with a clutch 3-pointer to regain the lead. Clark sealed the victory with a steal in the final four seconds.
The win marks Agugua-Hamilton's first NCAA tournament victory at Virginia. The fourth-year coach improves to a 4-2 overall Women's March Madness coaching record after leading Missouri State to the 2021 Sweet Sixteen.
Johnson moved into sole possession of 10th place on Virginia's all-time scoring list with 1,651 career points. She also became the third player in program history to record at least 10 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists in an NCAA tournament game.
Weimar recorded the 49th double-double of her career and her first in an NCAA tournament game.
How to Watch Virginia vs. Georgia basketball in Women's March Madness
Virginia tips off against Georgia basketball on Saturday at 1:30 PM ET, live on ESPN2.
No. 17 Kentucky advanced to the SEC women's basketball tournament quarterfinals on Thursday, notching a 76-61 second-round win over Georgia behind Clara Strack's dominant performance.
Strack tied her career high with 33 points — including five 3-pointers — in the victory, while additionally registering eight rebounds, three blocks, and two assists. Her offensive output ranks as the Kentucky's second-highest in SEC Tournament history, trailing only Valarie Still's 34 in 1982.
Wildcat Teonni Key also pitched in, recorindg a 14-point, 12-rebound double-double, while Tonie Morgan contributed 14 points and seven assists.
Kentucky jumped ahead early, mounting a 20-16 lead after the first quarter behind Strack's 13 opening-period points. However, Georgia fought back in the second, entering halftime with a 36-35 advantage.
Nevertheless, Strack continued her hot streak in the third quarter, scoring nine points to push Kentucky to a 54-49 lead heading into the final frame.
The Wildcats then pulled away in the fourth quarter. After Georgia cut the deficit to four points at 60-56, Strack sparked a decisive run, scoring four straight baskets to ignite an 8-0 Kentucky stretch. Amelia Hassett sealed the victory with a 3-pointer and two free throws.
What's Next in the SEC Women's Basketball Tournament
Kentucky now faces top-seeded South Carolina in Friday's SEC quarterfinals, tipping off at 12 PM ET on ESPN.
Kara Braxton, a two-time WNBA champion with the Detroit Shock, has died at age 43, the league announced Sunday. It did not disclose a cause of death.
"It is with profound sadness that we mourn the passing of 2x WNBA Champion Kara Braxton," the WNBA said in a statement. "Our thoughts are with her family, friends, and former teammates at this time."
Braxton played college basketball at Georgia from 2001 to 2004, earning SEC Freshman of the Year honors in 2002 as a 6-foot-6 center-forward. The Detroit Shock subsequently selected her No. 7 overall in the 2005 WNBA Draft.
Braxton made an immediate impact in Detroit, making on the league's 2005 All-Rookie Team. She went on to win her first WNBA championship with the Shock in 2006 before capturing her second in 2008.
The 2007 WNBA All-Star averaged 7.6 points and 4.7 rebounds during her 10-year pro career.
Kara Braxton's Post-Detroit Shock Journey
After winning two titles with Detroit, Braxton played her final seasons in New York after stints with three different WNBA teams.
Braxton spent part of the 2010 season in Tulsa after the Shock franchise relocated to Oklahoma, before the Phoenix Mercury acquired Braxton via trade later that year. She went on to join the New York Liberty during the 2011 season, where she finished her WNBA career in 2014.
Braxton's son, Jelani Thurman, played tight end at Ohio State for three years before transferring to North Carolina in January 2026. The college football player carries on his mother's athletic legacy.
In addition to her son, Braxton leaves behind a legacy as a league champion and respected veteran in the world of women's basketball.
The SEC lorded over Monday's AP Top 25 Poll update with a record-breaking 10 programs representing the NCAA basketball powerhouse after another intense week of conference play.
No. 10 Oklahoma made the biggest leap, jumping six spots after ending a four-game ranked losing streak by upsetting No. 3 South Carolina 94-82 in overtime on Thursday.
On the other hand, No. 18 Kentucky saw the largest drop, sliding seven places after dropping games to No. 15 Tennessee and No. 23 Georgia.
Georgia's Saturday win over the Wildcats sent them flying into the Top 25, bringing the slate of SEC ranked teams to 10 — the highest single-week tally in the 50-year history of the AP Poll.
The Big Ten did see some positive movement as well, with No. 2 UCLA and No. 8 Iowa both making strides up the Top 10 as the only programs still unbeaten in conference play.
Now the only undefeated Division I team still standing, UConn held tight to their unanimous No. 1 ranking after downing three opponents — including rivals Notre Dame — by an average margin of 39.7 points.
How to watch Top 25 NCAA basketball this week
Ranked action returns on Wednesday, when an injury-struck No. 16 Maryland hosts No. 25 Washington at 7 PM ET, airing live on B1G+.
2025/26 AP Top 25 Women's College Basketball Poll: Week 12
1. UConn (21-0, Big East)
2. UCLA (19-1, Big Ten)
3. South Carolina (20-2, SEC)
4. Texas (19-2, SEC)
5. Vanderbilt (20-1, SEC)
6. LSU (19-2, SEC)
7. Louisville (19-3, ACC)
8. Iowa (18-2, Big Ten)
9. Michigan (17-3, Big Ten)
10. Oklahoma (16-4, SEC)
11. Ohio State (18-3, Big Ten)
12. TCU (19-2, Big 12)
13. Michigan State (18-2, Big Ten)
14. Baylor (18-3, Big 12)
15. Tennessee (14-3, SEC)
16. Maryland (17-4, Big Ten)
17. Ole Miss (17-4, SEC)
18. Kentucky (17-5, SEC)
19. Princeton (17-1, Ivy)
20. Duke (14-6, ACC)
21. Texas Tech (20-2, Big 12)
22. West Virginia (17-4, Big 12)
23. Georgia (18-3, SEC)
24. Alabama (18-3, SEC)
25. Washington (16-4, Big Ten)