Half of the 2026 Final Four is in the books, as No. 1 seeds UConn and UCLA punched their tickets to Phoenix with Elite Eight victories in Sunday's Women's March Madness slate.
The Huskies overcame a rough offensive start to thwart No. 6 Notre Dame's upset bid, securing the 70-52 win behind Player of the Year frontrunner Sarah Strong's 21 points, seven rebounds, and five steals.
Freshman Blanca Quiñonez added 20 points off the bench — the first-ever Husky to do so in the Elite Eight or later — to help UConn overcome the 22-point, 11-rebound double-double posted by Notre Dame star Hannah Hidalgo.
Elsewhere, the Bruins rallied from an eight-point halftime deficit to top No. 3 Duke 70-58, with star center Lauren Betts's game-leading 23 points, 10 rebounds, and five blocks silencing a red-hot Blue Devils team fresh off Friday's buzzer-beater Sweet 16 victory over No. 2 LSU.
Both UConn and UCLA looked like formidable foes on Sunday, tapping into depth and professionalism to offset lower-seed momentum.
"So proud of the way that we're able to just stay calm and still hold each other accountable while also just competing at the highest level," said Betts.
"I don't know if I've ever been prouder to take a team to the Final Four than this one," Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma said of his still-unbeaten squad.
How to watch UCLA and UConn in the 2026 Final Four
The Bruins and Huskies will get a few days of rest before the 2026 Final Four tips off on Friday, when UConn will face the winner of Monday's Elite Eight tilt between No. 1 South Carolina and No. 3 TCU while UCLA similarly contends with either No. 1 Texas or No. 2 Michigan.
The Final Four semis will tip off at 7 PM ET on Friday, airing live on ESPN.
UConn enters the NCAA women's basketball bracket as the overwhelming favorite to capture a record-extending 13th national championship, as the Huskies capped Selection Sunday with -270 odds — the shortest odds for a pre-tournament favorite since 2018.
Coach Geno Auriemma's squad carries a perfect 34-0 record into March Madness. The defending NCAA champions earned the No. 1 overall seed in this year's tournament.
A sizable gap separates UConn from the rest of the NCAA women's basketball bracket. Big Ten tournament winner UCLA holds the second-best odds at +550, despite finishing 31-1 with an undefeated conference record. The Bruins also earned a No. 1 seed, representing the biggest threat to UConn's title defense.
The SEC dominates the next tier of odds contenders, with Texas sitting at +700 followed by South Carolina at +800. LSU enters between +1,700 and +2,200, while Vanderbilt checks around +5,000.
Michigan (+9,000), Duke (+10,000), Iowa (+10,000), and Louisville (+10,000) round out the bracket's Top 10 highest odds.
Sportsbook BetMGM reports that UConn, UCLA, and South Carolina have attracted 57.4% of championship future handle throughout the season. The three favorites generated public support all year, though Michigan and Vanderbilt could cause March Madness challenges for the college basketball heavy-hitters.
Current NCAA Women’s Basketball Bracket Championship Odds
UConn -275
UCLA +550
Texas +650
South Carolina +900
LSU +1700
Vanderbilt +5000
Michigan +9000
Duke +10000
Iowa +10000
Louisville +10000
Oklahoma +12500
TCU +12500
Ole Miss +12500
NC State +15000
Kentucky +15000
Maryland +17500
Notre Dame +20000
Tennessee +20000
North Carolina +20000
Iowa State +20000
Ohio State +20000
Texas Tech +20000
USC +25000
Baylor +25000
Alabama +25000
West Virginia +25000
Minnesota +25000
Michigan State +30000
Washington +30000
Oklahoma State +50000
Viollanova +50000
Arizona State +50000
Colorado +50000
Colorado State +50000
Princeton +50000
Syracuse +50000
Virginia Tech +50000
Illinois +50000
Nebraska +75000
Oregon +75000
Clemson +75000
Georgia +75000
Gonzaga +75000
Virginia +100000
Richmond +150000
Cal Baptist +150000
FDU +150000
Charleston +150000
Fairfield +200000
Jacksonville +200000
Rhode Island +200000
High Point +200000
South Dakota State +200000
Idaho +200000
Green Bay +200000
James Madison +200000
Western Illinois +200000
Vermont +200000
Holy Cross +200000
Miami Ohio +200000
UC San Diego +200000
Samford +500000
Stephen F. Austin +500000
Southern +500000
Missouri State +500000
UTSA +500000
Murray State +500000
Howard +500000
UConn captured its sixth consecutive Big East tournament title on Monday with a dominant three-game run at Mohegan Sun Arena.
The Huskies defeated Georgetown, Creighton and Villanova by an average of 44.3 points to claim the program's 31st conference tournament title. Along the way, Sarah Strong earned Most Outstanding Player honors while Azzi Fudd and KK Arnold landed on the all-tournament team.
UConn remains undefeated at 31-0 heading into the 2026 NCAA Tournament. And while the Huskies secured the Big East's automatic bid, the team still faces a major question: Will it earn the national tournament's No. 1 overall seed?
The Connecticut women's basketball powerhouse held that distinction in the first two NCAA bracket reveals. However, UCLA is now gunning for the top spot after finishing the season 31-1 overall with an undefeated Big Ten regular-season run. The Bruins routed Iowa 96-45 in the Big Ten title game and own 18 Q1 victories — double UConn's nine.
UConn leads UCLA in the NET rankings, Torvik rankings, and AP Top 25 Poll, though UCLA did steal three first-place AP Poll votes from the Huskies this week.
Receiving the No. 1 overall seed carries significance beyond bragging rights, with the top NCAA team getting an extra day of rest between the regional finals and the Final Four.
Mohegan Sun Extends Big East Tournament Hosting Deal
The Big East announced during Monday's championship game that the tournament will stay at Mohegan Sun Arena for at least three more years, with Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma praising the venue and atmosphere.
"When you have that many people coming out year after year, when you have people here at 11:30 at night watching the game, the people here at Mohegan know how to run events," said the legendary UConn boss. "I can't imagine it being anywhere else, to be honest with you."
UCLA capped a dominant Big Ten run on Sunday, as the No. 2 Bruins thrashed No. 9 Iowa 96-45 to secure back-to-back Big Ten women's basketball tournament titles — and continue a 24-game conference unbeaten streak.
The 51-point win marked the largest margin of victory in Big Ten tournament final history, with guard Gianna Kneepkens's 19 points leading the six UCLA players who reached double-digit scoring in the matchup — including 15 points from tournament MVP Kiki Rice.
"For us to come out the way we did, it means a lot because we're doing it against really good teams," said Bruins head coach Cori Close.
Carrying the fourth-strongest Division I schedule alongside 18 Quad 1 wins, UCLA is making a case for the 2026 NCAA tournament's overall No. 1 seed ahead of Selection Sunday.
That said, the Bruins' toughest competition for that top spot is No. 1 UConn, with the defending national champion Huskies topping the NET rankings without a single loss in 2025/26 NCAA play — albeit in the weaker Big East conference.
"I don't really care," Close said about NCAA seeding. "When you focus on things out of your control, it will adversely affect the things under your control."
What's Next for UCLA Women's Basketball
UCLA will learn their national tournament path when the NCAA committee reveals the 2026 March Madness bracket this weekend.
Live coverage of the Selection Sunday bracket drop will begin at 8 PM ET on ESPN.
NCAA women's basketball heavy hitters are storming the court on Friday, as top seeds enter conference tournament quarterfinals after two jam-packed days of Power Four action.
A few Big Ten underdogs are still alive, with No. 11-seed Oregon taking down No. 6 Maryland while No. 10 Illinois narrowly upset No. 7 Michigan State in Thursday's second round.
The SEC also saw some surprises on Thursday, as No. 9 Kentucky ousted No. 8 Georgia and No. 11 Alabama sent No. 6 Tennessee packing.
Three Big 12 lower seeds also punched quarterfinals tickets on Thursday, with No. 10-seed Arizona State upsetting No. 7 Iowa State, No. 9 BYU scoring a big win over No. 8 Utah, and No. 12 Kansas State continuing their historic tournament run by ousting No. 5 Texas Tech in the second round.
All eyes now turn to the season's national contenders, namely SEC titans No. 1 seed South Carolina, No. 2 Vanderbilt, No. 3 Texas, and No. 4 LSU.
The Longhorns received an early nod for the NCAA tournament's fourth No. 1 seed, but that spot could shift depending on the weekend's results.
Projected No. 1 seed UCLA will also manage expectations, as the Bruins look to put a bow on a perfect 2025/26 Big Ten run.
How to watch Power Four women's basketball quarterfinals
The ACC will tip off Friday's Power Four quarterfinals when No. 1-seed Duke takes on No. 9 Clemson at 11 AM ET, airing live on ESPN2.
The SEC, Big 12, and Big Ten will follow suit at 12 PM ET, tipping off their matchups on ESPN, ESPNU, and BTN, respectively.
While No. 2 UCLA looks to run the Big Ten women's basketball table, this week's conference tournament will also provide opportunities for underdogs to better their odds in the national bracket.
Wednesday's first round features unranked Indiana, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Illinois, Purdue, and Oregon, before Thursday sees unranked USC and Washington tip off alongside No. 11 Ohio State, No. 14 Maryland, and No. 18 Michigan State.
The teams surviving the first two rounds will then face top-seeded No. 2 UCLA, No. 8 Michigan, No. 9 Iowa, and No. 19 Minnesota, who all earned byes into Friday's quarterfinals.
One of the teams in the hot seat is No. 9 seed USC, as the Trojans fight to make the NCAA tournament cut while continuing to build around 2025/26 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Jazzy Davidson.
The top 2025 recruit stepped up in lieu of injured star JuJu Watkins in a big way, averaging 17.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 2.1 blocks, and two steals per 34.4 minutes of game time to lead the team in nearly every category.
"She's had an incredible freshman year," USC head coach Lindsey Gottlieb said. "And I think we're still only tapping into what she's capable of."
How to watch the 2026 Big Ten women's basketball tournament
The 2026 Big Ten tournament tips off with Indiana vs. Nebraska at 3:30 PM ET on Wednesday.
All three Wednesday matchups will stream live on Peacock before tournament coverage shifts to the Big Ten Network on Thursday.
The NCAA women's basketball regular season ends on Sunday, with the weekend delivering a stacked lineup despite most conferences already crowning the champions of their 2025/26 campaigns.
No. 3 South Carolina won their fifth straight SEC title on Thursday night, joining No. 1 UConn (Big East), No. 2 UCLA (Big Ten), No. 11 TCU (Big 12), and No. 12 Duke (ACC) as the major conferences' top regular-season finishers heading into Champ Week.
"They knew [the title] was at stake," Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley said after her team's 112-71 win over Missouri. "We've been mentioning just wanting it outright and doing it on our home court in front of the fans that really have supported us to the nth degree."
Titles aside, the season isn't quite over yet, as Sunday rivalries serve as postseason appetizers for teams banking on deep playoff runs.
Duke tips off Sunday's NCAA slate against in-state nemesis No. 21 UNC, before TCU battles fellow Texas standout No. 18 Baylor and UCLA takes on SoCal neighbor USC.
"It's been amazing to watch the program grow," said Bruins guard Gabriela Jaquez. "That's a reason we all came here, is to do things UCLA has never done before."
How to watch Sunday's NCAA women's basketball rivalries
No. 12 Duke will visit No. 21 North Carolina at 12 PM ET before No. 11 TCU hosts No. 18 Baylor at 4 PM ET, both airing live on ESPN.
Then at 6 PM ET, No. 2 UCLA will close out their season at USC, with live coverage on FS1.
The UCLA women's basketball team is getting the Hollywood treatment, with FOX Sports announcing on Wednesday that the network will debut a documentary on the Bruins entitled You See L.A. on Sunday, March 1st.
The one-hour special promises viewers "an intimate, all-access look" into the Bruins' program-first run to the 2025 Final Four — including "the human stories, emotional stakes, and deep community surrounding" the team — as well as this season's continued success.
"This film is not only about a remarkable season on the court, but also about leadership, community, the power of women's sports, and the resolve of a team representing something bigger than themselves," said FOX Sports VP of development and original programming Barry Nugent in this week's release.
Starring UCLA head coach Cori Close alongside standout players Lauren Betts, Gabriela Jaquez, and Kiki Rice, the film sets out to define the Bruins' basketball culture, with commentary from legends of the sport like Reggie Miller and Candace Parker.
"This film shines a light on the strongest part of UCLA women's basketball: our people," said Close. "You See L.A. celebrates the character, courage, and competitive fire that defined last season, and I couldn't be more proud for the world to witness the humanity behind our success."
How to watch the UCLA basketball documentary You See L.A.
You See L.A. will premiere immediately following the No. 2 Bruins' final 2025/26 regular-season game against crosstown rival USC.
The game will tip off at 6 PM ET, with the documentary expected to air at approximately 8 PM ET, both on FS1.
The No. 2 UCLA Bruins narrowly avoided an upset on Sunday, surviving No. 8 Michigan 69-66 to extend their winning streak to 17 straight games — and strengthen their grip atop the 2025/26 Big Ten basketball table.
UCLA center Lauren Betts ran the court with 16 points, 16 rebounds, and five assists, while guard Kiki Rice put up a team-leading 20 points in the win.
Despite 16 forced turnovers and a strong fourth-quarter rally, Michigan sophomore guard Syla Swords air-balled a potentially game-tying buzzer-beater to seal the deal.
The Bruins haven't dropped a game since a late November loss to No. 4 Texas, as UCLA's size advantage — namely 6-foot-7 Betts and 6-foot-4 Angela Dugalić, who post a combined 13.3 rebounds per game — continues to wear down opponents.
"[The Wolverines] were playing really aggressively with us, so I was like, 'Why don't we do the same thing back?'" Betts said on Sunday. "Once we started rebounding and locking in on taking away their best players… that was just really important for us."
How to watch UCLA, Michigan in this week's NCAA basketball action
No. 2 UCLA will visit No. 12 Michigan State at 8 PM ET on Wednesday, before No. 8 Michigan hunts a bounce-back win against unranked Northwestern at 9 PM ET on Thursday.
Both Big Ten games will air live on Peacock.
The 2025/26 Big Ten basketball regular-season title could boil down to Sunday, when the No. 2 UCLA Bruins visit No. 8 Michigan with just a one-game conference advantage over the Wolverines.
UCLA has only dropped one game this season — November's nonconference loss to No. 4 Texas — while Michigan's lone Big Ten loss came via a New Year's Day upset at the hands of No. 24 Washington.
"We know we're at the point where we want better and we want more," said sophomore guard Syla Swords after leading the Wolverines to a program-best 11-1 Big Ten start. "We want to improve and there's multiple areas which we need to be better if we want to reach the heights that we plan to."
Coming off a 2025 Final Four run, the Bruins land in Ann Arbor with big-game pedigree, while scrappy Michigan pushes for a first-ever Big Ten title.
"They're different than everyone else because of their size," Michigan head coach Kim Barnes Arico said of UCLA. "Then the other thing about them is their experience. Their guard play is so experienced."
"This is why I came here," Barnes Arico continued. "I said, 'I'm going to leave everything I know on the East Coast to come to the University of Michigan because I believe that's a place where we can win a championship.'"
How to watch UCLA vs. Michigan basketball this weekend
No. 8 Michigan will host No. 2 UCLA at 3 PM ET on Sunday, with live coverage airing on FOX.