Women's March Madness: Round of 64 Recap

Officially kicking off Women's March Madness, the Round of 64 did not disappoint.

Impressive Performances

The UConn Huskies

Coming off an undefeated, 34-0 season, the UConn Huskies have all eyes on them, with little room for error. That said, time and time again, they prove haters wrong and show their dominance. Matched up with No. 16 seed UTSA, the Huskies were rolling. Sarah Strong lead UConn in scoring with 18 points, joined by Ashlynn Shade, Kayleigh Heckel, and Blanca Quinonez who all scored in double figures. One name you may think I'm forgetting in that group is none other than Azzi Fudd. Earning three fouls in the first quarter, Coach Geno Auriemma gave Fudd time on the bench to prevent her from fouling out. Playing just 17 minutes in the first round of the tournament, Fudd was able to contribute 7 points, 2 assists, and 4 rebounds for the Huskies. UConn was able to comfortably hold off UTSA, 90-52, and advance to the Round of 32. Will the Huskies be able to repeat these outstanding performances and take their final win in Gampel?

The South Carolina Gamecocks

After comfortably defeating Samford in a hard-fought battle in the First Four game of the NCAA Tournament, the Southern U Jaguars were looking to etch their name into history as the No. 16 seed facing the No. 1 South Carolina Gamecocks. That said, Coach Dawn Staley and the Gamecocks had other plans. South Carolina came out guns blazing with a 15-0 run and never looked back. The Gamecocks were able to hold the Jaguars to only one player scoring in double digits, Jocelyn Tate (10 points). Blowing Southern U out of the water, South Carolina had five players score in double figures with Joyce Edwards leading the team with 27 points. Tessa Johnson was also crucial for the Gamecocks on both ends of the court as she recorded a 14-point 10-rebound double-double. Outscoring Southern U 103-34 with a 69-point margin of victory, this opening round of the tournament appears to be South Carolina's warning call to those who stand in their way of the National Championship. Will the Gamecocks be able to pull it off and reach the top after their loss in the championship last season?

The LSU Tigers

Yet another SEC team showing pure dominance in the Round of 64, Kim Mulkey's Tigers are hungry for more. Doubling Jacksonville's final score of 58, scoring 116 points, the LSU Tigers are looking to win the National Championship for the second time in three years. Lead by senior guard, Flau'jae Johnson, LSU is looking confident ahead of their next matchup against No. 7 Texas Tech in the Round of 32. With their entire starting lineup scoring over 10 points in their matchup against Jacksonville, the Tigers seem to be in good shape to make a good run in the tournament. Should LSU beat Texas Tech in the Round of 32, they would possibly face No. 2 in Regional 2, Duke lead by Ashlon Jackson and Toby Fournier. Can the Tigers bring the National Championship back to LSU in Flau'jae's final season?

The Few Upsets

The Virginia Cavaliers Make It Out the First Round After being in First Four

You read that title right, the No. 10 Virginia Cavaliers that barely made their way into the main tournament by beat Arizona State also won in the Round of 64. Lead by dominant performances from Kymora Johnson and Sa'Myah Smith, UVA is looking to advance to their first Sweet Sixteen since 2000. In their victory over the No. 7 Georgia Bulldogs, the Cavaliers made it work when it mattered most in their overtime win. Johnson led the team with 28 points and 7 rebounds followed by Smith's 23-point 11-rebound double-double. This exciting 57-55 win for UVA provides momentum as they head into their Round of 32 matchup against No. 2 Iowa with a special story behind it. The past two victories for the Cavaliers mean even more to junior guard, Kymora Johnson as she has been a lifelong UVA fan and grew up being the ball girl in John Paul Jones Arena. Although this upset wasn't too big of a surprise as a 10 seed beat a 7 seed, the Cavaliers look to shake things up in the Round of 32.

The USC Trojans Takeover the Clemson Tigers in Overtime

In another overtime matchup, the No. 9 USC Trojans took a 4-point victory over the No. 8 Clemson Tigers in a game that came down to the last call of regulation to take the two teams to overtime. With the game tied 61-61 and possessions bouncing back and forth, Clemson had the ball with 4.4 seconds when Mia Moore took the ball down the court and sunk a clutch three with contact from USC's Jazzy Davidson. A foul was called and the shot was ruled too late as clock expired before it left Moore's hand. That said, the refs also ruled that there was no foul despite Davidson sending Moore to the floor mid-shot. This sent the teams to overtime where Davidson carried the Trojans to 71-67 victory to advance to the Round of 32. Will Davidson and the Trojans be enough to combat South Carolina?

Syracuse Shocks Iowa State

In a shocking turn of events, Iowa State made an early exit in the Round of 64. Despite putting up an efficient 37 points on 68% shooting, Audi Crooks and the Iowa State Cyclones couldn't get it done against the Syracuse Orange. Although many were scoreless for the Orange, Uche Izoje got it done for Syracuse with 23 points and 7 rebounds accompanied by 14+ points from Laila Phelia, Olivia Schmitt, and Sophie Burrows each. This No. 8 No. 9 matchup started close as the lead went back and forth between the Cyclones and Orange, though it began to get out of hand in the second half as Syracuse's largest lead was up to 17 points. Can Syracuse keep up the efficient scoring from their big four to take down the defending champs, UConn, in the next round?

Interesting Matchups in the Round of 32

With the Round of 32 on the way, there are a few matchups I foresee as exciting and perhaps allowing opportunities for upsets. A potential upset I see coming is from the No. 5 Kentucky Wildcats taking on the No. 4 West Virginia Mountaineers. If Kentucky's Clara Strack can get into a scoring groove and give them second chances on rebounds, the Wildcats surely have a chance to go on a run against the Mountaineers. Another matchup I think will be interesting is No. 3 TCU vs. No. 6 Washington. Washington has been strong contender all season and with the leadership and scoring of Avery Howell, the Huskies may give the TCU Horned Frogs some problems.

The Women's Round of 32 is set to kickoff March 22 and conclude March 23, 2026.

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