March Madness Women's Tournament Analysis: Teams And Players To Watch

The NCAA women’s hoops tourney bracket is group and nan games will statesman Wednesday pinch nan commencement of nan First Four.

Here’s a rundown of nan players to watch, imaginable acheronian equine teams and crippled previews for each region successful nan 2026 NCAA women’s hoops tournament.

Connecticut guardant Sarah Strong, right, shoots complete Villanova guardant Denae Carter during nan Big East tourney title crippled connected March 9.

(Jessica Hill / Associated Press)

No. 1 Connecticut: The top-seeded Huskies (34-0) rank adjacent nan apical of nan federation successful astir violative categories (second pinch 88.8 points per game, first pinch 52.5% from nan section and 39.6% from three-point range) and person arguably nan nation’s champion subordinate successful Sarah Strong. The Huskies haven’t mislaid since Feb. 6, 2025.

No. 2 Vanderbilt: The Commodores (27-4) did not suffer a crippled until precocious January. They fell to Ole Miss successful nan SEC tournament, but will still big an NCAA tourney game, down nan nation’s starring scorer, Mikayla Blakes.

No. 3 Ohio State: The Buckeyes (26-7) mislaid successful nan Big Ten semifinal to UCLA, but they tin section a ascendant violative onslaught down Jaloni Cambridge (22.8 points per game).

No. 4 North Carolina: The 26-7 Tar Heels were narrowly named 1 of nan apical 16 seeds aft losing to Louisville successful nan ACC semifinals. Their 26 wins were nan program’s astir since 2019.

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Fairfield was fixed an 11 seed aft winning nan Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and sewage a fascinating first-round matchup pinch No. 6-seed Notre Dame. The Stags (28-4) emotion to sprout three-pointers and person flirted pinch a apical 25 ranking each season.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame: The ACC subordinate of nan twelvemonth leads nan federation pinch 5.4 steals per crippled and is known arsenic 1 of nan move playmakers successful nan country.

Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt: Leads nan federation pinch 27 points per crippled arsenic conscionable a sophomore and was named nan SEC subordinate of nan year.

Audi Crooks, Iowa State: Is 2nd successful nan federation pinch 25.5 points per crippled and a 64.7% section extremity percentage. Crooks has established herself arsenic 1 of nan astir ascendant violative players successful nan crippled this season.

RIM SHOTS

• Fairfield’s 51.6% of shots coming from down nan three-point arc leads nan nation.
  
• Syracuse (23-8) has a 42.2% violative rebound rate, nan 4th champion successful nan country, which has helped its slower discourtesy find success.
  
• Colorado (22-11) is 14-0 erstwhile scoring much than 70 points, but conscionable 8-11 erstwhile being held to less than that.

UCLA defender Kiki Rice (1) and guardant Angela Dugalic (32) observe during a triumph complete USC connected March 1.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

No.1 UCLA: The Bruins (31-1) haven’t mislaid since November and person 3 players (Gianna Kneepkens, Kiki Rice and Gabriela Jaquez) who rank successful nan apical 10 successful violative standing this season. The ascendant Bruins’ scoring powered them to a 2nd consecutive Big Ten tourney title.

No. 2 LSU: The Tigers (27-5) lead nan federation pinch 39.2 chair points per game. They besides haven’t mislaid to a squad classed worse than 12th successful nan federation each season.

No. 3 Duke: After a slow start, nan Blue Devils (24-8) person mislaid conscionable doubly since early December. The ACC champions narrowly defeated Louisville successful nan convention title game.

No. 4 Minnesota: The Golden Gophers (22-8) fell to Ohio State successful a Big Ten quarterfinal upset but still sewage 1 of nan apical 16 seeds successful nan state arsenic nan No. 4 seed connected this broadside of nan bracket. It is their first NCAA tourney since 2018 and first clip hosting nan opening information since 2005.

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The Ivy League champion Princeton Tigers (26-3) person been successful and retired of nan apical 25 each season. They sewage a No. 9 seed and look a reliable Oklahoma State team. Princeton is making its 13th NCAA tourney quality since 2010 and has mislaid conscionable erstwhile since nan extremity of January.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Lauren Betts, UCLA: The Big Ten protect subordinate of nan twelvemonth has helped UCLA to nan No. 2 wide seed arsenic arguably nan apical halfway successful nan country.

Flau’jae Johnson, LSU: Johnson could person gone to nan WNBA this year, but opted for 1 past tally pinch nan Tigers. She was a first-team All-SEC subordinate this season.

Lauren Whittaker, Gonzaga: The freshman was named nan WCC subordinate of nan year, freshman of nan twelvemonth and WCC tourney astir outstanding subordinate aft starring nan convention successful scoring and rebounding.

RIM SHOTS

• No. 15-seed Jacksonville (24-8) is successful nan tourney for nan first clip since 2016 aft clinching nan Atlantic Sun automatic bid.
  
• No. 13-seed Green Bay’s 67.8 assistance percent is nan 12th champion successful nan country.
  
• No. 10 seed Villanova’s 10.9 free-throw attempts per crippled are nan second-fewest successful nan nation.

Michigan’s Olivia Olson, right, shoots complete Northwestern’s Casey Harter connected Feb. 12.

(Geoff Stellfox / Getty Images)

No. 1 Texas: The Longhorns (31-3) toppled South Carolina 78-61 successful nan SEC tourney title crippled to cement themselves arsenic nan nation’s 3rd wide seed. They are led by inferior guardant Madison Booker.

No. 2 Michigan (25-6): The Wolverines are led by Olivia Olson and Syla Swords, who are nan only duo successful Division I this play averaging astatine slightest 14 points, 4 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game.

No. 3 Louisville (27-7): With 3 losses successful their past six games, nan Cardinals limp into nan postseason pursuing an overtime nonaccomplishment to Duke successful nan convention championship.

No. 4 West Virginia: The Big 12 champions person won six games successful a statement and earned a apical 16 seed to big a tourney crippled for nan first clip since 1992.

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Coming disconnected their first Atlantic 10 tourney title and heading to their 2nd NCAA tourney and first successful 30 years, nan Rhode Island Rams (28-4) person spent clip successful nan apical 25 this season. Center Albina Syla (6-foot-5) has changeable 54.1% from nan section and was nan A-10 tournament’s astir outstanding player.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Madison Booker, Texas: Booker scores 18.9 points per crippled for nan powerful Longhorns attack. She was nan SEC tourney MVP.

Clara Strack, Kentucky: Strack ranks 5th nationally pinch 2.58 blocks per crippled for nan defensive-minded Wildcats (23-10).

Olivia Olson, Michigan: An All-Big Ten postseason pick, Olson is 1 of 5 finalists for nan Cheryl Miller Small Forward of nan Year award. Her 19.2 points per crippled rank ninth successful nan loaded Big Ten.

RIM SHOTS

• No. 10-seed Tennessee mislaid 10 of its past 12 games heading into nan tournament.
  
• No. 13-seed Miami (Ohio) is making its first tourney quality since 2008 aft winning nan Mid-American Conference tournament.
  
• No. 4-seed West Virginia (27-6) forced opponents to move nan shot complete connected 27.3% of their possessions, which is ninth champion successful nan nation.

South Carolina defender Raven Johnson drives for a layup against Mississippi connected Feb. 22.

(Nell Redmond / Associated Press)

No. 1 South Carolina: The 31-3 Gamecocks sewage thrashed by Texas successful nan SEC tourney title crippled but are still a clear No. 1 seed pinch 1 of nan deepest starting 5 successful nan nation, led by Raven Johnson, Joyce Edwards and Madina Okot.

No. 2 Iowa: After getting smashed by UCLA successful nan Big Ten championship, nan Hawkeyes person thing to prove. They person already sustained nan nonaccomplishment of Taylor McCabe. Chazadi Wright is 1 of nan apical three-point shooters successful nan state (45.2%).

No. 3 Texas Christian: Powered by Olivia Miles and Marta Suarez, nan Horned Frogs didn’t get rather what they hoped, entering nan bracket from nan Sacramento broadside alternatively of hometown Fort Worth.

No. 4 Oklahoma: The 24-7 Sooners are 2nd successful nan federation pinch 48.5 rebounds per game. and lead nan state pinch an 81.1 points per crippled pace. Freshman defender Aaliyah Chavez paces nan squad pinch 18.4 points per contest.

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Behind USC transportation Avery Howell and Elle Ladine, nan No. 6-seed Washington Huskies (21-10) mightiness sneak up connected immoderate teams. They defeated nan Trojans successful nan Big Ten tourney quarterfinal and challenged UCLA successful nan tourney semifinal.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Raven Johnson, South Carolina: Johnson has won 2 nationalist titles pinch nan Gamecocks and is simply a leader for Dawn Staley’s squad. She has racked up 184 assists this season.

Jazzy Davidson, USC: The Big Ten freshman of nan year, Davidson was nan apical enlistee successful nan federation entering this play and is coming disconnected of a enarthrosis wounded she sustained during nan Trojans’ Big Ten tourney quarterfinal nonaccomplishment to Washington.

Marta Suarez, TCU: Suarez has surgery retired this play aft helping California return to nan NCAA tourney a twelvemonth ago. With nan Horned Frogs, she has averaged 17.2 points per crippled and changeable 46.7%.

RIM SHOTS

• No. 15 Fairleigh Dickinson (30-4) will bring a 22-game winning streak to nan NCAA tournament.
  
• No. 16-seed Samford upset top-seed Chattanooga to triumph nan Southern Conference and is playing successful its first NCAA tourney since 2012.
  
• TCU led nan federation successful overgarment defense this season, holding opponents to 36.7% shooting successful nan paint.