Women’s March Madness: Scores, Analysis

Initial matches of the 2026 women’s NCAA championship have commenced, with participating squads aiming to progress through the competition structure.

Our coverage follows each team’s triumph on Friday, encompassing unexpected victories, dominant performances, and significant showings.

Presented is ESPN’s overview of all opening day outcomes, featuring insights from journalists on the manner of each game’s conquest, alongside our specialists’ assessments of every victor’s prospects for reaching the Sweet 16.

Texas’s Victory Method: Every member of the Longhorns squad saw playing time; they achieved a 50% success rate from open play (34 of 68 attempts) and an 81% accuracy from free throws (17 of 21 attempts). Second-year guard Jordan Lee spearheaded Texas’s scoring with 19 points, while third-year forward Madison Booker contributed 14 points and pulled down 12 rebounds. Texas secured more rebounds than Missouri State, with a 49-27 advantage, and capitalized on the Lady Bears’ 19 turnovers to score 28 points.

Notwithstanding their elimination from the NCAA tournament, this post-season campaign remained highly successful for Missouri State. In their inaugural year within the league, the Lady Bears clinched the Conference USA tournament title as a sixth seed, overcoming the top-ranked Louisiana Tech in the championship match. Subsequently, they defeated Stephen F. Austin 85-75 in their initial play-in contest. Missouri State concludes their season with a record of 23 wins and 13 losses.

Path for Longhorns to Reach Sweet 16: The Longhorns, having reached at least the Elite Eight in four of the last five seasons, are scheduled to compete against eighth-seeded Oregon in the subsequent round. The Ducks secured a 70-60 victory over Virginia Tech in their opening game. It is highly probable that Texas head coach Vic Schaefer will prioritize a defensive strategy aimed at curbing the impact of Oregon’s star guard, Katie Fiso, who notched 22 points on 9-of-12 field goal attempts against the Hokies. — Michael Voepel

Ole Miss’s Winning Strategy: The Rebels’ victory was powered by their defensive efforts. Gonzaga managed a season-low 37 points before the start of the fourth quarter, signifying the twelfth occasion this season Ole Miss has restricted an adversary to under 40 points across the initial three quarters. The Rebels also excelled in the interior, surpassing Gonzaga 38-20 in low-post scoring heading into the final period. Four athletes achieved double-digit point totals, with Latasha Lattimore topping the list at 15 points. Cotie McMahon contributed an additional 13, and Sira Thienou accumulated 12 points, alongside executing four shot blocks.

Rebels’ Path to Sweet 16:

Ole Miss must overcome either the fourth-seeded Minnesota or the thirteenth-seeded Green Bay to return to the Sweet 16. The Rebels advanced to the regional semifinals previously, however, the current roster is completely distinct from the squad of the prior season. This year, the Rebels integrated eight fresh players, yet successfully managed to facilitate a remarkably smooth adjustment. A point of caution: despite Ole Miss’s early control over Gonzaga, the Bulldogs mounted a 17-0 surge in the fourth quarter, narrowing the Rebels’ substantial 30-point advantage. The Rebels are required to maintain relentless pressure. — Kendra Andrews

Maryland’s Path to Victory: Brenda Frese has experienced only a single first-round defeat throughout her 21 NCAA tournament participations as Maryland’s head coach. Furthermore, the sole instance this season where the Terrapins amassed a greater point total occurred in a double-overtime triumph against Minnesota.

The Terps capitalized significantly on their considerable physical superiority against the Racers. They asserted control in rebounding with a 51-21 edge, which translated into additional scoring opportunities, accumulating 52 points from close range and 33 points derived from offensive rebounds (compared to Murray State’s five). This tally of 33 second-chance points represented Maryland’s highest in a decade.

Two distinct Terps players achieved their season-best performances: first-year student Kyndal Walker contributed 20 points as a reserve, and final-year student Mir McLean recorded 19 points. McLean additionally paced the team with 14 rebounds.

Terps’ Route to the Sweet 16: Their singular initial-round defeat happened in 2023. Aside from that, Maryland has progressed to the Sweet 16 in every NCAA tournament since 2021. Coach Frese also possesses a commendable track record in the second round. The output from McLean and Walker signals a positive trend. In previous contests, much of the scoring burden rested on top scorer Oluchi Okananwa and Isimenme Ozzy-Momodu in other games, but support was lacking. This was a primary factor in Maryland’s two losses preceding the NCAA tournament – which resulted in the Terps forfeiting their opportunity to host matches this weekend. That pair collectively scored merely 13 points on Friday, yet the Terps still secured a decisive victory. — Charlie Creme

Baylor’s Method of Triumph: Baylor secured victories in the opening and concluding periods, while Nebraska prevailed in the second and third quarters. Nevertheless, the Bears’ 26-15 advantage over the Huskers in the final quarter proved decisive for the contest. Taliah Scott, Baylor’s primary offensive threat who had an average of 20 points per game entering the match, converted 3 of 12 shots from the floor, including missing all 8 attempts from beyond the arc. However, she successfully sank 9 of 12 free throws, culminating in 15 points. Darianna Littlepage-Buggs registered 13 points and collected 11 rebounds.

A crucial turning point came with 3:48 remaining, due to a flagrant foul committed by Nebraska’s Jessica Petrie – an infraction initially missed by referees but later verified following a review requested by Baylor’s coach Nicki Collen. The score stood at an even 53-53, but Scott converted two free throws awarded after the flagrant play, giving Baylor a lead they would not relinquish. Petrie subsequently exited the game due to foul trouble with 3:21 left on the clock, having accumulated 10 points.

Second-year Huskers guard Britt Prince emerged as the top scorer with 27 points, yet this contribution proved insufficient for Nebraska, concluding their season with 19 victories and 13 defeats.

Bears’ Road to Sweet 16: The Bears are required to defeat the third-seeded Blue Devils on their home court. Duke’s only defeat at Cameron Indoor Stadium this season occurred on December 4 against LSU. However, the Bears have already secured a victory against the Blue Devils this season, with a 58-52 win in their inaugural game on November 3 in Paris. Anticipate a comparable defensively focused contest in these teams’ NCAA second-round matchup. Last year, Duke reached the Elite Eight, whereas Baylor was eliminated in the second round by Ole Miss. — Michael Voepel

Washington’s Victory Narrative: Following an early 10-point deficit within the initial five minutes, the Huskies established their momentum and maintained it throughout the contest. Their lead extended to a maximum of 24 points by the fourth quarter.

Washington’s second-year guard, Avery Howell, achieved a milestone by becoming the fifth athlete in the program’s history to register 30 points in an NCAA tournament fixture. Concluding with 30 points (including seven successful three-point shots) and nine assists, Howell narrowly missed her eighth double-double of the current season by one assist. She marks the first Washington participant to attain 30 points without any turnovers in a single game since Kelsey Plum’s performance in 2016.

The Huskies’ resurgence was remarkable; their 14-point advantage at intermission represented their largest mid-game lead in an NCAA tournament encounter since 2001. They surpassed the Jackrabbits offensively by a 35-8 margin during the last 15 minutes of the initial half, with their defensive prowess driving their scoring. Brooklyn Meyer of South Dakota State concluded with 29 points and seven rebounds, and Emilee Fox—renowned as the nation’s premier three-point shooter—sank four shots from deep, yet Washington effectively silenced the remaining opponents.

Huskies’ Opportunity to Reach Sweet 16: This marked Washington’s inaugural tournament victory since 2017, the year the Huskies progressed to the Sweet 16, largely propelled by Plum’s average of 30 points per game. Washington is set to compete against third-seeded TCU – featuring the triple-double potential of Olivia Miles – in the subsequent round. The Huskies must avoid falling into a swift deficit, as occurred against South Dakota State. Washington needs to ensure its defensive strategy is effectively implemented from the outset. — Kendra Andrews

Oregon’s Victory Explanation: In an infrequent pairing of eighth and ninth seeds, Oregon comfortably defeated Virginia Tech in a contest whose ultimate score did not fully convey its one-sided nature. The Ducks maintained a lead that swelled to 21 points during the fourth quarter.

Katie Fiso, one of merely nine athletes this season to achieve an average exceeding 15 points and five assists, nearly replicated those statistics against the Hokies, recording 22 points and four assists.

In their initial NCAA tournament appearance under Megan Duffy, the Hokies consistently appeared unsettled, while Oregon rapidly established control. Once the Ducks seized an 11-9 advantage partway through the opening quarter, they maintained their lead for the remainder of the game. A brief surge by Virginia Tech towards the conclusion of the second quarter was swiftly negated as Oregon unleashed an 18-0 scoring run in the third quarter, effectively concluding the match. Fiso and Ehis Etute collectively accounted for 10 of those points. Etute contributed 11 points and 11 rebounds, and Mia Jacobs added 13 points, converting 3 of her 4 three-point attempts.

Ducks’ Route to Sweet 16: The Ducks, having defeated Maryland in the Big Ten tournament’s second round, have now triumphed in three of their most recent four matchups, marking their most successful run since a four-game winning streak in late January. Following Oregon’s victory over Maryland in Indianapolis, Michigan was their subsequent rival – and the Wolverines inflicted a 22-point defeat on the Ducks. Oregon’s probable next contender, Texas, presents an even greater hurdle.

This also represented the Ducks’ twenty-third seasonal win, establishing this as their most accomplished campaign since Sabrina Ionescu’s final year in 2020, at which point the NCAA tournament was called off owing to the COVID-19 global health crisis. — Charlie Creme

TCU’s Winning Performance: Consistent with much of their season, Olivia Miles was the driving force behind TCU’s triumph against UC San Diego. Although she fell short of her 19.6 points per game average, Miles nonetheless exerted significant influence, achieving a triple-double with 12 points, 16 rebounds, and 14 assists. She now stands as the third athlete to accomplish multiple triple-doubles in NCAA tournament competition, aligning with Sabrina Ionescu from Oregon and Nicole Powell from Stanford. The Horned Frogs converted 14 of 20 shots for 36 points directly from Miles’ assists, marking the highest point production from a single player’s passes in an NCAA tournament match since 2021.

TCU quickly established a 15-4 advantage at the start and faced no significant challenge from the Tritons, who achieved only a 23.0% shooting accuracy from the floor.

As Miles orchestrated much of the offense, three additional Horned Frogs concluded with double-digit scores, spearheaded by final-year player Taylor Bigby’s 27 points, achieved through 7-of-9 success on three-point attempts. Clara Silva contributed 13 points, and Marta Suarez added 11, all of which occurred within the initial half.

Horned Frogs’ Path to Sweet 16: The Horned Frogs managed merely 53 points in the Big 12 tournament championship clash versus West Virginia. TCU amassed 48 points in the first half against UC San Diego, thereby dispelling the recollection of their second-poorest offensive showing of the season. While the Tritons are undeniably not equivalent to the Mountaineers, such an offensive display aids in revitalizing TCU’s self-assurance. Their pick-and-roll offensive scheme appeared effective once more, with the Horned Frogs tallying 23 assists on their 32 successful field goals. The 13 three-point shots converted from 26 attempts also marked TCU’s highest count since the beginning of December. Maintaining such a shooting rhythm against either Georgia or South Dakota State in the subsequent round will be crucial. — Charlie Creme

Duke’s Winning Explanation: Duke established an early dominance by hindering Charleston’s ability to develop any offensive flow. The Cougars achieved only 19% shooting accuracy in the opening half and found themselves trailing 45-26. However, during the second half, Charleston outscored Duke 38-36. At a specific moment, Duke’s coach Kara Lawson expressed her exasperation by throwing her dry erase board, due to the Blue Devils failing to perform with the exactitude she deems necessary for their remaining tournament schedule.

Nevertheless, considerable commendation is warranted for Charleston’s third-year guard Taryn Barbot, who earned the Coastal Athletic Association Player of the Year title. She accumulated 36 points, marking her fourth occasion this season and tenth overall career game with more than 30 points. This represents the highest single-player point total the Blue Devils have surrendered this season – despite facing a demanding schedule.

In the end, the ACC champion Blue Devils possessed an overwhelming offensive capability themselves, spearheaded by second-year forward Toby Fournier’s 24 points from 11-of-18 field goal attempts. Delaney Thomas secured 19 points, and Jordan Wood, entering from the reserves, contributed 17.

Blue Devils’ Route to Sweet 16: The Blue Devils have maintained one of the nation’s premier defensive units, which was more evident in the initial half on Friday compared to the latter. This level of consistency is an area Duke must improve upon for the second round. The Blue Devils demonstrated effective ball movement, logging 25 assists, but a portion of Lawson’s frustration stemmed from turnovers, as Duke recorded 20. The Blue Devils triumphed in the rebounding contest with a 47-39 advantage, though Lawson seeks an even greater supremacy in this aspect. — Michael Voepel