The NCAA tournament is one of the biggest events for college basketball. Every year, the top teams from each division compete to win the national championship. This year’s 2025 NCAA Women’s basketball tournament was held from March 19 to April 6. As this tournament went on, fans saw amazing games, shocking results, and great performances, making these games unforgettable. The tournament begins with 68 teams, eventually narrowing it down to the final two teams competing in the championship game.
In the Sweet Sixteen, teams fought hard to move on to the next round. The games began on Friday, March 28, with Duke showcasing their strong defense, leading them to a 47-38 victory over North Carolina. The South Carolina Gamecocks barely won over the Maryland Terrapins 71-67. LSU defeated NC State 80-73, with Aneesah Morrow leading the Tigers with thirty points and nineteen rebounds. UCLA beat Ole Miss 76-62. Lauren Betts led UCLA with 31 points and 10 rebounds. On the next day of games, TCU took down Notre Dame 71-62 with impressive performances from Hailey Van Lith and Sedona Prince. Texas defeated Tennessee 67-59. UConn dominated Oklahoma 82-59, with Paige Bueckers having a 40-point game. USC barely won over Kansas State 67-61. All of the winning teams advanced to the Elite Eight.
The Elite Eight games took place Sunday, March 30th, and Monday, March 31st, featuring four intense games. South Carolina advanced to their fifth straight Final Four with a 54-50 win over Duke, as Bree Hall grabbed the final rebound, securing the win for the Gamecocks. UCLA defeated LSU 72-65, giving them their first-ever Final Four appearance. Gabrielle Jaquez led the Bruins with 18 points. Texas dominated TCU 71-50, with their amazing defense and 21 forced turnovers. Madison Booker led the Longhorns with eighteen points, while Hailey Van Lith scored seventeen for TCU. In the final game, UConn beat USC 78-64, securing the UConn Huskies their 24th Final Four appearance. Paige Bueckers continued to excel for the Huskies with thirty-one points and six assists. As a result, UConn, Texas, South Carolina, and UCLA advanced to the Final Four.
In the Final Four, South Carolina won over Texas 74-57. The Gamecocks took control in the third quarter with an 11-10 run, as Texas struggled with fouls and scoring. UConn dominated UCLA 85-51, marking the largest margin in Women’s Final Four History. UConn’s Sarah Strong led with twenty-two points, while Azzi Fudd added nineteen points, and Paige Beuckers contributed six points. Sending South Carolina and UConn to the championship game.
The national championship game between UConn and South Carolina, which was held on April 6, quickly became one of the most talked about matchups of the year. It drew in eight and a half million viewers, making it the third-most watched in the women’s tournament history. This was a significant increase from the almost 5 million viewers that UConn and South Carolina brought in the last time they played each other in the title game of 2022. From the start, UConn took control with amazing shooting and aggressive defense. Azzi Fudd led the team with twenty-four points, knocking down shots everywhere on the court. Freshman Sarah Strong had an impressive game with 24 points and 15 rebounds. Paige Bueckers, in her final college games, scored seventeen points and led her team with confidence. UConn played tough defense, made great shots, and stayed very strong the whole game. With a final score of 82-59 over South Carolina, they claimed their 12th national championship title, their first since 2016, and their first under coach Geno Auriemma in nearly a decade.
There were many unforgettable moments in this tournament. Paige Bueckers finally earned her long-awaited championship and left behind a remarkable college career, making her one of UConn’s greatest players. Paige Bueckers is now expected to be the number one pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. Rising stars like Sarah Strong also showed that the future for women’s college basketball is bright. USC’s JuJu Watkins tore her ACL early on in the tournament, but her team still made it to the Elite Eight, and they kept a Funko Pop of her on the bench for support. Hailey Van Lith made history by leading TCU to the Elite Eight, becoming the first player to do that with three different schools. While the tournament had strong teams, there were not any major upsets, showing that true underdog runs are still rare in women’s basketball.
The 2025 Women’s Basketball Tournament was full of great moments and incredible performances. From the intense matchups in the Final Four to inspiring comebacks and achievements, the tournament highlighted the growth of the game. With new stars emerging and the competition becoming more competitive, the future of women’s basketball is full of exciting possibilities.
