The NCAA men’s basketball tournament comes at you fast. If you blink, you’ll miss the field of 64 teams entering the first round cut by three quarters in the span of four days. We’ve reached that moment Sunday with eight second-round matchups across the country setting the Sweet 16.

There’s a pair of No. 1 seeds in action, once of which must face a two-time defending champion that is trying to make tournament history. The other features one of the best players in the country that returned to action in the first round. There are also a few double-digit seeds from the Mountain West that are hoping to bust brackets by producing more surprise results.

How will it all shake out? You will have to watch. So we’ve provided a schedule of all the games and a breakdown of the matchups. Enjoy.

No. 1 Florida vs. No. 8 Connecticut

Time/TV:12:10 p.m. ET, CBS

This is where we really find out if the Huskies can somehow put together a magical run to a historic three-peat. The matchup with the Gators might be one of the most difficult in the tournament. With Walter Clayton Jr. leading a prolific three-guard attack and Alex Condon controlling the middle, it’s hard to find a weakness with the Gators, who might be playing their best basketball. UConn will need its championship stalwarts Alex Karaban and Solo Ball to turn back the clock to either 2023 or 2024.

No. 1 Duke vs. No. 9 Baylor

Time/TV:2:40 p.m., CBS

Blue Devils star Cooper Flagg looked no worse for wear Friday after his scary ankle injury in the ACC tournament. That’s an ominous sign for the Bears – and potentially the rest of the field. Baylor will look to VJ Edgecombe and Robert Wright, who shoot a high volume but not great percentage from three, to keep things close. Bears forward Norchad Omier is often left alone to deal with opposing big men. That will be difficult with Duke’s depth of size and length.

No. 3 Kentucky vs. No. 6 Illinois

Time/TV:5:15 p.m., CBS

There’s some history here with these programs that goes back to 1984. The Wildcats – in Rupp Arena and aided by favorable refereeing – beat the Fighting Illini with a trip to the Final Four on the line. It was after that game the NCAA forbid teams playing on their home floor in the regional rounds. This time, Illinois might have a crowd edge with the game in Milwaukee. Friday’s defeat of Xavier showed how dominant the Illini can be when its 3-point shots are falling. Can it carry the momentum over against Kentucky? The Wildcats also like to rely on three, so this shapes up to be an up-tempo, high-scoring affair.

No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 7 Saint Mary’s

Time/TV:6:10 p.m., TNT

You enjoy a matchup of two teams with contrasting styles? You won’t be disappointed in this one. Alabama, which leads the nation in scoring (91.1 ppg), wants to go as fast as possible. Saint Mary’s wants a much slower pace with its size and defensive acumen. The Gaels are tops in rebound margin and fourth in fewest points allowed. The Crimson Tide can go hot and cold for long stretches, something that might keep them from a Final Four repeat. Saint Mary’s has not reached the Sweet 16 since 2010.

No. 4 Maryland vs. No. 12 Colorado State

Time/TV:7:10 p.m., TBS

The drama surrounding the future of Terrapins coach Kevin Willard remains, though it didn’t seem to have much impact on the team’s play against Grand Canyon. The size of freshman standout Derik Queen will pose problems for the Rams inside. He’s one of many options for Maryland, which features five double-digit scorers. Colorado State is riding an 11-game win streak that includes the Mountain West tournament that ensured a spot in the field. To pull off a second NCAA upset, star guard Nique Clifford, who leads the team in scoring, rebounding and assists, needs a better game after a sub-par tournament opener.

No. 3 Iowa State vs. No. 6 Mississippi

Time/TV:7:45 p.m., truTV

The Cyclones didn’t show any ill effects of playing without second-leading scorer Keshon Gilbert in the first round against Lipscomb. The challenge here will be different. The Rebels are known for their ability to keep games close and they won their fair share of them in the SEC. One area to watch is which team gets to the free-throw line more often. Both rely on drawing fouls and getting points when the clock is stopped.

No. 2 Michigan State vs. No. 10 New Mexico

Time/TV: 8:40 p.m., TNT

It’s March, and Tom Izzo has a team capable of winning a national title. Haven’t been able to say that about the Spartans for a while, but the team is loaded with depth and size to make a deep run. Winning can never be taken for granted in the tournament, however. The Lobos took down Marquette in the first round for their first NCAA win since 2012. Senior guard Donovan Dent has the ability to take over games, so expect him to draw a lot of attention from the Michigan State defense.

No. 4 Arizona vs. No. 5 Oregon

Time/TV:9:40 p.m., TBS

These are familiar foes that this season find themselves in different conferences. Appropriately, this renewal will take place in Seattle and will have some significant stakes. The Ducks have been one of the best teams in March in the last decade as coach Dana Altman seems to get his team peaking at the right time. Nate Bittle and Jackson Shelstad will be the go-to options for their offense. The Wildcats made a run to the Big 12 tournament title. Their success in recent NCAAs with Tommy Lloyd as coach has been spotty. Caleb Love needs to avoid an off night.

Twin brothers Sam and Ben Hutchens are both sports reporters covering the NCAA tournament for different publications.
Sam covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger, while Ben covers Iowa State for the Quad-City Times.
The brothers’ teams are playing each other in the second round of the tournament.

MILWAUKEE — My twin brother Ben has been the one constant in every NCAA tournament during my life.

The first March Madness games I remember watching were in my grandmother’s basement in Wichita, Kansas. I camped out there with my brothers and cousin on spring break, equipped with junk food and a paper bracket. We lived and died with every upset because winning $100 in the family bracket pool is an unmatched exhilaration for a 10-year-old kid.

I watched the more recent NCAA tournaments from campus at Oklahoma State. The RA’s probably didn’t appreciate the noise level in Patchin Hall in 2022 when North Carolina blew a 25-point second-half lead against No. 1 Baylor, just to win in overtime. We just caught the end of No. 15 Oral Roberts’ 2021 win over No. 2 Ohio State on a phone at a patchy intramural softball field.

In all my memories of March Madness, a matchup-based tournament that has achieved fame through its unpredictability, my identical twin Ben has always been there. Wildly, the 2025 NCAA tournament is no different.

I became the Clarion Ledger’s Ole Miss beat reporter in September of 2024. Ben got a job covering Iowa State for the Quad-City Times a few days later. We moved 11 hours away. It was weird. Ben was my roommate, my teammate in every sport and 50% stakeholder in our first car. From first grade though college graduation, we only had one class apart. I think I messed up the scheduling our freshman year at OSU.

No. 6 Ole Miss (23-11) will face No. 3 Iowa State on Sunday (6:45 p.m., TruTV) in the Fiserv Forum. After we moved apart to chase our shared dream, a bracket full of twists, turns and upsets somehow kept our March tradition alive — in our first years on our beats, no less.

The game itself could go either way. Like the victorious team, one twin will head to Atlanta. The other will head home. The game, though, is just a piece of what has made the week so memorable.

Spending the week together in Milwaukee has felt, well, normal. Perhaps that’s to be expected. We talk pretty much every day. Part of the curse of being an identical twin is not being able to enjoy doing or hearing something fun until you’ve told your brother.

The best part of March Madness has been meeting Ben’s friends. We’ve had the same set our whole lives. Meeting, and being immediately accepted by the people Ben works with on the Iowa State beat has been awesome. When I hung out at Steny’s Tavern & Grill on Thursday night with the Iowa State contingent, it felt like everyone already knew me. I guess in a way they did.

Getting to introduce the Ole Miss delegation to Ben has been priceless. For it to happen because a selection committee that doesn’t know either of us sent our teams to Milwaukee, and both teams advanced to the second round, is mind boggling.

There’s talk the NCAA tournament has lacked chaos this year. For the first time since 2008, all four No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 and No. 4 seeds advanced to the second round. When I’m sitting courtside watching the team I cover play the team Ben covers, I’ll never doubt the March Madness moniker.

Sam Hutchens covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at Shutchens@gannett.com or reach him on X at @Sam_Hutchens_

The first weekend of the 2025 men’s NCAA Tournament is nearly finished — but it’s never too early to look ahead to the next round of games, namely the Sweet 16.

Half of the men’s field advanced to the Sweet 16 on Saturday, with Auburn, Houston, Tennessee, Texas Tech, Purdue, Michigan, BYU and Arkansas winning their respective second-round games.

Now, only eight games remain on Sunday to finalize the Sweet 16 bracket.

The headliners for Sunday include a meeting between No. 1 seed Florida and No, 8 seed UConn, the two-time defending national champion. Elsewhere, No. 2 seed Michigan State, led by Tom Izzo, will take on Richard Pitino and No. 10 seed New Mexico. No. 4 seed Arizona will take on No. 5 Oregon in a meeting of former Pac-12 teams, and No. 2 Alabama will look for a fourth trip to the Sweet 16 under Nate Oats when it plays No. 7 Saint Mary’s.

Follow along for live predictions for the Sweet 16 as the bracket and schedule are finalized:

Sweet 16 predictions

(1) Houston vs. (4) Purdue

Prediction: Houston 69, Purdue 62

This should be a fascinating chess match between the sport’s best defense and one of its most efficient offenses. The Cougars, who have won 28 of their past 29 games, should keep their streak rolling and exorcise some of their recent Sweet 16 demons.

(3) Texas Tech vs. (10) Arkansas

Prediction: Arkansas 78, Texas Tech 74

Don’t let the No. 10 seed fool you. The Razorbacks’ roster, full of five-star recruits and prized transfers, has been playing up to its potential for the better part of two months now and are hitting their stride. It will be just enough to get by JT Toppin and the Red Raiders.

Watch select Sweet 16 games with Sling TV

(1) Auburn vs. (5) Michigan

Prediction: Auburn 82, Michigan 70

Dusty May — and an offense built seamlessly around two seven-footers — has led a remarkable turnaround at Michigan. The Wolverines have reached this point narrowly, though, with seven of their past nine wins coming by three points or fewer. Whether it’s mental toughness from a veteran group or a bit of luck, that run will end against the tournament’s No. 1 overall seed.

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The first round of the women’s basketball NCAA tournament was magical. While many fans tuned in, likely expecting relatively calm matchups, March Madness seemed to have other plans. There were jaw-dropping passes, electric performances, and several battles that pulled people to the edge of their seats.

As teams from all over the country continued to push for a national championship, some emerged with huge victories, and others were left reeling with losses or unfortunate injuries. The Round of 64 for the women’s NCAA tournament is now complete. Let’s review which programs were victorious and which had more questions than answers.

Here are the winners and losers from the first round of March Madness:

Winner: UConn Huskies and Azzi Fudd’s WNBA draft stock

Perhaps no WNBA draft prospect had a better day than UConn Huskies guard Azzi Fudd. Fudd, who has yet to officially declare for the 2025 draft, made an emphatic case to move up the draft board into the first round as the No. 2 seed Huskies routed the No. 15 seed Arkansas State Red Wolves in a lopsided 103-34 win.

By halftime, Fudd already had a mind-blowing 21 points, seven assists, five steals and two blocks. She ended her day with 27 points, seven assists, six steals and two blocks, leading the charge for a Huskies team with three players who scored 20 or more points, including star freshman forward Sarah Strong.

Loser: JuJu Watkins’ multiple injuries during USC vs. UNC Greensboro

Head coach Lindsay Gottlieb and the USC Trojans staff will want to keep an eye on their biggest star, sophomore guard JuJu Watkins. Watkins suffered multiple injuries during the No. 1 seed Trojans’ 71-25 victory over the 16-seed UNC Greensboro Spartans.

During the first half, she seemingly hurt her left wrist (and a pinky finger) after falling, grabbing at it multiple times. Then, she rolled her left ankle in the third quarter after pulling up for a jumper. Watkins, noticeably limping, still drilled a 3-point shot before momentarily going to the locker room to be checked out and returning to the bench as the Trojans went up by 30. Still, all anyone will ask is: How healthy is Watkins?

She was on the court for the start of the fourth quarter, made one of three free throws, and then her day was over with about six minutes remaining in regulation. A visibly frustrated Watkins finished with 22 points, eight rebounds and three steals. Postgame, when asked about her wrist and ankle, Watkins casually told ESPN, ‘[You] know, the end of the season knick-knacks, small things, maintenance things ― Regardless, nobody cares. So, [I’ll] continue to do what I do.’

Winner: South Carolina’s bench lighting up the floor

The No. 1 seed South Carolina Gamecocks were in peak form against the No. 16 seed Tennesee Tech Golden Eagles. Led by freshman forward Joyce Edwards, who had a game-high 22 points on 9-of-12 shooting, and sophomore guard MiLaysia Fulwiley, who added 15 points, five assists, three steals and four blocks, the Gamecocks cruised into the second round with a 108-48 win.

Head coach Dawn Staley pulled South Carolina’s starters during the third quarter en route to a 60-point blowout. The top-scoring bench in the country put up 66 points, an NCAA tournament record for men’s and women’s. ‘We got pieces. We got threats. We got guards that actually get down,’ guard Raven Johnson said. ‘I feel like we do all the little things. We do whatever it takes to win.’

Loser: Notre Dame’s Olivia Miles and her aggravated ankle

Despite the No. 3 seed Notre Dame Fighting Irish winning their matchup, 106-54, against No.14 seed Stephen F. Austin by more than 50 points, the team did not come out of the victory unscathed. Senior guard Olivia Miles injured her ankle during the fourth quarter after stepping on an opposing player’s foot.

‘She’ll be OK,’ head coach Niele Ivey shared postgame. ‘She might be sore, but she should be OK.’ Miles’ status for the team’s Sunday matchup against the No. 6 seed Michigan Wolverines remains unclear. If the injury hampers her in any capacity, it could spell trouble for the Fighting Irish’s title chances. Miles also aggravated an ankle during Notre Dame’s loss to the Duke Blue Devils in the ACC tournament semifinals.

Winner: Michigan Wolverines

The No. 6 seed Michigan Wolverines’ matchup against the No.11 seed Iowa State Cyclones was a midday primetime game worthy of the most enormous bucket of popcorn available. Wolverines senior guard Jordan Hobbs and Cyclones sophomore center Audi Crooks went basket for basket, trying to will their teams into the next round. Hobbs had a sensational day with 28 points and six rebounds, and Crooks was in lockstep, adding 28 points with seven rebounds, four assists and a block.

As the Wolverines and Cyclones took the game down to the wire, Michigan freshman guard Olivia Olson, who mysteriously struggled all day, launched a dagger shot with just 20 seconds remaining to send Iowa State home with an early March Madness exit. Another freshman, guard Syla Swords, slammed the door shut with a clutch free throw.

Michigan has many good takeaways from Friday’s game, including all five starters in double figures and a freshman trio of Olson, Swords and guard Mila Holloway, who showed positive glimpses of what the Wolverines’ future could look like beyond the NCAA tournament.

Loser: Kentucky and its late-game March Madness meltdown

On Friday, the No. 4 seed Kentucky Wildcats found themselves dangerously close to March Madness elimination against the No. 13 seed Liberty Ladyflames. Liberty, overcoming a blazing hot start by Wildcats guard Georgia Amoore, erased a 17-point lead during an unfathomable 23-6 run within the last six minutes of regulation. With the lead trimmed to just one point with seconds remaining, the Ladyflames turned the ball over, seemingly a gift from the basketball gods. Amoore sealed a 79-78 victory with clutch free throws.

While the win was undoubtedly needed, the Wildcats can’t continue in the NCAA tournament in that fashion. They have a date on Sunday with the No. 5 seed Kansas State Wildcats and star center Ayoka Lee, who can slow down Amoore and take Kentucky’s most productive post players, center Clara Strack and forward Teonni Key, out of the equation, too.

Winner: South Dakota State and mid-majors everywhere

If anyone had the No. 10 seed South Dakota State Jackrabbits over the No. 7 seed Oklahoma State Cowgirls in their bracket, pat yourself on the back. The Jackrabbits went into Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Connecticut, on a mission, winning 74-68.

They exploded in the second half with a 28-point third quarter and never let up, thanks to tremendous days from forward Brooklyn Meyer, guard Madison Mathiowetz and guard Paige Meyer. South Dakota State showed up huge for mid-majors everywhere and became only the second 10-seed, after the Oregon Ducks, to get a win during the first round of the women’s NCAA tournament.

Winner: The health of LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson and Aneesah Morrow’s

All eyes were on the No. 3 seed LSU Tigers ahead of their first-round matchup with the No. 14 seed San Diego State Aztecs. With injuries ahead of March Madness, the questions started to mount. Is guard Flau’jae Johnson healthy? How effective will forward Aneesah Morrow be after re-aggravating her sprained foot during the SEC tournament? The Tigers emphatically silenced any angst as Johnson and Morrow led the charge during LSU’s 103-48 blowout win, the sixth game of 100 points or more during the NCAA tournament.

By halftime, the Tigers were up 29 points, and Johnson and Morrow contributed 22 points to the team’s production. The dynamic duo ended their night with 22 points plus four steals and 12 points with 12 rebounds, respectively. Four other Tigers also scored in double digits as LSU cruised into the second round. On Monday, LSU has a highly-anticipated matchup with the nation’s leading scorer, Ta’Niya Latson and No. 6 seed Florida State.

Sometimes, a change of scenery is all you need.

John Calipari is one of the best coaches of this generation, but constant shortcomings at Kentucky had put doubt into some people’s minds on whether he still had any juice left in the tank. So he went to Arkansas, trying to revive his success.

Now look who has his swagger back. The 10th-seeded Razorbacks are back in the Sweet 16 after a second-round upset of No. 2 St. John’s, continuing Calipari’s remarkable first season as coach of the Hogs.

To be fair, this was the expectation the moment Calipari arrived in Fayetteville. But it didn’t look possible when Arkansas was 11-7 with an 0-5 start in conference play. It wasn’t crazy to question if this was the right marriage just 18 games in.

Turns out, Calipari just needed some time. Arkansas maneuvered through a tough conference slate with a 9-6 finish to the season and played its way into the tournament. Even as a No. 10 seed, Arkansas had potential to go on a run. Calipari just needed to overcome his NCAA Tournament demons: He only had one win his past three appearances and hadn’t been to the Sweet 16 since 2019.

His team fended off Kansas on Thursday, and on Saturday matched the physicality of St. John’s in the upset. Calipari told his team this has been ‘as rewarding a year’ he’s had ‘based on the fact of how far we’ve come.’ It’s also benefitted Calipari, who has gone from looking past his prime to proving he’s got plenty left in the tank.

‘Like I said prior to the game, how about we give ourselves a chance to make some magic?’ Calipari said postgame. ‘Let’s just go fight like heck, play free and loose, whatever it happens, happens. But let’s go see if we can create magic.’

Magic was made. The Razorbacks are moving on, and they lead the winners and losers from Saturday’s second-round slate.

Winners

Purdue’s March success

Give credit where credit is due. Purdue is shedding the March choke artist label with another Sweet 16 appearance following a convincing win over McNeese State. The Boilermakers played with a sense of urgency against the No. 12 seed, seizing control early and never letting McNeese sniff the chance of an upset. Trey Kaufman-Renn continued his magnificent play with 22 points and 15 rebounds.

Purdue has come a long way from the loss to No. 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson in 2023. It rebounded with the national championship appearance last year, and even though Zach Edey is gone the Boilermakers are back in the Sweet 16 for the sixth time in eight seasons. Matt Painter has cemented himself among the best coaches in the sport, and it’s almost becoming a lock for Purdue to be in the second weekend.

Amir Khan’s aura

His team may be out of the tournament, but it’s hard to argue anyone had a better weekend than McNeese manager Amir Khan. He’s become such a viral sensation that most of the country knew him more than any actual McNeese player. Saturday was another big day as he led his team into the arena and was spotted wearing a warm-up outfit that read ‘aura.’

Khan has secured several NIL deals, the first for a team manager, and his stardom has become so big, he’s expected to follow Will Wade to NC State. It’s not going to be the last time we hear about Khan, and kudos to him for taking advantage of his one shining moment.

Texas Tech switching offensive game plan

In the first round, Texas Tech shot an NCAA Tournament record 46 3-pointers en route to a 10-point victory over UNC Wilmington. The shoot-at-will method could have been attempted against Drake’s tough defense, but the Red Raiders were smart. They knew they had a size advantage, and used every bit of it to beat the upset-minded Bulldogs.

Texas Tech was constantly getting near the bucket and Drake had no answer. The No. 3 seed scored 50 of its 77 points Saturday in the post, with the bigs doing most of the damage. Big 12 player of the year JT Toppin had 25 points, and forward Darrion Williams had a game-high 28 points.

The Red Raiders were a bad 2-for-14 from 3-point land, but Grant McCasland couldn’t care less when his front court feasted. He used the size advantage in the game plan and it resulted in a trip to the Sweet 16 and showed they can win games in multiple ways.

BYU remains hot

It might have been the best game of the tournament so far, and Brigham Young emerged victorious in a thrilling 91-89 contest against Wisconsin. The Cougars got 25 points from their star Richie Saunders and fended off a 37-point game from Wisconsin’s John Tonje in a game they never trailed.

The second-round victory put BYU in the Sweet 16 for the first time since Jimmer Fredette played in 2011 and continues an incredible stretch. The Cougars went on a nine-game win streak to go from a fringe tournament team to a certified single-digit seed and have looked more and more like a team that could make a run to its first Final Four. The offense has scored at least 80 points in five of its past six games, and it doesn’t appear to be slowing down any time soon.

Losers

Buzzer-beating shots

Those magical March moments are still late to the party.

No buzzer-beating shots at the end of regulation have been hit yet, having many people wondering if the clutch gene isn’t around in this year’s tournament. Saturday night had two great games in Houston vs. Gonzaga and Brigham Young vs. Wisconsin where offense shined. Both games went down to the wire with Wisconsin and Gonzaga having chances to tie or win the game in the final seconds.

The result? John Tonje couldn’t hit the jumper to tie the game for the Badgers, and the Zags never got a shot up.

Perhaps the shocking moments are being saved for the later rounds, but plenty of people are still waiting.

No. 1 seeds don’t look invincible

The competition drastically increases in the second round for the top seeds, and Auburn and Houston found out they were going to have to really work to get to the Sweet 16. Creighton had an early lead against Auburn and was within striking distance of the Tigers for the majority of the contest before the top overall seed pulled away late. Houston had a double-digit lead for the majority of the night against Gonzaga, but the Bulldogs made a late run and had a chance to tie it in the final seconds.

The Tigers and Cougars emerged victorious, but Saturday’s results proved they are beatable. An all-No. 1 seed Final Four is still possible, but it doesn’t feel as certain. It should serve as a warning to Florida and Duke on Sunday, which are coming off blowout wins in the first round.

St. John’s shooting woes finally bite back

The struggles St. John’s had shooting the ball were often ignored since its defense and physicality were the main reasons the Red Storm had their best season in decades. But Saturday, when the lights shined brightest, the offensive ineffectiveness wound up being their downfall. St. John’s shot an abysmal 28% from the field and a horrid 2-for-22 from 3-point land in the loss to Arkansas.

To add insult to injury, Big East player of the year RJ Luis Jr. was 3-for-17 and didn’t even play in the final five minutes. His teammates didn’t do any better with a 2-for-10 finish in those last five minutes as Arkansas put the game out of reach.

If St. John’s was going to continue its magical season, the offense was going to have to improve. A team that ranks 256th in effective field goal percentage wasn’t going to do it, and it showed in the second round.

Texas A&M chokes away lead

With 13 minutes to go, Texas A&M looked like it was going to run away from Michigan. It extended the lead to 10 points and Wade Taylor IV was starting to cook.

Instead, Michigan went into another gear and the Aggies froze. The Wolverines ended the game on a dominant 41-19 run, fueled by Roddy Gayle’s performance, to get in the Sweet 16. Pharrel Payne did all he could for the Aggies with 26 points on 10-for-13 shooting, but his teammates went 17-for-58 (29.3%). Outside of Payne, Texas A&M only made two more field goals in the final 13 minutes. The Aggies were so close to their first Sweet 16 under Buzz Williams, but their season ends in the first weekend for the third consecutive season.

How’s your women’s March Madness bracket doing? If you picked chalk, you should be in prime position.

The 2025 women’s NCAA Tournament officially tipped off Friday and aside from a couple of upsets — like No. 7 Vanderbilt falling to No. 10 Oregon in overtime or No. 10 South Dakota State defeating No. 7 Oklahoma State— higher-seeded teams have taken care of business against lower-seeded teams in the opening round.

All four of the No. 1 seeds in the tournament — UCLA, South Carolina, Texas and USC — comfortably cruised to the second round after defeating their first-round opponents by an average margin of victory of 47 points.

The largest blowout in the first round belonged to No. 2 UConn, which tied the seventh largest margin of victory in women’s March Madness history with a 103-34 win over No. 15 Arkansas State. (More on that later.) The tournament record was set in 2017 when No. 1 Baylor defeated No. 16 Texas Southern by a whopping 89 points in a first-round matchup that ended 119-30.

Before we set our sights on the second round of this year’s tournament, lets that a look at the biggest blowouts in the opening round of 64:

69 points — No. 2 UConn vs. No. 15 Arkansas State

Final score: UConn 103, Arkansas State 34
Largest lead: 72 points

UConn is in pursuit of its first national championship since 2016 and the Huskies got off to a great start in the first round with a rout of Arkansas State. Azzi Fudd dropped 27 points (10-for-13 FG, 6-for-9 3PT) in her first tourney appearance since 2023 and had a career-high seven assists. Freshman Sarah Strong recorded her fourth straight double-double with 20 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and five blocks, the first player in 25 years to record that stat line. The Huskies scored 35 points off turnovers alone and held Arkansas State to 12-of-70 from the field.

61 points — No. 2 Duke vs. No. 15 Lehigh

Final score: Duke 86, Lehigh 25
Largest lead: 61 points

The Blue Devils recorded their largest margin of victory this season, while holding Lehigh to the second-lowest point total in NCAA Women’s Tournament history. Duke did so with both their offense and defense. Three Blue Devils scored in double digits, led by sophomore Oluchi Okananwa’s 15 points (6-of-10 FG, 2-3 3PT), seven rebounds, three steals and two assists. The Mountain Hawks were held to single digits in each quarter in the game. ‘This is March. Doesn’t matter who your opponent is. You address each and every one with the same intensity,’ Okananwa said after the win.

60 points — No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 16 Tennessee Tech

Final score: South Carolina 108, Tennessee Tech 48
Largest lead: 63 points

South Carolina entered Friday’s first-round matchup with extra motivation after being snubbed for the No. 1 overall seed. The Gamecocks came out and made a statement with a 60-point victory over Tennessee Tech. Freshman Joyce Edwards had a team-high 22 points (9-of-12 FG), while MiLaysia Fulwiley added 15 points. South Carolina leads the nation in bench points per game (42.2) this season and showcased its depth on Friday. The Gamecocks’ 66 bench points Friday marked the most in NCAA Tournament history.

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55 points — No. 3 LSU vs. No. 14 San Diego State

Final score: LSU 103, San Diego State 48
Largest lead: 56 points

LSU head coach Kim Mulkey said ‘the three seed has been good to us.’ She wasn’t wrong. The Tigers set a new program record for points scored in an NCAA tournament game with 103, surpassing their 102-point performance in the 2023 national championship win vs. Iowa. (LSU was a No. 3 seed when they won the title that year.) There were question marks surrounding Flau’Jae Johnson and Aneesah Morrow heading into the tournament as the two were spotted wearing walking boots during the Selection Sunday broadcast, but the stars combined for 34 points in the dominant victory.

52 points — No. 3 Notre Dame vs. No. 14 Stephen F. Austin

Final score: Notre Dame 106, Stephen F. Austin 54
Largest lead: 55 points

Notre Dame entered the NCAA Tournament losing three of its last five games, but the Fighting Irish corrected course with a dominant first-round win, which marked the second time in program history that Notre Dame surpassed 100 points in March Madness. Five players scored in the double digits, led by Sonia Citron (24) and Hannah Hidalgo (24). Notre Dame placed an emphasis on defense, swiping 18 steals and forcing 28 turnovers. It wasn’t all smiles for Notre Dame — Olivia Miles’ night ended early due to an ankle injury.

OLIVIA MILES INJURY UPDATE: Notre Dame guard exits Stephen F. Austin game after hurting ankle

46 — No. 1 USC vs. No. 16 UNC Greensboro

Final score: USC 71, UNC Greensboro 25
Largest lead: 46 points

The Trojans held the Spartans to the second-lowest point total in NCAA Women’s Tournament history and their 46-point margin of victory marked the program’s largest in a March Madness game. Sophomore JuJu Watkins led the way with a game-high 22 points, eight rebounds and three steals. She’s scored double digits in every game this season. Senior Kiki Iriafen added a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds, marking her 12th of the season. The Trojans scored 32 points off of 23 turnovers and held the Spartans to 7-of-54 from the field.

44 — No. 5 Kansas State vs. No. 12 Fairfield

Final score: Kansas State 85, Fairfield 41
Largest lead: 44 points

Kansas State soundly defeated Fairfield by 44 points following the return of star center Ayoka Lee, who put up a double-double with 17 points (7-of-10 FG) and 10 rebounds in her first game in nearly a month. Guard Serena Sundell flirted with a double-double with 18 points (8-of-10 FG), nine assists and two steals. Kansas State out rebounded Fairfield 44-19 and held the Stags to 15-of-51 from the field.

44 — No. 1 Texas vs. No. 16 William & Mary

Final score: Texas 105, William & Mary 61
Largest lead: 45 points

Madison Booker showed exactly why she’s the SEC player of the year following a 20-point, 14-rebound double-double performance. The Longhorns pulled away from William & Mary in the second half and led by as many as 45 points in the win. Texas outscored William & Mary 56-22 in the paint and out rebounded the Tribe 51-26.

38 — No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 16 Southern

Final score: UCLA 84, Southern 46
Largest lead: 38 points

The No. 1 overall seed opened the NCAA Tournament by setting a program record for the largest margin of victory in March Madness history. Six Bruins scored in double-digits, led by Lauren Betts’ 14 points, six blocks, four assists, three blocks and one steal. Will this be the season UCLA women’s basketball breaks through? The Bruins have advanced as far as the Elite Eight twice (1999, 2018) and Sweet Sixteen nine times, most recently last season, but have never made it to the Final Four. 

LAUREN BETTS: Stats, what to know of UCLA women’s basketball star

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