The 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament field is set, with UConn entering as the undefeated top overall seed after a dominant regular season. Following their 2025 title win, the Huskies are the heavy March Madness Betting favorites to repeat. They are led by national player of the year frontrunner Sarah Strong and a healthy Azzi Fudd. Joining them on the top line are UCLA, Texas, and South Carolina. This marks the first time in tournament history that the previous year’s Final Four teams have all returned as number one seeds the following season.
The offshore betting bracket features two primary regional sites in Fort Worth and Sacramento, where the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight will be held before the road leads to the Final Four in Phoenix. While the top seeds are formidable, Vanderbilt has emerged as a major threat after securing a No. 2 seed, its highest in nearly two decades. On the defensive end, Notre Dame remains a dangerous out due to the elite two-way play of Hannah Hidalgo, who leads the country in steals and transition scoring.
Analysis of the March Madness betting lines draw suggests a particularly difficult path in the Sacramento Regional, where UCLA and South Carolina are on a collision course. Meanwhile, Iowa State and TCU are trendy upset picks in the early rounds due to their high-volume interior scoring. The action officially begins with the First Four on March 18, with the national championship game scheduled for April 5.
UConn enters the 2026 tournament as the clear best team in the country and the number one overall seed. The Huskies finished the regular season undefeated at 34-0 and are currently riding a 50-game winning streak that dates back to the middle of last season. Sophomore forward Sarah Strong and senior guard Azzi Fudd lead a roster that outscored opponents by nearly 40 points per game on average. Of course, their consistency on both ends of the floor has made them a heavy betting favorite to win their 13th national title on April 5 in Phoenix.
UCLA is widely considered the second-best team entering the field after finishing 31-1 and sweeping the Big Ten titles. The Bruins are led by 6’7″ center Lauren Betts and guard Kiki Rice, providing a physical interior presence that few teams can match. Additionally, Texas follows closely as the third overall seed, having recently defeated South Carolina to win the SEC tournament championship. The Longhorns rely on the elite scoring and playmaking of Madison Booker, who has proven she can carry the team against top-tier competition.
South Carolina rounds out the top tier of contenders as the fourth number one seed. Although they suffered three losses this year, the Gamecocks remain the most physically imposing defensive team in the bracket, led by Raven Johnson and Joyce Edwards. Other top teams capable of making a deep run include Vanderbilt, which earned a number two seed behind the scoring of Mikayla Blakes, and LSU, which led the nation in scoring at over 94 points per game. Also, Notre Dame remains a dangerous threat, thanks to Hannah Hidalgo’s defensive dominance.
2026 NCAA Basketball Women’s Tournament
First Four: March 18-19, 2026 (at campus sites or designated early-round locations).
First and Second Rounds (Round of 64 and Round of 32): March 20-23, 2026 (primarily at campus sites hosted by top-seeded teams).
Sweet 16 and Elite Eight (Regionals): March 27-30, 2026. (Fort Worth, Texas – Dickies Arena & Sacramento, California – Golden 1 Center)
Final Four and National Championship: April 3 (semifinals) and April 5 (championship), 2026. (Phoenix, Arizona – Mortgage Matchup Center)
NCAA Basketball Betting Lines First Four
Wednesday, March 18
- (11) Nebraska vs. (11) Richmond, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
- (16) Missouri State vs. (16) Stephen F. Austin, 9 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
Thursday, March 19
- (16) Southern vs. (16) Samford, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
- (10) Virginia vs. (10) Arizona State, 9 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
First Round/Round of 64 Friday, March 20: First round
- (3) Duke vs. (14) Charleston, 11:30 a.m., ESPN2
- (3) TCU vs. (14) UC San Diego, 12 p.m., ESPN
- (8) Oregon vs. (9) Virginia Tech, 1:30 p.m., ESPN2
- (6) Baylor vs. (11) Nebraska/Richmond, 2 p.m., ESPN
- (6) Washington vs. (11) South Dakota State, 2:30 p.m., ESPNews
- (5) Maryland vs. (12) Murray State, 3 p.m., ESPNU
- (5) Ole Miss vs. (12) Gonzaga, 3:30 p.m., ESPN2
- (1) Texas vs. (16) Missouri State/Stephen F. Austin, 4 p.m., ESPN
- (2) Michigan vs. (15) Holy Cross, 5:30 p.m., ESPN2
- (4) North Carolina vs. (13) Western Illinois, 5:30 p.m., ESPNews
- (2) LSU vs. (15) Jacksonville, 6 p.m., ESPN
- (4) Minnesota vs. (13) Green Bay, 6 p.m., ESPNU
- (5) Michigan State vs. (12) Colorado State, 7:30 p.m. ESPNews
- (7) NC State vs. (10) Tennessee, 8 p.m., ESPN
- (7) Texas Tech vs. (10) Villanova, 8:30 p.m., ESPNU
- (4) Oklahoma vs. (13) Idaho, 10 p.m., ESPN
Saturday, March 21: First round
- (3) Ohio State vs. (14) Howard, 11:30 a.m., ESPN2
- (3) Louisville vs. (14) Vermont, 12 p.m., ESPN
- (1) South Carolina vs. (16) Southern/Samford, 1 p.m., ABC
- (7) Georgia vs. (10) Virginia/Arizona State, 1:30 p.m., ESPN2
- (6) Notre Dame vs. (11) Fairfield, 2 p.m., ESPN
- (5) Kentucky vs. (12) James Madison, 2:30 p.m., ESPNU
- (6) Alabama vs. (11) Rhode Island, 2:30 p.m., ESPNews
- (1) UConn vs. (16) UTSA, 3 p.m., ABC
- (8) Clemson vs. (9) USC, 3:30 p.m., ESPN2
- (2) Iowa vs. (15) Fairleigh Dickinson, 4 p.m., ESPN
- (4) West Virginia vs. (13) Miami (Ohio), 5 p.m., ESPNU
- (8) Iowa State vs. (9) Syracuse, 5:30 p.m., ESPN2
- (2) Vanderbilt vs. (15) High Point, 7 p.m., ESPNews
- (8) Oklahoma State vs. (9) Princeton, 7:30 p.m., ESPN2
- (7) Illinois vs. (10) Colorado, 9:30 p.m., ESPN2
- (1) UCLA vs. (16) Cal Baptist, 10 p.m., ESPN