Only 18 days from Selection Sunday, the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee tabbed UCLA, Texas, Southern California and Notre Dame as the No. 1 seeds in the final top 16 reveal.
If the season ended today, South Carolina, UConn, LSU and NC State would be the No. 2 seeds. The nine through 16 seeds feature TCU, North Carolina, Duke and Tennessee on the three line, while Oklahoma, Kentucky, Kansas State and Ohio State were tabbed as No. 4 seeds.
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The committee provided region assignments for all 16 seeds, with Spokane Regional 1 including top-seed UCLA, LSU, North Carolina and Kansas State. Birmingham Regional 2 included Texas, NC State, TCU and Ohio State. Spokane Regional 3 included Southern California, UConn, Duke and Kentucky. Birmingham Regional 4 includes Notre Dame, South Carolina, Tennessee and Oklahoma. The number listed next to the regional site location (e.g. Spokane Regional 1) reflects the true seed number of the number one seed within that respective regional pod
“There are so many key matchups this week as the regular season concludes and that combined with the upcoming conference tournaments will have a significant impact on selection and seeding,” said Derita Dawkins, Arkansas assistant vice chancellor and deputy director of athletics and chair of the Division I Women’s Basketball Committee. “Teams still have the opportunity to solidify or add to their resumes as we head towards Selection Sunday in 18 days.”
UCLA, 27-1 overall and 15-1 in the Big Ten Conference, earned the No. 1 overall seed position. The Bruins only defeat this season came against cross-town rival Southern California, losing 71-60 on Feb. 13. One of the 27 wins scored this season by the Bruins came over defending national champion South Carolina, with UCLA winning 77-62 over the Gamecocks at home on Nov. 24. As the No. 1 overall seed, UCLA, would be guaranteed to play its regional semifinal game on Friday, March 28 if they advance to regional play, and if advancing, play in the regional final played on Sunday, March 30.
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Texas, 27-2 overall and 13-1 in SEC play, was the No. 2 overall seed. Currently riding an 11-game winning streak, the Longhorns’ two losses this season are to South Carolina and Notre Dame, with the Fighting Irish defeating Texas, 80-70 in overtime on Dec. 5 at home in South Bend, Indiana.
Southern California climbed to the overall No. 3 seed position in this second top 16 reveal. The Trojans, 25-2 overall and 15-1 in Big Ten Conference play, are riding a six-game winning streak and will have the opportunity to complete a regular season sweep of UCLA when the two teams meet again this Saturday, March 1 at UCLA.
Notre Dame, 24-3 overall and 15-1 in Atlantic Coast Conference play, had a 19-game winning streak come to an end last Sunday at NC State, losing 104-95 in double overtime to the Wolfpack.
Thursday’s top 16 reveal was the second of two that will be provided by the committee during the 2024-25 regular season. The other took place on Feb. 16.
The top 16 teams announced during both reveals have no bearing on the final 68-team field for the 2025 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship that will be announced during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Selection Show on Sunday, March 16 at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.
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The First Four opening-round games of the 2025 championship will take place March 18-19 and will again be conducted on the campuses of four of the teams seeded in the top 16. First- and second-round games will take place March 21-24 on the campuses of the top 16 seeds.
Regional play in Birmingham, Alabama (Legacy Arena) and Spokane, Washington (Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena) will take place March 28-31, with each site hosting two regional semifinal games March 28 and two March 29. In addition, each site will host a regional championship game March 30 and one on March 31.
The 2025 NCAA Women’s Final Four will be played April 4 and 6 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.
*Rankings and regional assignments based on games played through Wednesday, February 26.
