Mar 23, 2026
3 min read
How will NC State fare if they can't bring Brooks back in the second round?
The second day of the tournament continues for the NCAA Women's Championship.A few upsets to Georgia were the only top seeds to lose so far.But several strong performances, including an eight-game steal from Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo.Iowa was tested in the first round, and the no call at the end of the rule will be debated by Clemson fans for years.
Follow the highlights of the day:
no. 9 UAS 71, no. 8 line 67
Next in the second round: No. 1 South Carolina
It was a long day on the second day of Round 1, but the Tigers and Trojans produced the most exciting game of the tournament so far thanks to an overtime thriller that now has the Trojans in the second round, where No. 1 South Carolina awaits.
Most of the attention is focused on the controversial no-call at the end of regulation.Tied 61-61 with 4.4 seconds left, Clemson inbounded the ball in front of the USC bench to senior guard Mia Moore, who ran the length of the court and nailed a deep 3-pointer to the right for the potential game-winner.Her shot went wide and the Clemson faithful in the stands immediately erupted.
The nearest official also called a foul on Moore's shot.After a lengthy review, officials ruled that both his shot and the bullet occurred after time expired.USC still had a chance.Overtime happened.
Clemson head coach Sean Poppy said he tried to motivate his team as much as possible in overtime, but it was difficult after such an unsettled feeling.
"They thought they had just won," Poppy said.Whether it's scoring baskets or Mia going to the free throw line, they don't have time, and in their mind, "We just won the first round.""When they get there, they have a question mark in their mind."
Officials reviewed the timing of the entire play, including using stopwatches to determine that the timing was correct.
"I don't know anything," Poppy said, asking if he understood the situation when officials called him to explain."I thought they were reviewing, 'Did he make the shot in time? If not, when did the failure occur?'
Then USC freshman guard Jazzy Davidson — who poured in 31 points — essentially set the game up and hit two more 3-pointers to put the Trojans up 71-67.Davidson, who was one point short of his career high, was sensational for the Trojans and played all 45 minutes.Davidson finished with six rebounds and five assists.Senior guard Kar Dunn added 22 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field.and 4-of-7 for 3-pointers
An early exit for the Tigers, especially in this fashion, will be tough to swallow in the coming days.They would no doubt have enjoyed another trip to rival South Carolina on Monday, where the two teams played at home, while the Gamecocks were given hosting duties.
Poppie believes the program is moving in the right direction.The Tigers' first NCAA Tournament appearance in seven years and just the second in the last 25 years. Last month, Poppie signed a contract extension through 2030-31 and the Tigers signed a top-five recruiting class, the best in program history, according to 247Sports.
USC will meet South Carolina again on Monday.Without JuJu Watkins, who sat out this season after suffering an ACL tear in last season's contest, the Trojans didn't have enough of an answer for the Gamecocks when they met in November.South Carolina won by 17.
Trojans coach Lindsay Gottlieb isn't focusing on what she doesn't have.
“We invested a lot in this season and in what we can do.And I still believe our team still has another level we can go to,” she said at the end of the regular season.“We can ruin other people's games in their homes.And I think that's what we're trying to do.”— Grace Raynor
No. 8 Oklahoma State 82, No. 9 Princeton 68
Br. 1 UCLA 96, br. 16 Cal Baptist 43
Subjuring Division 2: No.. 1 Florida vs. No. 8 Oklahoma State
A year ago, when Oklahoma State visited Storrs, Conn., as the No. 7 seed in the 2025 NCAA Tournament, the Cowgirls made a tragic mistake -- instead of focusing on first-round opponent South Dakota State, they looked ahead to a potential second-round matchup with No. 1 seed UConn.
The result?The Jackrabbits took it to Oklahoma State, defeating the Cowgirls 74-68.
So, if the Cowgirls, the No. 8 seed this season, scratched a potential conference against No. 1 seed UCLA in the second round at Pauley Pavillion, Oklahoma State made sure they stopped Princeton.
“One of the mistakes I made as a coach last year was not realizing that our kids had the same foresight,” coach Jacie Hoyt said.“Some of those things you don't fully know or understand because I don't think any coach looks forward to it.”
Oklahoma State didn't make the same mistake twice, focusing on first-round opponent Princeton and defeating Ivy League darling 82-68 to secure a second-round berth.Now the Cowgirls finally won on the famous home field against a proud opponent.(Hutt said it's "kind of grown up" John Wooden's pyramid of success.) The program advanced to the second round for the first time since 2021.
Oklahoma State has a tough task in trying to beat UCLA.The Cowgirls have a balanced offensive attack, but — like most teams on the field — they don't have anyone who can guard only 6-foot-7 UCLA's Lauren Betts.The tallest player in the Cowgirls' starting lineup is 6-1 Achol Akot, and they rely heavily on a top-six rotation that includes five guards.
But the Cowboys may have gleaned some insight from No. 16 Cal Baptist's early success against the Bruins.CBU runs a smaller lineup and has struggled to protect the small players around Betts, leaving some gaps and miscommunication on the Bruins' defense.Although UCLA controlled the glass and paint early (10 rebounds and 10 points in the first half), the Bruins only led by 10 points.Adding to their struggles, UCLA – making 7.6 3-pointers per game – made just one in the first half.
Eventually, UCLA refocused and went to work in the second half, shutting down its defense and applying full-court pressure. The Bruins opened the third quarter with a scoreless 11-0 run and finished the second half outscoring CBU 96-43.
Maintaining a 40-minute win against a team of UCLA's level of talent will be very difficult, but if Oklahoma State can replicate the mismatch on the perimeter and get hot from long range (the Cowgirls are averaging 9.2 3-pointers per game (10th in the nation)), it could pave the way for this to be a very exciting second-round matchup.— Chantel Jennings
No. 9 Syracuse 72, No. 8 Iowa State 63
Next in Round 2: No. 1 UConn
Ever since Audie Crooks burst onto the national scene with a 40-point NCAA Tournament performance to lead a 20-point comeback against Maryland, college basketball fans have been waiting for a long run for Iowa State.
Crooks always perform on the biggest stages.But time and time again, cyclones don't last long for them.
A familiar scenario played out for No. 8 Iowa State in the first round against No. 9 Syracuse, as the Orange upset the Cyclones despite outscoring 37 points on 17-of-25 shooting from the All-American Crooks.When Crooks was on the court, Iowa State had an advantage, but lost the nine minutes it sat by ten points.
It was a somewhat surprising result for the Cyclones, who were at full strength after Syracuse was without starting point guard Dominique Darius, who injured her hand during the ACC tournament.But the Orange got a classic March Madness benchwarmer from guard Olivia Schmitt to make up for Darius' absence;The sophomore made 10 3-pointers in 26 games entering the NCAA Tournament, but exploded for five in the second quarter.The storm put Syracuse down three points at 15 at halftime, an advantage it would not relinquish.
🔥 ME 🔥
Olivia Schmidt started the game with 5-of-5 shooting from long range!
📺 ESPN2 x @CuseWBB pic.twitter.com/OK7jJhquFC
— ACC women's basketball (@accwbb) March 21, 2026
Crooks could only hope for such support from his teammates.Four Orange players scored in double figures, compared to two for Iowa State.Aside from Crooks, the Cyclones shot 9 of 42 from the field.Syracuse mostly opted to defend Crooks in single coverage, so Iowa State didn't even find an opening from beyond the arc, shooting 3 of 22 from 3. Sharpshooter Kenzie Hare, who had made 41.9 percent of her 3-pointers before Saturday, went 0 of 6 from long range, including a miss in the final minute.
Now, the second leading scorer in the country will once again see the second round at home.The Cyclones went winless in the postseason for the first time in Crooks' tenure, failing to even win a Big 12 tournament game, a troubling downward trend as the star enters his final collegiate season.
Oren, meanwhile, will face Connecticut in the second round for the second time in three years.Two seasons ago, when Syracuse lost by eight points, Dayisha Fehr was third on the all-time scoring list in college basketball.This year's Huskies are a different breed, however, and Oren will need another outside scoring experience from Schmidt and a few others.– Sabrina Merchant
No. 6 Notre Dame 79, No. 11 Fairfield 60 .
Okuzayo: No.3 Ohio S Tate
One of the most anticipated matches in the second round is officially set as the No. 1 seed.3 and Notre Dame no.
Hidalgo, the ACC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, had an NCAA Tournament record with eight steals in the Irish's 79-60 win over Fairfield. He also added 23 points, nine rebounds and six assists before that. This season, she ranks second in the nation with 807 points.
And we're adding more and @HannahHidalgo now has eight https://t.co/WGpasD2aXm
— Notre Dame Women's Basketball (@ndvbb) March 21, 2026
Meanwhile, the Cambridge sophomore ranks seventh nationally with 751 points this season.This year he reached the 1,000-point mark in just 54 games, one of the fastest paces in program history.Cambridge had 21 points, two steals and two blocks in the Buckeyes' first-round win Saturday morning over Howard.
However, both have earned All-American status because they are more than just scorers.
Cambridge's speed is the difference between Ohio State's best offense and all-encompassing defense.He leads the Buckeyes in assists and ranks third as a rebounder, averaging 5.2 per game, the highest among Ohio State University guards.
Hidalgo transcends any limitations on the court.173 She leads the country in fury, and the second column leaps into the field.
The two are no strangers, either, playing alongside each other on Team USA.
“Another outstanding goalkeeper like Jaloni, and to be able to match him, it’s going to be a great game,” Hidalgo said.
It's the type of matchup the NCAA Tournament is known for, but it doesn't come around very often this early in the tournament.It's something, though, that Notre Dame coach Neil Ivey says is good for the game."It's good to get the game going," Notre Dame coach Neil Ivey said.
But Cambridge vs. Hidalgo isn't the only familiar matchup.Ohio State coach Kevin McGuff and Ivey have been linked for years.
McGuff, who was an assistant at Notre Dame from 1996-2002, coached at Ivy during his time playing for the Irish.Ivy said McGuff was a mentor, but their lives extended beyond basketball.Ivy is the godfather to one of McGuff's six children and is best friends with his wife, Letitia.
It will be a familiar matchup on Monday and the intensity on the floor will increase.
Notre Dame and Ohio State will look to dictate the course of the game with their defense.Ohio State is 17th with 716 forced turnovers, Notre Dame is 36th and Fairfield is 19th.
“I know it's going to be an incredible game,” Ivey said."Two strong guards in a different system that I know."-Cameron Teague Robinson
No. 10 Virginia 82, No. 7 Georgia 73 (OT).
Next in Round 2: No. 2 Iowa
It took 20 games, but the 2026 NCAA Tournament finally delivered its first upset: No. 10 Virginia defeated No. 7 Georgia to keep the top seed alive in double digits.It took a seven-point fourth-quarter comeback, a mid-range jumper that fell just short of regulation and a full extra session for the Cavaliers to pull away and advance to the second round for the first time since 2018.
Virginia is the second Big Four team to win a game in the Round of 64, joining No. 1 Mississippi State.
A Virginia player has never worn a Knights uniform in the NCAA Tournament, but they have plenty of experience at their previous stops.LSU transfer Samia Smith won a national championship as a freshman and was a starter on the Elite Eight team last season (she missed the 2024 game with a knee injury).He had 10-12 shots, 11 rebounds, and 3 steals.Virginia was a steady force with 22 assists.Smith scored five points in overtime as the Cavaliers pulled away.
Tabitha Amanze, a two-time Princeton All-Player, and Romy Levy, South Florida's 2025 NCAA Tournament All-Star, had key defensive efforts for Virginia in Mia Woolfolk and Riley Theuerkauf.Levy also hit in regulation on the absurd Banker game-link 3.
That veteran presence will help the Cavaliers in the second round, possibly a road game against No. 2 seed Iowa. Smith doesn't know how to face the Hawkeyes and a familiar foe awaits in 2023, Hannah Stowell.
But the leader for Virginia is homegrown Kymora Johnson, who impressed in her first March Madness.Johnson had the game-winning 3-pointer in the First Four against Arizona State to cap a 17-point, 10-rebound, five-assist night.The junior followed that up with 28 points, seven rebounds and six assists against the Bulldogs with just one turnover.It's a stellar turn for the native of Charlottesville, Va., who hasn't had the chance to play much on national television, but has definitely made some new fans in the last three days.
The Cavaliers outscored the Bulldogs 13-6 in the final seven minutes of regulation before going on a 7-0 run to close out the game.
The record temperature soared to 88 degrees in Iowa City, bringing some heat outside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.The building has no air conditioning and was built 40 years ago inside a local crater.The temperature at midcourt was nearing 70 by the end of the game.
It's one of the most brutal weather weeks in the region.A storm hit eastern Iowa on Sunday, bringing high winds and several inches of snow to near zero.On Monday, Virginia will take on No.2 Iowa or No.Play 15 Fairleigh Dickinson, which is 53 degrees tall. – Sabrina Merchant and Scott Dochterman
5 Kentucky 71, no.12 James Madison 56
No. 4 Virginia-Occidental 82, No. 13 Miami (Ohio) 54
Up next in Round 2: No. 4 West Virginia vs. No. 5 Kentucky
For five years, first at Virginia Tech and then at Kentucky, coach Kenny Brooks carried Georgia Amoore's timeout code.The 6-foot-10 Australian was able to handle anything the defense could throw at the Hokies and Wildcats, but he never had to deal with the "Virginia Stress."
So if Brooks is feeling a little nervous at the thought of facing West Virginia on Sunday with the Sweet 16 on the line?That is understandable.
Mark Kellogg's Mountaineers use more full court pressure than anyone in the country, and it's effective.They turn opponents into third possessions when they work their pressure, and they are among the top 15 teams in the country in turning opponents over (almost 22 per game).In the opening round game against Miami (Ohio), the Mountaineers had 11 steals and forced 15 turnovers (and 21 points from those contributions).
Kentucky has already struggled this season against high-pressure defensive teams in the SEC like Texas and South Carolina, going 0-3 against them this season.In the Wildcats' meeting against the Longhorns, they committed 23 turnovers while Texas had 11 steals.In two games against South Carolina, Kentucky averaged 15 turnovers per game and the Gamecocks averaged eight steals.
West Virginia senior Jordan Harrison is the driving force behind the Mountaineers' defense.He's in his fourth year in the Kellogg system (he transferred from Stephen F. Austin when Kellogg, the former SFA coach, got the West Virginia job in 2023) and is averaging 3.2 steals per game, good for 12th nationally.
To beat West Virginia at home, Wildcats point guard Toni Morgan will have to be at her best.The Georgia Tech transfer has handled her transition to the SEC fairly well, averaging 8.2 assists per game, but her turnovers have increased along the way, averaging 4.4 assists over her last 10 games.Morgan turned the ball over more than 27 percent of the time he faced press, according to Synergy.– Chantelle Jennings
No. 3 Louisville 72, No. 14 Vermont 52
bro6 Alabama 68, bro.11 Rhode Island 55
Next Round 2: Louisville at Alabama
Louisville and Alabama haven't met in the regular season since 2023, but the teams will meet in Louisville on Monday for a chance at the Sweet 16.
Behind Mackenly Randolph's 20 points, the third-seeded Cardinals overcame No.14 Vermont 72-52 before No.6 Alabama took care of business 68-55 against No.11 Rhode Island.
The stakes are high for the Cardinals and Crimson Tide for two very different reasons.
Jeff Walls has led the Cardinals in shutouts 16 times since taking over the program prior to the 2007-08 season.The Cardinals have been a staple in the NCAA Tournament with eight trips to the Elite Eight, four Final Four berths and two national game appearances.Alabama, meanwhile, is eyeing its first trip to the Sweet 16 since 1998.
Playing without guard Skylar Jones for the first time this season (Walz announced he was out on Friday), the Cardinals still looked the part against Vermont in Randolph on Memorial Day, with Laura Ziegler and Tajianna Roberts adding 12 points, and Imari Berry chipping in 10.
Jessica Timmons added 21 points for Alabama, Essence Cody added 19 and Diana Collins added 16.
No. 1 priority in Alabama's scouting report?Look for ways to limit Randolph, who finished 2-of-3 from beyond the arc, in addition to taking it to Vermont in the paint.
"I think Mack's fault right now is her consistency and her ability to shoot the ball from the outside," Walz said."She's extremely strong in that position. She does a great job finishing post-ups, but she wasn't that confident at the beginning of the year."- Grace Raynor
Zoe Brooks' availability is uncertain.
NC State coach Wes Moore said it's "hard to say at this point" if junior Zoe Brooks will be available for the seventh-seeded Wolfpack's second-round matchup against second-seeded Michigan on Sunday.The guard suffered the injury midway through the third quarter in Friday night's first-round win at Tennessee and did not return to the game.
"Part of it might be how he feels tomorrow," Moore said Saturday."He's not exercising today. He's taking every precaution with a boot, crutches and trying to lose weight."
Brooks is the Wolfpack's second-leading scorer and leader in assists, steals and free throws.The junior has started 72 career games and is NC State's most-used player this season.
If Brooks can't go, Moore will likely turn to freshman Destiny "Ki'she" Lunan as ball handler.Moore called him up after Brooks' injury against Tennessee, and he played 23 minutes, fourth-most of his career.Lunan appeared in 30 games this season, averaging 4.5 points and 1.2 assists per game in 17 minutes of play.
"I have a lot of confidence in him and I think the other players do as well," Moore said of Lunan."Still not the same as Zoe out there, a junior with his experience and everything he's done, but either way we'll be ready to play."
With a hit in the backfield, NC State will probably try to focus more on the paint, mark senior Khamil Pierre and expose a potential mismatch with Michigan Pierre forward Sofilkanich. Players from Vanderbilt leads the Wolfpack in scoring and rebounding this season. With an average of 17 points, 12 rebounds, a double-double.
Especially with home-court advantage, the Wolverines were close entering Sunday, but given Michigan's talent and depth in its backcourt — Olivia Olson, Sylla Sords, Mila Holloway and Brooke Quarles Daniels — veterans like Brooks and not any freshmen doom the Wolfpack's chances.
Most interesting day 1
You can read the first day's coverage hereHighlights of the day include
• Tennessee's futile bid to extend the season leaves the tournament on a historic eight-game losing streak.
• Minnesota's fourth-quarter comeback 30-9 at The Barn.
• Skylar Jones left Louisville.
• Duke withstood a 36-point blast from Charleston's Taryn Barbot.
How to watch
Here is a guide to watching the remaining first round matches on Saturday.
