Will there be any more drama before Selection Sunday?
Most of the 2024 Women’s NCAA Tournament field is set.
The final three automatic bids were decided Sunday, but there should be few surprises on Selection Sunday.
South Carolina (32-0) will be the No. 1 overall seed under coach Dawn Staley. Iowa – led by Caitlin Clark – will also be a No. 1 seed. Sporting News projects Stanford and USC to be No. 1 seeds in the final year of the Pac-12. Texas — the Big 12 champion – also has a strong case given its 30-win record.
The bubble has a few tough choices, especially involving a pair of schools in Texas A&M and Mississippi State. The Aggies beat the Bulldogs in the SEC tournament, but the Bulldogs have a head-to-head victory against LSU and a better conference record. Our Last Four In are Vanderbilt, Miami, Fla., Arizona and Mississippi State.
This year’s Final Four is April 5-7 at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland.
We will break down the NCAA women’s basketball tournament field every day ahead of Selection Sunday. A look at the latest Field of 68:
Last four in: Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, Arizona, Miami.
+ – Clinched automatic bid
* – Projected automatic bid
PRINTABLE: Download a 2024 Women’s March Madness bracket here
Women’s March Madness 2024 bracket predictions
No. 1 seeds
+South Carolina (32-0, 16-0 SEC)
The Gamecocks remain the team to beat under Dawn Staley, who is looking for a fifth Final Four run with South Carolina. Kamilla Cardoso will miss the first-round tournament game, but South Carolina is built for another national championship run.
+Iowa (29-4, 15-3 Big Ten)
Will Caitlin Clark lead the Hawkeyes to a national championship? That is the must-see television event of this year’s tournament. Clark leads the NCAA in points per game (31.9) and assists per game (8.9), and the Hawkeyes are coming off a thrilling Big Ten tournament championship victory. Is this the greatest hurdle to South Carolina’s perfect season?
Stanford (28-5, 15-3 Pac-12)
The Cardinal lost 74-61 in the Pac-12 championship game, but Tara VanDerveer has a team ready to compete for a national championship. Star forward Cameron Brink averaged 16.7 points, 12 rebounds and three assists in the Pac-12 tournament. Brink will have to be that good throughout the NCAA tournament.
+USC (26-5, 13-5 Pac-12)
USC won the Pac-12 tournament championship — and that was with freshman star JuJu Watkins scoring just nine points. Watkins is second in the NCAA with 27 points per game. Third-year coach Lindsay Gottlieb has a team capable of making the school’s first Final Four run since 1986.
No. 2 seeds
+Texas (30-4, 14-4 Big 12)
The Longhorns made their case for a No. 1 seed with a Big 12 championship victory against Iowa State, but we think they will stick as the highest No. 2 seed. Four Texas players average double-digits, led by Madison Booker (16.6 ppg.). Coach Vic Schaefer made two Final Four runs with Mississippi State. The Longhorns are capable of doing the same.
LSU (28-5, 13-3 SEC)
The SEC championship game is in the past. Kim Mulkey still has a team that can win back-to-back national championships. Angel Reese averages 19.0 points and 13.1 rebounds. Will she be the most-dominant player in the tournament? Will the Tigers be put on the same side of the bracket as South Carolina? We can’t wait to find out.
MORE: Kim Mulkey makes wild statement in aftermath of fight
Ohio State (25-5, 16-2 Big Ten)
The Buckeyes won the Big Ten regular season but dropped a line after losing to Maryland 82-61 in the Big Ten tournament. Ohio State reached the Sweet 16 in 2022 and Elite Eight in 2023. Is a Final Four appearance the next logical progression?
UCLA (25-6, 13-5 Pac-12)
The Bruins were in the discussion for a No. 1 seed, but an 80-70 loss to USC might allow UConn or Notre Dame to snag a No. 2 seed. Center Lauren Betts averaged 12.5 points and 12.5 rebounds in the Pac-12 tournament. UCLA will hold on to the No. 2 seed, but they will catch the toughest No. 3 in the process.
No. 3 seeds
+UConn (28-5, 18-0 Big East)
Are the Huskies a touch under-valued here? Paige Bueckers averaged 27.7 points in the Big East tournament, and Geno Auriemma is looking to lead this team back to the Final Four after last year’s exit in the Sweet 16.
+Notre Dame (23-6, 13-5 ACC)
The Irish have won eight straight games – and freshman guard Hannah Hidalgo averages 20 points per game in that stretch. Notre Dame won the ACC tournament championship and will be in the discussion for a possible No. 2 seed given their strength of schedule.
Oregon State (24-7, 12-6 Pac-12)
The Beavers are 4-4 in their last eight games – though three of those losses were to either Stanford or USC. A split in the Pac-12 tournament means Oregon State will stay on this line and hope they land in the Portland regional.
NC State (27-6, 13-5 ACC)
The Wolfpack should be safe on this line given the conference record and ACC championship game appearance. NC State is looking to avenge last year’s first-round exit. The Wolfpack have four Sweet 16 appearances under coach Wes Moore.
No. 4 seeds
Virginia Tech (24-7, 14-4 ACC)
Elizabeth Kitley (knee) missed the ACC tournament, and the Hokies lost three of their last four games. How much will the committee factor that in when seeding Virginia Tech? A week off should help Kitley – who averaged 22.8 ppg.
Gonzaga (30-3, 16-0 West Coast)
Should Gonzaga be worried after losing 67-66 to Portland in the West Coast Conference championship? No, but their seeding could be volatile as a result. A 96-78 victory against Stanford on Dec. 3 is the key to keeping the Bulldogs on this line as a host on opening weekend.
Indiana (24-5, 15-3 Big Ten)
The Hoosiers were an upset victim in the Big Ten tournament with a 69-56 loss to Michigan. Indiana is a candidate to slide the No. 5 line, but they can cash in the 86-69 victory against Iowa on Feb. 23 in return for the disappointing conference tournament performance.
Colorado (22-9, 11-7 Pac-12)
Oklahoma and Kansas State have a case to be here too, but the Buffaloes will likely be the pick coming out of the Pac-12. Colorado was 2-6 in its last eight games, but five of those losses were to ranked opponents.
Rest of field
No. 5 seeds
Oklahoma (22-9, 15-3 Big 12)
Kansas State (25-7, 13-5 Big 12)
Syracuse (23-7, 13-5 ACC)
Utah (22-10, 11-7 Pac-12)
No. 6 seeds
Baylor (24-7, 12-6 Big 12)
Louisville (24-9, 12-6 ACC)
West Virginia (24-7, 12-6 Big 12)
Duke (20-11, 11-7 ACC)
No. 7 seeds
Creighton (25-5, 15-3 Big East)
Ole Miss (23-8, 12-4 SEC)
Tennessee (19-12, 10-6 SEC)
Nebraska (22-11, 11-7 Big Ten)
No. 8 seeds
North Carolina (19-12, 11-7 ACC)
Michigan State (22-8, 12-6 Big Ten)
Iowa State (20-10, 12-6 Big 12)
Florida State (23-10, 12-6 ACC)
No. 9 seeds
+UNLV (30-2, 17-1 Mountain West)
Alabama (23-9, 10-6 SEC)
Kansas (19-12, 11-7 Big 12)
+Princeton (25-4, 13-1 Ivy)
No. 10 seeds
+Middle Tennessee State (29-4, 16-0 C-USA)
Maryland (19-13, 9-9 Big Ten)
Auburn (20-11, 8-8 SEC)
Michigan (20-13, 9-9 Big Ten)
No. 11 seeds
Marquette (22-8, 11-7 Big East)
+Green Bay (27-6, 17-3 Horizon)
**Vanderbilt (22-9, 9-7, SEC)
**Miami, Fla. (19-12, 8-10 ACC)
**Arizona (17-15, 8-10 Pac-12)
**Mississippi State (21-11, 8-8 SEC)
No. 12 seeds
+Richmond (29-5, 16-2 Atlantic 10)
+Florida Gulf Coast (29-4, 16-0 Atlantic Sun)
+South Dakota State (27-5, 16-0)
*Drake (28-5, 19-1 MVC)
No. 13 seeds
+Fairfield (31-1, 20-0 MAAC)
+Marshall (26-6, 17-1 Sun Belt)
*Stony Brook (27-3, 16-2 CAA)
+Eastern Washington (29-5, 16-2 Big Sky)
No. 14 seeds
+Chattanooga (28-4, 13-1 Southern)
+California Baptist (28-3, 18-2 WAC)
+Kent State (21-10, 13-5 MAC)
+Portland (21-12, 10-6 West Coast)
No. 15 seeds
+Jackson State (26-6, 18-0 SWAC)
+Rice (19-14, 9-9 AAC)
+Maine (24-9, 14-2 America East)
+Norfolk State (27-5, 13-1 MEAC)
No. 16 seeds
+UC Irvine (22-8, 16-4 Big West)
+Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (23-8, 14-4 Southland)
**Holy Cross (19-12, 11-7 Patriot)
+Sacred Heart (23-9, 14-1 Northeast)
+**UT-Martin (16-16, 11-7 OVC)
+**Presbyterian (20-14, 8-8 Big South)
First Four Out
Texas A&M (19-12, 6-10 SEC)
The Aggies could slip in after knocking off Mississippi State 72-56 in the SEC tournament, and it could be a decision between those two teams for the final spot.
Penn State (19-12, 9-9 Big Ten)
Penn State does have a Net rating of No. 27, the highest of any team left outside the tournament. Maryland, however, is a better bet to get in.
Columbia (23-6, 13-1 Ivy)
Columbia missed its chance in a 75-58 loss to Princeton in the Ivy League tournament championship. It’s going to be tough to get two Ivy League teams in.
Cleveland State (29-5, 18-2 Horizon)
The Vikings might be left out after a 64-40 loss to Green Bay in the Horizon League championship game. This will be an uncomfortable bubble for the Vikings.
