March Madness: How to watch the women’s NCAA Tournament and what to watch for
Iowa guard Caitlin Clark (22) cheers while checking out of the game during the second half of an NCAA college basketball quarterfinal game against Penn State at the Big Ten women’s tournament Friday, March 8, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
South Carolina center Kamilla Cardoso, middle, celebrates after scoring the game winning basket with guard Te-Hina Paopao, left, against Tennessee during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Southeastern Conference women’s tournament Saturday, March 9, 2024, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
Notre Dame head coach Niele Ivey, right, talks with Hannah Hidalgo, left, during the first half against NC State in an NCAA basketball game for the Women’s Atlantic Coast Conference championship in Greensboro, N.C., Sunday, March 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
UConn guard Paige Bueckers (5) reacts in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Marquette in the semifinals of the Big East Conference tournament, Sunday, March 10, 2024, in Uncasville, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
Southern California guard McKenzie Forbes (25) and JuJu Watkins (12) cheer after their win over Arizona in an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinal round of the Pac-12 tournament Thursday, March 7, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)
Virginia Tech’s Georgia Amoore (5) runs the offense in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against North Carolina in Blacksburg, Va., Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. (Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP)
Ohio State guard Jacy Sheldon (4) celebrates with teammates after the team’s win over Michigan in an NCAA college basketball game, to claim the regular-season Big Ten title, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Iowa guard Caitlin Clark (22) cheers while checking out of the game during the second half of an NCAA college basketball quarterfinal game against Penn State at the Big Ten women’s tournament Friday, March 8, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Iowa guard Caitlin Clark (22) cheers while checking out of the game during the second half of an NCAA college basketball quarterfinal game against Penn State at the Big Ten women’s tournament Friday, March 8, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
South Carolina center Kamilla Cardoso, middle, celebrates after scoring the game winning basket with guard Te-Hina Paopao, left, against Tennessee during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Southeastern Conference women’s tournament Saturday, March 9, 2024, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
South Carolina center Kamilla Cardoso, middle, celebrates after scoring the game winning basket with guard Te-Hina Paopao, left, against Tennessee during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Southeastern Conference women’s tournament Saturday, March 9, 2024, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
Notre Dame head coach Niele Ivey, right, talks with Hannah Hidalgo, left, during the first half against NC State in an NCAA basketball game for the Women’s Atlantic Coast Conference championship in Greensboro, N.C., Sunday, March 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
Notre Dame head coach Niele Ivey, right, talks with Hannah Hidalgo, left, during the first half against NC State in an NCAA basketball game for the Women’s Atlantic Coast Conference championship in Greensboro, N.C., Sunday, March 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
UConn guard Paige Bueckers (5) reacts in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Marquette in the semifinals of the Big East Conference tournament, Sunday, March 10, 2024, in Uncasville, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
UConn guard Paige Bueckers (5) reacts in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Marquette in the semifinals of the Big East Conference tournament, Sunday, March 10, 2024, in Uncasville, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
Southern California guard McKenzie Forbes (25) and JuJu Watkins (12) cheer after their win over Arizona in an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinal round of the Pac-12 tournament Thursday, March 7, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)
Southern California guard McKenzie Forbes (25) and JuJu Watkins (12) cheer after their win over Arizona in an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinal round of the Pac-12 tournament Thursday, March 7, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)
Virginia Tech’s Georgia Amoore (5) runs the offense in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against North Carolina in Blacksburg, Va., Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. (Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP)
Virginia Tech’s Georgia Amoore (5) runs the offense in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against North Carolina in Blacksburg, Va., Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. (Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP)
Ohio State guard Jacy Sheldon (4) celebrates with teammates after the team’s win over Michigan in an NCAA college basketball game, to claim the regular-season Big Ten title, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Ohio State guard Jacy Sheldon (4) celebrates with teammates after the team’s win over Michigan in an NCAA college basketball game, to claim the regular-season Big Ten title, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Women’s basketball is having itself a moment as March Madness arrives.
A year ago, 9.9 million people tuned in to see Angel Reese and LSU beat Caitlin Clark and Iowa in a national championship game made unforgettable by the two stars who backed up their talk with stellar play. The game was on a national network — ABC — for the first time since 1996.
March Madness 2024
LIVE UPDATES: AP has you covered for the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
BRACKETS: See the brackets for the men’s and women’s tournaments.
QUIZ: How does your knowledge about the tournament stacks up.
GET MORE with AP’s latest March Madness coverage.
Well, Clark and Reese are back for more and they aren’t alone as No. 1 overall seed in South Carolina again enters the tournament undefeated with a chance to become the 10th perfect national champion.
The Gamecocks and Clark’s Hawkeyes are the top seeds in the two Albany (N.Y.) regionals while Pac-12 Conference Tournament champ Southern California and Big 12 tourney champ Texas are the two top seeds at the Portland (Ore.) site.
Clark has been the talk of the sport all season, making a bid for a second straight Associated Press Player of the Year honor after becoming the all-time leading scorer in Division I history and selling out venues wherever Iowa went.
TOP GAMES
5 Colorado vs. 12 Drake. The Buffaloes opened the season with a stunner when they defeated defending national champion LSU and are among seven Pac-12 teams in the tournament. Drake advanced on a last-second shot to beat Missouri State in the Missouri Valley Conference.
6 Tennessee vs. 11 Green Bay. Tennessee came within about a second of pulling off the season’s biggest upset when it lost to South Carolina in the SEC Tournament semis on Kamilla Cardoso’s last-second three, her first-ever in college. Green Bay comes in with 27 victories.
6 Louisville vs. 11 Middle Tennessee. Cardinals were a Final Four team two years ago, but lost three of their final five games. Middle Tennessee went 29-4 this season and won its second straight Conference USA title.
3 UConn vs. 14 Jackson State. The Huskies have had a difficult time staying healthy this year and their depth could be an issue as they move through the NCAA Tournament. Jackson State comes in off its ninth Southwestern Athletic Conference title.
HOW TO WATCH
Every game of the women’s tournament will be aired — here is a schedule that will be updated with matchups — on ESPN’s networks and streaming services with select games on ABC. While ESPN will air the Final Four, the title game will be back on ABC, just like last season.
BETTING GUIDE
South Carolina is the overwhelming favorite to win its second title in three years and third overall, all since 2017. The top three betting favorites behind the Gamecocks (in order) are Iowa, LSU and Stanford, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
- See the AP March Madness bracket.
- Stay up to date with the latest March Madness coverage.
WHO IS PLAYING?
South Carolina will open against either Sacred Heart or Presbyterian, who compete in a First Four game. Same for Iowa, which awaits the winner of Holy Cross/UT-Martin. The other top seeds know their foes: USC will play Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Texas will face Drexel.
Defending national champion LSU, seeded third, opens against No. 14 seed Rice.
WHEN ARE THE GAMES?
The First Four matchups (March 20-21) and first- and second-round games (March 22-25) are on campus, with sites announced late March 17.
Sweet 16 weekend ( March 29-April 1) will see games in two sites once again: Albany, New York, and Portland, Oregon.
The Final Four is in Cleveland on Friday, April 5, with the championship game on Sunday, April 7.
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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket/ and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness