play1:19Tennessee Lady Volunteers vs. NC State Wolfpack: Game HighlightsTennessee Lady Volunteers vs. NC State Wolfpack: Game Highlights
play1:18Virginia Tech Hokies vs. Oregon Ducks: Game HighlightsVirginia Tech Hokies vs. Oregon Ducks: Game Highlights
play1:18UC San Diego Tritons vs. TCU Horned Frogs: Game HighlightsUC San Diego Tritons vs. TCU Horned Frogs: Game Highlights
play1:17Idaho Vandals vs. Oklahoma Sooners: Game HighlightsIdaho Vandals vs. Oklahoma Sooners: Game Highlights
play1:15Green Bay Phoenix vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers: Game HighlightsGreen Bay Phoenix vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers: Game Highlights
play1:19Charleston Cougars vs. Duke Blue Devils: Game HighlightsCharleston Cougars vs. Duke Blue Devils: Game Highlights
play1:17Western Illinois Leathernecks vs. North Carolina Tar Heels: Game HighlightsWestern Illinois Leathernecks vs. North Carolina Tar Heels: Game Highlights
Mikaylah Williams beams after 58-point NCAA Tournament win for LSU (1:09)Williams discusses what the Tigers are focused on during the first weekend of the tournament while shouting out Flau’jae Johnson for drawing up a play for her to reach a double-double. (1:09)
Tennessee Lady Volunteers vs. NC State Wolfpack: Game HighlightsTennessee Lady Volunteers vs. NC State Wolfpack: Game Highlights
Virginia Tech Hokies vs. Oregon Ducks: Game HighlightsVirginia Tech Hokies vs. Oregon Ducks: Game Highlights
UC San Diego Tritons vs. TCU Horned Frogs: Game HighlightsUC San Diego Tritons vs. TCU Horned Frogs: Game Highlights
Idaho Vandals vs. Oklahoma Sooners: Game HighlightsIdaho Vandals vs. Oklahoma Sooners: Game Highlights
Green Bay Phoenix vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers: Game HighlightsGreen Bay Phoenix vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers: Game Highlights
Charleston Cougars vs. Duke Blue Devils: Game HighlightsCharleston Cougars vs. Duke Blue Devils: Game Highlights
Western Illinois Leathernecks vs. North Carolina Tar Heels: Game HighlightsWestern Illinois Leathernecks vs. North Carolina Tar Heels: Game Highlights
Sixteen games are in the books. That’s a wrap for the first half of the first round of the 2026 women’s NCAA tournament.
We tracked every game Friday, from blowouts to big performances, including Olivia Miles’ triple-double for TCU, Oklahoma freshman Aaliyah Chavez’s NCAA tournament debut (no turnovers in 31 minutes) and Tennessee’s historic end to its season.
Here is ESPN’s guide to all the Day 1 results, with analysis from reporters of how each game was won, and our experts’ takes on each winner’s chances to advance to the Sweet 16.
How NC State won: In the opening half, NC State set the pace. The Wolfpack led by 15 with less than five minutes left in the first quarter. The Lady Vols couldn’t keep up and shot 33% from the field and 19% on 3-pointers for the game.
Trailing 40-29 at halftime, Tennessee hit back-to-back 3s and tried to swing momentum, but NC State maintained consistency in the paint. Before the fourth quarter, Wolfpack forward Khamil Pierre recorded her 22nd double-double this season — the most by an NC State player since Khadijah Whittington in 2007-08. When NC State guard Zoe Brooks exited the game midway in the third quarter with a right leg injury, the Wolfpack relied on Zamareya Jones, who had a career-high 30 points.
Tennessee ends the season on an eight-game losing streak (its last win was Feb. 12) — and it’s the first time since the NCAA tournament started in 1982 that the Lady Vols went winless in the month of March.
How the Wolfpack can advance to the Sweet 16: With the uncertainty around Brooks’ injury, the Wolfpack will have to lean on each other to push through the next round. Players like Jones need to create bigger opportunities in the paint. Tennessee was able to limit NC State’s offense when keeping the Wolfpack out of transition, so the Wolfpack have to find a way to get to the basket. — Charlotte Gibson
Tennessee Lady Volunteers vs. NC State Wolfpack: Game Highlights
Tennessee Lady Volunteers vs. NC State Wolfpack: Game Highlights
How Texas won: Everyone got a chance to play for the Longhorns, who shot 50% from the field (34-of-68) and 81% from the foul line (17-of-21). Sophomore guard Jordan Lee led Texas in scoring with 19 points, and junior forward Madison Booker had 14 points and 12 rebounds. Texas outrebounded Missouri State 49-27 and scored 28 points off the Lady Bears’ 19 turnovers.
Despite the NCAA tournament exit, this postseason was still a big success for Missouri State. The Lady Bears won the Conference USA tournament as a No. 6 seed in their first season in the league, upsetting top-seeded Louisiana Tech in the final. Then they beat Stephen F. Austin 85-75 in their First Four game. Missouri State finishes the season 23-13.
How the Longhorns can advance to the Sweet 16: The Longhorns, who have made it to at least the Elite Eight four of the past five years, face No. 8 seed Oregon in the second round. The Ducks beat Virginia Tech 70-60 in the first round. You can be sure Texas coach Vic Schaefer is focusing on a defensive game plan to limit Oregon standout guard Katie Fiso, who had 22 points on 9-of-12 shooting against the Hokies. — Michael Voepel
How Oregon won: In the rare 8-9 seed mismatch, Oregon cruised over Virginia Tech in a game that was not as close as the final score suggests. The Ducks led by as many as 21 points in the fourth quarter. Katie Fiso, one of only nine players this season to average more than 15 points and five assists, almost hit that mark against the Hokies with 22 points and four assists.
How the Ducks can advance to the Sweet 16: The Ducks, who beat Maryland in the second round of the Big Ten tournament, have now won three of their past four games, their best streak since winning four in a row in late January. When Oregon beat Maryland in Indianapolis, Michigan was up next — and the Wolverines handed the Ducks a 22-point loss. Oregon’s likely next opponent, Texas, offers an even bigger challenge.
This was also the 23rd win of the season for the Ducks, making this their most successful campaign since Sabrina Ionescu’s senior year in 2020, when the NCAA tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. — Charlie Creme
Virginia Tech Hokies vs. Oregon Ducks: Game Highlights
Virginia Tech Hokies vs. Oregon Ducks: Game Highlights
How Michigan won: With an 8-0 run in the first two minutes of the first quarter, Michigan established the pacing of the game. Holding Holy Cross to a season-low six points in the first period, Michigan created opportunities in the paint, shooting 9-of-13 within the first quarter. The momentum continued in the second half, with nine different players scoring in the paint. Michigan’s transition defense and ability to hit tough shots also drove the rout.
The Wolverines’ success came down to sophomore Mila Holloway, who scored or assisted on 34 points, which is tied for the third most in a tournament game by a Michigan player over the past six tournaments.
TCU jumped out to a 15-4 early lead and was never threatened by the Tritons, who shot just 23.0% from the field.
With Miles doing most of the setting up, three other Horned Frogs finished in double figures, led by senior Taylor Bigby’s 27 points on 7-of-9 3-point shooting. Clara Silva had 13 points and Marta Suarez had 11, all in the first half.
UC San Diego Tritons vs. TCU Horned Frogs: Game Highlights
UC San Diego Tritons vs. TCU Horned Frogs: Game Highlights
Meanwhile, freshman point guard Aaliyah Chavez finished with 15 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists to become the first Oklahoma player with at least 15 points, five rebounds and five assists in an NCAA tournament game since Peyton Little in 2017. — Brooke Pryor
How the Sooners can advance to the Sweet 16: Keep doing what they’re doing. Oklahoma was effective in the frontcourt and backcourt, shot 51% from the field and put four players in double-digit scoring. As impressive as Beers and Williams were, it’s perhaps most notable that Chavez — making her NCAA tournament debut — had zero turnovers in 31 minutes. — ESPN
Idaho Vandals vs. Oklahoma Sooners: Game Highlights
Idaho Vandals vs. Oklahoma Sooners: Game Highlights
How Michigan State won: Even playing without its leading scorer, Colorado State nearly pulled off the upset as Rams guard Brooke Carlson poured in a career-high 26 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter. But thanks to a second-half surge by Grace VanSlooten and Kennedy Blair, MSU’s 12-2 edge in second-chance points and an improved shooting performance from outside the paint, the Spartans managed to survive the resilient Rams.
Though Michigan State, which was an 18.5-point favorite entering the game, was uncharacteristically cold from beyond the arc (4-of-21), VanSlooten dominated inside with 18 points and 10 rebounds, becoming only the seventh Division I player this century to record a double-double in each of their first three NCAA tournament games, per ESPN Research. Blair, meanwhile, racked up three blocks and 18 points, including 12 in the second half. — Brooke Pryor
How Washington won: After falling behind by 10 points in the first five minutes, the Huskies found their rhythm and never looked back. They led by as much as 24 points in the fourth quarter.
Washington sophomore guard Avery Howell became the fifth player in program history to score 30 points in an NCAA tournament game. Finishing with 30 points (hitting seven 3-pointers) and nine assists, Howell was one assist shy of recording her eighth double-double of the season. She’s the first Washington player with 30 points and no turnovers in a game since Kelsey Plum in 2016.
The Huskies’ turnaround was historic; their 14-point halftime lead was their biggest in an NCAA tournament game since 2001. They outscored the Jackrabbits 35-8 over the final 15 minutes of the first half as their defense fueled their offense. South Dakota State’s Brooklyn Meyer finished with 29 points and seven rebounds, and Emilee Fox — the nation’s top 3-pointer shooter — knocked down four 3s, but Washington kept everyone else quiet.