Women’s March Madness bold predictions: 9 NCAA bracket surprises

The UCLA Bruins Bruins earned the top overall seed in the 2025 women’s NCAA Tournament, with Lauren Betts and company vying for the program’s first national championship.

But the Bruins have never advanced past the Elite Eight. Can they end that drought this March Madness? Will Paige Bueckers end her UConn career with a ring? Can Olivia Miles and Notre Dame get out of the first weekend?

Here are nine March Madness bold predictions from our USA TODAY Sports Network experts.

Stream women’s NCAA Tournament games on Fubo

Women’s March Madness bold predictions

1. Nancy Armour, USA TODAY: Notre Dame’s late-season struggles will continue, and the Irish won’t make it out of the first weekend.
2. Cora Hall, Knoxville News Sentinel: Ole Miss goes on another Cinderella run and spoils another No. 1 seed’s tournament, this time sending UCLA home in the Sweet 16.
3. Lulu Kesin, Greenville News: Although UCLA was a machine in the regular season, the Bruins fall in the Sweet 16 after struggling against a high-pressure, very skilled Ole Miss defense.
4. Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY: South Carolina doesn’t repeat. Everyone seems to be afraid of facing the Gamecocks since they didn’t get the top overall seed. They may be on a mission to the Final Four, but there’s too much talent coming out of the Spokane Regional to let South Carolina win back-to-back crowns.
5. Cydney Henderson, USA TODAY: TCU will cut Notre Dame’s tourney short during the Sweet 16. Much like their regular-season matchup in November — where Sedona Prince went off for 20 points, 20 rebounds and 8 blocks in TCU’s comeback win — the Fighting Irish’s defense will struggle to contain 6-foot-7 Prince and four-time All-American Hailey Van Lith.
6. Meghan Hall, For The Win: Paige Bueckers will leave her college career without a ring. The USC Trojans and JuJu Watkins will end UConn’s NCAA Tournament run in the Elite Eight.
7. Mike Sykes, For The Win: NC State — not UCLA — will emerge and make it to the Final Four. The scoring power of Aziaha James and the versatility of Saniya Rivers will catapult the Wolfpack on a deep tournament run.
8. Cory Diaz, The Daily Advertiser: Vanderbilt makes a deep run to the Elite Eight. Freshman Mikayla Blakes is a walking bucket. The dynamic duo of her and Khamil Pierre is one of the most efficient guard-post tandems in women’s basketball. Their length and athleticism are valuable this time of year.
9. Maxwell Donaldson, Gadsden Times: TCU makes Final Four run. Behind the play of Hailey Van Lith, the Horned Frogs have had a historic season and that will continue as they take down in-state foe Texas in the Elite Eight to head to Tampa.

Women’s March Madness schedule

• First Four: March 19-20
• First round: March 21-22
• Second round: March 23-24
• Sweet 16: March 28-29
• Elite Eight: March 30-31
• Final Four: Friday, April 4 (both semifinals; first game begins at 7 p.m. ET)
• NCAA championship: Sunday, April 6 (Game scheduled for 3 p.m. ET)

Where to watch Women’s March Madness

All games will be televised on the ESPN family of networks, which includes ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, and ESPNews.