The NCAA Tournament has sold out its advertising slots across all 67 games, ESPN announced Tuesday.

ESPN will broadcast every game of March Madness, and it has sold out all of its in-game sponsorship opportunities. The 68-team women’s basketball tournament has 15 broadcast sponsors and almost 100 advertisers, including Aflac, Under Armour and Great Clips.

“Inclusive sports storytelling is a business imperative for Disney. As the exclusive broadcaster of the NCAA Division I women’s basketball championship, we always look forward to connecting brands with one of the most exciting collegiate athletic events of the year,” Disney vice president Theresa Palmieri said. “We are thrilled to see our sponsors and advertisers lean into our continued commitment to women’s sports and have flocked to these offerings.”

Also returning is “The Bird & Taurasi Show,” presented by AT&T, for the Final Four and national championship game. This year’s Final Four will air on ESPN, while the championship will air on ABC for the first time.

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In a recent poll conducted by the Associated Press, Tara VanDerveer’s Stanford Cardinal moved up to No. 3 after securing back-to-back victories against Arizona and Arizona State. Stanford (24-3, 12-2 Pac-12) put on an impressive display on Thursday night, dismantling the then-No. 17 ranked Arizona Wildcats 84-60 before following up with another impressive 96-64 victory over Arizona State on Sunday afternoon.

Stanford’s fantastic road performances have propelled them from their previous position at No. 6 in the national poll to No. 3. The Cardinal has now won ten of their last eleven games and sit atop the Pac-12 alongside the Utah Utes.

The South Carolina Gamecocks continue to hold the No. 1 spot, marking the 34th consecutive week they have done so. The team recently defeated the LSU Tigers 88-64 in an exciting matchup between two unbeaten teams. Indiana and Utah followed behind the Gamecocks, earning the No. 2 and No. 4 spots, respectively.

The latest poll also recognized Stanford’s freshman center Lauren Betts, who was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Week after posting an impressive 25 points on 12-for-15 shooting from the floor in the team’s recent road sweep.

In other basketball news, the WCC Freshman of the Week has been awarded to Tess Heal for the fourth week in a row, bringing her total to ten this season. The Santa Clara guard recently scored a personal-high 29 points in a loss at Pacific and 20 points in another loss at St. Mary’s.

Meanwhile, the St. Mary’s Gaels (22-5, 11-1 WCC) have dropped two spots to No. 17 in the AP poll after losing in overtime to Loyola Marymount, snapping their 12-game win streak. Despite the loss, senior guard Logan Johnson led the team to victory against Portland with a combined 65 points in both games.

Stanford will look to continue their winning streak when they host No. 25 USC on Friday, February 18th. The Cardinal will face off against Utah (22-2, 12-2) on February 25th in what is expected to be a fiercely competitive game.

The latest poll has caused a significant shakeup in the top 25 rankings, with Alabama rising to the No. 1 spot for the first time in 20 years. This move was due in part to Purdue’s loss to Northwestern last week, which created a domino effect at the top of the AP Top 25.

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The Big Ten Conference is leading the way in women’s college basketball with five of its teams securing top 16 seeds in the NCAA seeding reveal. The Indiana Hoosiers, who are 23-1 and the projected No. 2 overall seed, headline the Big Ten representation, which also includes the No. 7 Iowa Hawkeyes, No. 9 Maryland Terrapins, No. 11 Michigan Wolverines, and No. 16 Ohio State Buckeyes.

In Thursday’s reveal, which takes into account results through Wednesday, the defending national champion South Carolina Gamecocks have named the No. 1 seed with an undefeated record of 24-0. Meanwhile, the ACC also boasts four teams in the top 16, including the No. 8 Duke Blue Devils, who lead the conference with a 21-3 record and an 11-2 record in the ACC. The Big East, SEC, and Pac-12 each have two teams in the top 16, while the Big 12 has only one representative, the Texas Longhorns.

The No. 4 overall seed is the UConn Huskies, while the Stanford Cardinal are No. 3. The NCAA women’s tournament selection show is on March 12, and the women’s Final Four will be held at the American Airlines Center in Dallas from March 31 to April 2.

The top 16 seeds in order are South Carolina, Indiana, Stanford, UConn, LSU, Utah, Iowa, Duke, Maryland, Notre Dame, Michigan, Texas, Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Villanova, and Ohio State. The regional assignments will be divided between Greenville and Seattle, with the first and second-round games to be played from March 17-20 at host sites, and the semifinals taking place on March 24-25.

With five teams among the top 16, the Big Ten Conference is demonstrating its dominance in women’s basketball, and Indiana’s 11-game winning streak, including 7 victories against ranked foes, is a testament to the conference’s strength. The NCAA women’s basketball tournament is shaping up to be an exciting showcase of the best teams and players in the country, and fans can look forward to an intense battle for the championship title.

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The USC Trojans women’s basketball team has been making headlines in the college basketball world, with a winning record of 16-5 and a strong chance of securing a bid to the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Despite being part of a competitive conference, the Pac-12 is poised to send a remarkable two-thirds of its 12 teams to the tournament, with eight now looking likely to make the cut.

Washington State has been making significant improvements to its tournament chances, with the return of star player Charlisse Leger-Walker, who missed the USC and UCLA games due to a private family matter. The Cougars’ bubble resume was strengthened with key wins against Arizona State and No. 19 Arizona, with Leger-Walker delivering a standout performance in the latter game. This news highlights the strength and competitiveness of women’s basketball in the Pac-12, with the conference delivering the goods while football and men’s basketball may struggle.

The race for second place in the conference has heated up, as Colorado absorbed its third conference loss, putting them one game behind Utah. Currently, Stanford leads the conference at 9-1, followed by Utah at 8-2, and Colorado at 7-3. UCLA and Arizona are further removed from the top tier, making this a two-team race between Utah and Stanford, with Colorado having zero margins for error and tough games ahead. The Buffs have a challenging schedule ahead, with games at Oregon, Arizona, and against Stanford, which will test their abilities and determine their fate in the race for second place.

The weekend in Pac-12 women’s basketball provided exciting updates and strong performances, separating the top teams from the rest and increasing the likelihood of the conference’s representation in the NCAA Tournament. The USC Trojans’ impressive record and Washington State’s return to form demonstrate the competitiveness and talent of the conference, making it one to watch in the upcoming weeks.

Women’s basketball in the Pac-12 has been delivering the goods for some time, with the conference now poised to send a remarkable eight teams to the NCAA Tournament. This is a huge achievement, demonstrating the strength and competitiveness of the conference and the talent of the teams and players involved. Stay tuned for more updates on the race to the top, as the Pac-12 women’s basketball season continues to deliver exciting surprises and strong performances.

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