The 2025 women’s NCAA Tournament field is set with plenty of exciting matchups spread across the bracket.
Top-seeded UCLA can build on its recent Big Ten tournament title and win its first national championship in school history, but fellow No. 1 seeds South Carolina, Texas and USC highlight a list of other contenders aiming to claim the sport’s most prestigious trophy. Before the First Four tips off on Wednesday night, The Athletic’s women’s basketball experts are here to make their picks and predictions.
Take a second to download our printable bracket to follow along.
Best first-round matchup
Pickman: No. 5 Kansas State vs. No. 12 Fairfield
Like offense? Then keep a close eye on this 5-12 matchup in the Spokane 4 Region. The Wildcats score 113.4 points per 100 possessions, the sixth-best mark in the NCAA. Fairfield, meanwhile, is 10th in NET rating. The Stags are fourth nationally in 2-point field percentage and shoot tons of 3-pointers. Fairfield has emerged as a power in the midmajor conferences, but it is hungry for its first NCAA Tournament victory in school history.
Merchant: No. 8 Richmond vs. No. 9 Georgia Tech
Another offensive dream. Both of these teams rank in the top 20 nationally in offensive rating but do so in dramatically different ways. Richmond relies on…
