Women's Bracketology: Predicting the 2025 NCAA Tournament field ahead conference basketball tournaments

March is here and the women’s college basketball season has come to an end. That means it’s the perfect time to update the bracketology for the Women’s NCAA Tournament.

ESPN has updated its bracketology for the Women’s NCAA Tournament, predicting the entire field for 2025. That comes ahead of conference basketball tournaments, which tend to have a massive impact on the field, given that many conferences are only going to get one bid from whoever it is that wins their conference. In other cases, a Cinderella may steal a bid from someone else.

For the time being, however, here’s how ESPN’s bracketology breaks down for the 2025 Women’s NCAA Tournament.

ESPN Bracketology: On the Bubble

Last Four Byes: Oregon, Indiana, Nebraska, Iowa State
Last Four In: Washington, Minnesota, Princeton, Harvard
First Four Out: Virginia Tech, Arizona, Marquette, Saint Joseph’s
Next Four Out: George Mason, Stanford, Murray State, Seton Hall,

There are currently nine teams on the bubble from the power conferences. The Big Ten, in particular, is heavily represented on the bubble, with five teams sitting between the Last Four Byes and the Last Four In. The Big 12 and the ACC also have two schools sitting on the bubble.

Behind those teams, there are seven teams sitting on the bubble from outside the power conferences. Uniquely, that includes two Ivy League schools, two Big East schools, and two A-10 schools. Murray State out of the Missouri Valley rounds out the bubble, sitting among the Next Four Out.

Region 1 – Birmingham

The Texas Longhorns may have lost the one-seed for the SEC Tournament on a coin toss, but the current bracketology from ESPN has them listed as the number one overall seed in the Women’s NCAA Tournament. That matches their spot atop the current AP Top 25 Poll. Now ahead of the SEC Tournament, the Longhorns will look to solidify their place in the Women’s NCAA Tournament.

Throughout this region, there is some interesting movement to keep tracking. There are some risers in Creighton, Oklahoma, and Ole Miss all improving their stock. Washington and Southern both dropped, though, which is particularly difficult for the Huskies who are one of the Last Four In ahead of the Big Ten Tournament.

1. Texas vs. 16. Southern/NC A&T
8. Creighton vs. 9. Georgia Tech
5. Ohio State vs. 12. Fairfield
4. Ole Miss vs. 13. FGCU

6. Florida State vs. 11. Washington/Princeton
3. Oklahoma vs. 14. Montana State
7. Utah vs. 10. Indiana
2. NC State vs. 15. Lehigh

Region 2 – Spokane

The surging USC Trojans are the one-seed in the second region. They’re coming off two wins over UCLA in the past couple of weeks, which helped boost them to a regular season championship in the Big Ten. Now, they’re in position to make the Women’s NCAA Tournament as a one-seed. That would match them up against Hawaii.

Elsewhere in the region, Tennessee and North Carolina are both seeing their stock drop in bracketology. That’s not a surprise for either of them. Both teams have been excellent this season but struggled in their final couple of games. Now, if they can make deep runs in their respective conference tournaments, they could climb back to a higher seed again.

1. USC vs. 16. Hawaii
8. Vanderbilt vs. 9. South Dakota State
5. Tennessee vs. 12. James Madison
4. North Carolina vs. 13. Ball State

6. Michigan State vs. 11. UNLV
3. TCU vs. 14. Gonzaga
7. Louisville vs. 10. Nebraska
2. LSU vs. 15. Southeastern Louisiana

Region 3 – Spokane

The UCLA Bruins are the second Big Ten team in line for a one-seed, according to ESPN’s bracketology. This comes in a season where they only lost twice, with both of those losses coming against rival USC and the other one-seed from the Big Ten. That cost the Bruins the conference in the regular season, but now they’re hoping to make noise in the postseason to be remembered for.

In the current bracketology, Mississippi State and Iowa State are on an upwards trajectory. That’s after they both finished the regular season on positive notes. They’ll hope to build on that during their conference tournaments. Minnesota, however, is on a downward trajectory, which is dangerous for a team on the Last Four In line.

1. UCLA vs. 16. Fairleigh Dickinson
8. California vs. 9. Mississippi State
5. Baylor vs. 12. Middle Tennessee State
4. Alabama vs. 13. Missouri State

6. West Virginia vs. 11. Minnesota/Harvard
3. Kentucky vs. 14. Green Bay
7. Michigan vs. 10. Iowa State
2. Notre Dame vs. 15. Tennessee Tech

Region 4 – Birmingham

Rounding out the one seeds is a second SEC school, the South Carolina Gamecocks. They finished the regular season 27-3 and 15-1 in conference play. That was tied with Texas for first and regular season champions. They’d go on to win a coin toss and get the first seed in the SEC Tournament. There, they’ll hope to solidify this slot in the Women’s NCAA Tournament.

Interestingly, the bracketology from ESPN hasn’t been changed too much in this bracket. Nobody is necessarily considered a riser or a faller right now, even if some teams may have been reshuffled a bit and coming from other brackets. Regardless, with UConn, Duke, and Kansas State waiting, there is a great depth of talent here.

1. South Carolina vs. 16. UNCG/High Point
8. Illinois vs. 9. Richmond
5. Maryland vs. 12. Grand Canyon
4. Kansas State vs. 13. UTSA

6. Iowa vs. 11. Columbia
3. Duke vs. 14. Norfolk State
7. Oklahoma State vs. 10. Oregon
2. UConn vs. 15. Albany