The field for the Elite Eight is set and tickets to Phoenix are waiting to be punched.
Before the tournament starts again on Sunday, our experts (Chantel Jennings, Sabreena Merchant, Grace Raynor and Cameron Teague Robinson) broke down each Elite Eight game and predicted the winners.
Advertisement
Will all four No. 1 seeds advance? Or will chaos ensue?
(All times Eastern)
Fort Worth 1
No. 1 UConn vs. No. 6 Notre Dame, 1 p.m. Sunday, ABC
UConn and Notre Dame met in January, when the Huskies ran away with it, 85-47. UConn, the tournament’s top overall seeded team, is riding a 53-game winning streak. Despite a slower offensive start than coach Geno Auriemma would’ve liked in the Sweet 16, no opponent has come within 20 against the Huskies during the postseason. Said Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey: “They can crush you from the beginning, so you have to have confidence for 40 minutes.”
But Notre Dame isn’t the same as it was two months ago, and its confidence has exploded. The Irish have gone 11-2 since senior guard KK Bransford returned to the lineup in February (she wasn’t available in the regular-season against UConn), and the team’s chemistry, after incorporating nine new players this season, has evolved. UConn might be unstoppable, but after coming three assists shy of a quadruple-double in the Sweet 16, Hannah Hidalgo isn’t going to come into this game with any fear. And having already seen UConn this year and understanding how they can command the game from the jump, neither will her Notre Dame teammates.
Advertisement
Predictions
Chantel Jennings: UConn
Sabreena Merchant: UConn
Grace Raynor: UConn
Cameron Teague Robinson: UConn
Sacramento 2
No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 3 Duke, 3 p.m. Sunday, ABC
Duke is riding the high of the most exciting win of Kara Lawson’s career after Friday night’s thriller against LSU, which featured a buzzer-beating 3-pointer for an 87-85 win. But Duke must turn the page quickly.
The good news for the Blue Devils is that they’re playing some of their best, most confident basketball. They have been dominant in the postseason and are peaking at just the right time. The bad news? They’re running into No. 1 seed UCLA.
Advertisement
Things went poorly for Duke the last time these teams met — though it was in November — when UCLA won 89-59. Most concerning for Duke is that the Bruins did so without star center Lauren Betts. Betts will be the most dangerous player on the court Sunday and it will be the job of Duke’s post players to figure out a plan both for her and guard Kiki Rice — offensively and defensively. In addition to finishing with 16 points against Minnesota in the Sweet 16, Betts had five blocks and five rebounds. As for Rice, who had 21 points in the Sweet 16, UCLA coach Cori Close said Rice’s defense has actually been her biggest improvement this season. Close praised the Blue Devils for how they play together and noted that both teams are much different now than they were in the fall. UCLA is looking for its second consecutive Final Four appearance, and the Blue Devils are hoping to punch their ticket for the first time since 2006.
Predictions
Jennings: UCLA
Merchant: UCLA
Advertisement
Raynor: UCLA
Teague Robinson: Duke
Fort Worth 3
No. 1 Texas vs. No. 2 Michigan, 7 p.m. Monday, ESPN
Texas and Michigan have met just once in their programs’ histories, a 69-52 Texas win in the 2018 Gulf Coast Showcase, which sent the Longhorns to the championship of the in-season tournament. There will be more on the line when the teams meet on Monday night. A win for top-seeded Texas will send it to its second straight Final Four, while No. 2 seed Michigan is looking for its first Final Four appearance.
For the Wolverines to beat the Longhorns, who are favored and playing in their home state, they will have to hit 3-point shots. On average, Michigan is making 34 percent of its 3-point attempts. It was slightly below that mark against Louisville, making 30 percent, but with its size disadvantage it will have to find ways to score on the outside.
Advertisement
The matchup between Michigan’s press and Texas’ guards, including senior point guard Rori Harmon, could be the difference. Michigan forced 18 turnovers against Louisville, but Texas is averaging just 11.9 turnovers per game. If Michigan can’t turn Texas over, it may have a hard time stopping the Longhorns, who average 85.4 points per game.
Predictions
Jennings: Michigan
Merchant: Texas
Raynor: Texas
Teague Robinson: Texas
Sacramento 4
No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 3 TCU, 9 p.m. Monday, ESPN
The Gamecocks are back in the Elite Eight for the sixth consecutive season (all of the previous appearances have led to Final Fours) while the Horned Frogs are here for the second straight time, the furthest they’ve ever advanced in the NCAA Tournament. South Carolina is the prohibitive favorite as the veteran of this stage. Even if a couple of transfers — Ta’Niya Latson and Madina Okot — have not played this deep into March, there is so much experience on this roster and on the coaching staff.
Advertisement
As Oklahoma coach Jennie Baranczyk said when preparing to face the Gamecocks in the Sweet 16, “You don’t get just this year’s team. You get the history of South Carolina.”
This year’s Gamecocks are also outstanding in their own right. South Carolina is fourth in the country in offensive rating, per CBB Analytics, and third in defensive rating. They are great collectively — five players (all five starters) average double-digit scoring and six average at least one steal per game — and individually, with Raven Johnson, Joyce Edwards and Okot ranking in the 99th percentile of assists, points and rebounds, respectively.
TCU also has an excellent offense (15th nationally) and defense (sixth) and has the length to take opposing teams out of rhythm. The Horned Frogs’ defense was their undoing last season against South Carolina, but it is significantly improved in 2025-26 thanks to their overall size. They also have a pick-and-roll maestro in Olivia Miles, who tests defenses with her reads out of ball screens; those windows will be tighter against the Gamecocks, but South Carolina also hasn’t seen a point guard with her distinct flair.
These two programs couldn’t be more different in terms of their historical success, but the presence of so many veterans should make for an interesting clash, assuming South Carolina doesn’t turn this into a laugher early like it did against the Sooners.
Advertisement
Predictions
Jennings: South Carolina
Merchant: South Carolina
Raynor: South Carolina
Teague Robinson: South Carolina
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
Women’s College Basketball
2026 The Athletic Media Company
