From historic upsets to heartbreaking buzzer-beaters, could we have asked for more drama in this year’s March Madness? Sunday’s Elite Eight matchups are primed to be a spectacle you just can’t miss.
After four consecutive seasons ended in the Sweet 16 for Notre Dame, Niele Ivey’s squad finally advanced behind a 67-64 win over No. 2 Vanderbilt. Hannah Hidalgo became the second player to produce a 30-point triple-double in NCAA Tournament history, joining a former college player you may have heard of named Caitlin Clark. Now taking on the undefeated Huskies, we’ll soon find out which will give first: an unstoppable force in Hidalgo or an immovable object in UConn.
Advertisement
In California, Duke will face No. 1 UCLA after being 2.6 seconds and a wrong roll away from going home. Nonetheless, Kara Lawson’s Blue Devils hope to prove their mettle against a team that blew them out by 30 points earlier this season. Here’s how to tune in to the action.
All times ET.
Women’s March Madness Elite Eight schedule, Day 1
Date: Sunday, March 29
Watching in person? Get tickets on StubHub.
|
Game |
Time (ET) |
TV |
Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
UConn vs. Notre Dame |
1 p.m. |
ABC |
Fubo (Watch Now) |
|
UCLA vs. Duke |
3 p.m. |
ABC |
Fubo (Watch Now) |
ABC is free over the air. ESPN programs are also available with an ESPN Unlimited subscription.
No. 1 UConn vs. No. 6 Notre Dame
Fort Worth 1 Region
The Huskies have been unrelenting in their pursuit of back-to-back national championships, even after a slow start to their Sweet 16 bout against the Tar Heels. UConn then outscored UNC 20-5 in the third quarter and ended up winning by 21 points.
Advertisement
Buoyed by two of the nation’s best players, first-team All-Americans Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd, the Huskies are able to space the floor like no other. The perimeter is always an option with Fudd’s marksmanship, but you can’t overcompensate and forget about the interior, where Strong can put a shoulder down and drive effortlessly.
The Fighting Irish are trying to reach their first Final Four since 2019. If they were to pull it off, it would have to come from another superhuman-like performance from Hidalgo, both offensively and defensively. Hidalgo has a whopping 26 steals already this tournament. In the last round, she became the first player ever to record 30 points and 10 steals in a March Madness game.
On Sunday, if some of those steals come against Fudd or Strong and rattle the duo early on, the Fighting Irish could find themselves on the precipice of yet another upset. But it’s an uphill climb against the 37-0 Huskies. Notre Dame lost 85-47 when these teams met earlier this year in Storrs.
No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 3 Duke
Sacramento 2 Region
This is a really tough matchup for the Blue Devils. While Lauren Betts and Kiki Rice are rightfully acknowledged for their offensive prowess, their defensive capabilities may prove to be the deciding factor in their second tilt of the season against Duke.
Advertisement
The Blue Devils have the highest turnover percentage out of any team left in the Big Dance (20.7 percent). They now find themselves against one of the nation’s best defenses.
In the Sweet 16, UCLA put together a dominant showing on both sides of the floor, but particularly on defense. The Bruins recorded 11 steals and nine blocks, while holding Minnesota to just 56 points. Notably, the Golden Gophers finished their season with a higher offensive efficiency than the Blue Devils.
Duke’s offensive production did improve after nonconference play, and it has lost just twice since a 3-6 start to the season. Still, the Blue Devils were routed 89-59 by the Bruins in November and were outrebounded by a version of the squad missing 6-foot-7 Betts and her 6-foot-4 sister, Sienna.
Stars Toby Fournier (17 points, 10 rebounds) and Ashlon Jackson (18 points) managed to put up good numbers against UCLA that day, but their teammates will need to step up in the rematch to have any shot at the upset. It’s going to be a tough task for Duke — as it would be for any team — to stand between the Bruins and a program record 35th win this season.
Advertisement
Ticketing and streaming links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process, and do not review stories before publication.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Duke Blue Devils, UCLA Bruins, Connecticut Huskies, Women’s College Basketball, Fubo Partnership, How to Watch
2026 The Athletic Media Company
