Coming off its first SEC Tournament championship in history, the Texas women’s basketball team earned its third consecutive top seed with its third consecutive 30-win season.
The Longhorns are No. 1 in the Fort Worth Region 3 of the 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball tournament. It’s the second time Texas has secured three consecutive No. 1 seeds in March Madness.
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Either Missouri State or Stephen F. Austin will face Texas in the first round at the Moody Center, where the Longhorns are 18-0 this season and have 42 consecutive victories.
The other teams playing host to first- and second-round games in Region 3: No. 2 Michigan, No. 3 Louisville, No. 4 West Virginia.
NCAA Basketball: NCAA Tournament-Second Round-Baylor vs Gonzaga
Selection Sunday sets the March Madness bracket in stone, so here’s everything you need to know about the seeding and format for the 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament.
Breaking down Region 3:
No. 1 seed: Texas
The Longhorns rely primarily on defense, holding opponents to under 60 points per game on average. Meanwhile, they average 85 points per game with star forward Madison Booker, and veteran point guard Rori Harmon.
Trysta’s Takes
(Editor’s note — NBA and WNBA analyst Trysta Krick offers her take on the region below. Follow Trysta on social media: @Trysta_Krick)
“Texas will have to face a tough test along the way. Kentucky is a team nobody wants to see in the tournament, and the reason is a 6-foot-5 junior center named Clara Strack. She’s averaging 17.1 points and 10.0 rebounds per game this season, and she’s been on an absolute tear lately. She has put up 30-plus points in her last three games, including a historic performance against Georgia in the SEC Tournament where she became the first player this century with 30 points, five 3-pointers and three blocks in a regulation conference tournament game. She is the heartbeat of that Kentucky team and will be a nightmare matchup.”
Region 3, Fort Worth first-round matchups
At Austin, Texas
1. Texas (31-3)
16. Missouri State/SF Austin
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8. Oregon (22-12)
9. Virginia Tech (23-9)
At Morgantown, West Virginia
4. West Virginia (27-6)
13. Miami of Ohio (28-6)
5. Kentucky (23-10)
12, James Madison (26-8)
At Louisville, Kentucky
3. Louisville (27-7)
14. Vermont (27-7)
6. Alabama (23-10)
11. Rhode Island (28-4)
At Ann Arbor, Michigan
7. North Carolina State (20-10)
10. Tennessee (16-13)
2. Michigan (25-6)
15. Holy Cross (23-9)
