The 2025 women’s NCAA tournament officially kicked off Wednesday with the first pair of First Four games, with Iowa State and Southern punching their tickets to March Madness. Columbia and William & Mary followed suit.
Columbia (23-6) completed a double-digit comeback to defeat Washington (19-13) 63-60 in a matchup of No. 11 seeds in the First Four Thursday at Carmichael Arena in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. It was the Lions’ first victory in the NCAA Tournament in program history, and Columbia now advances to the first round to face No. 6 West Virginia.
The last First Four matchup saw No. 16 William & Mary (15-18) hold off No. 16 High Point (21-11) to win 69-63 at Moody Center in Austin, Texas. The Tribe alse earned their first ever NCAA Tournament win and will face No. 1 seed Texas next.
Final: William & Mary 69, High Point 63
William & Mary’s Cinderella story continues. The Tribe defeated High Point 69-63 in the First Four on Thursday to secure its first NCAA Tournament win. William & Mary will advance to face No. 1 Texas in the first round.
Bella Nascimento led the way with 24 points and five rebounds. Natalie Fox added a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. The Tribe collectively had 15 steals in the contest and turned 16 High Point turnovers into 18 points. William & Mary also outrebounded High Point 45-31.
End of 3Q: William & Mary 47, High Point 46
High Point trailed by as many as nine points in the first half, but are within one point of William & Mary heading into the fourth quarter. The Panthers went on an 11-4 run in the third quarter to briefly take the lead. The Panthers’ run was fueled by their defense. William & Mary has coughed up the ball 12 times, leading to 11 points for High Point. The Panthers have 11 steals, surpassing their average of 9.7 steals per game.
Bella Nascimento leads the Tribe with 20 points and five rebounds, while Aaliyah Collins has 16 points and four steals for the Panthers.
Halftime: William & Mary 34, High Point 28
The William & Mary women’s basketball team may be making its NCAA Tournament debut, but the Tribe is not letting any nerves show. William & Mary stormed to a 34-28 halftime lead over High Point, thanks in part to Bella Nascimento, who is up to a game-high 11 points and four rebounds through two quarters. The Tribe is shooting 41.4% from the field and 6-of-9 from three. Monet Dance is a perfect 3-of-3 from beyond the arc.
High Point, on the other hand, is one-of-nine from three, but shooting 41.9% from the field. Despite struggling from the 3-point line, the Panthers have an advantage in the paint and are outscoring the Tribe 22-8. High Point has scored seven points off eight turnovers from William & Mary. Aaliyah Collins leads the Panthers with 10 points and three steals.
William & Mary makes first NCAA Tournament appearance
William & Mary never had a basketball team — men’s or women’s — compete in the NCAA Tournament until 2025, and the school has senior guard Bella Nascimento to thank.
After losing eight of their last nine regular-season games and struggling in conference play, Nascimento made a bus-ride speech to her teammates, asking them, ‘Is this who we are?!’
Eight days later, No. 9 seed William & Mary, a team with a losing record (15-18, 8-10), was crowned the unlikely CAA champion. Now, they’re making school history, taking on High Point in the First Four of March Madness.
Read the full story from Jenna Ortiz.
End of 1Q: William & Mary 17, High Point 15
The Panthers and Tribe exchanged blows in the first quarter, but William & Mary temporarily landed on top with a 17-15 lead after the first quarter.
The Tribe is shooting an impressive 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. Bella Nascimento leads William & Mary with seven points.
Aaliyah Collins has 10 points for the Panthers. High Point is dominating the paint, outscoring the Tribe 12-4, but the Panthers are 0-of-5 from three.
Final: Columbia 63, Washington 60
The Columbia Lions have a date to dance against No. 6 West Virginia in the first round of the 2025 women’s NCAA Tournament after defeating Washington 63-60 in the First Four on Thursday.
Washington led by 13 points at halftime, but Columbia outscored the Huskies 42-26 in the second half to secure the Lions’ first March Madness win in program history.
Riley Weiss led the charge with a game-high 24 points, with 19 of those points coming in the second half. Cecelia Collins added 12 points, while Kitty Henderson had 11 points, seven rebounds and four steals.
The game game down to the final seconds. Columbia had a four-point lead with 18 seconds remaining, when Washington’s Elle Ladine knocked down a three to come within one point of Columbia, 60-61. Weiss was fouled and hit both free throws to put Columbia up 63-60 with 12 seconds remaining. The score would hold for the win.
Columbia has first lead over Washington
Columbia’s Riley Weiss is heating up. Weiss knocked down a 3-pointer to give Columbia its first lead of the game, 47-45 with 7:29 remaining. Washington’s Sayvia Sellers responded with a layup to tie it up, but then Weiss knocked down another big shot. She hit her fifth three of the night to take a 50-47 lead with 7:04 remaining in the game. Weiss has a team-high 20 points, shooting 7-of-17 from the field and 5-of-11 from three. She’s scored 15 points in the second half so far.
End of 3Q: Washington 45, Columbia 40
We have a new ball game. Columbia looked completely disjointed in the first half, scoring only 21 points. However, the Lions came out with renewed energy in the third quarter and scored 19 points, nearly surpassing their first half total. Columbia’s Kitty Henderson, the Ivy League’s Defensive Player of the Year, showed off her defensive prowess and came up with back-to-back steals to bring the Lions within one possession of Washington, 43-40, with one minute remaining. She’s up to 11 points. Washington’s Sayvia Sellers ended Columbia’s 6-0 run with a layup, simultaneously ending the Huskies’ three-minute scoring drought. Washington has a 45-40 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Columbia cuts into Washington’s lead
Columbia went on a 11-4 run in the third quarter and cut Washington’s double-digit lead to six points with 5:43 remaining in the quarter following Kitty Henderson’s layup. Washington answered back with a shot from Dalayah Daniels to go back up by eight points, 42-34. Daniels is up to 17 points and 10 rebounds and is now drawing a double team from Columbia.
Halftime: Washington 34, Columbia 21
Washington heads to the locker room with a 13-point lead over Columbia, tying its largest lead of the game. The Huskies have been able to get whatever they want so far and have a size advantage over the Lions. Washington has outscored Columbia 30-12 in the paint, with the main beneficiary being Huskies forward Dalayah Daniels, who already has a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds in the first half. Sayvia Sellers has a team-high 12 points, while Elle Ladine has eight points.
The Lions finally knocked down a 3-pointer in the second quarter. After going 0-of-9 from beyond the arc, Columbia’s Riley Weiss hit the first three of the game for the Lions with 7:00 remaining in the first half. Although shots are starting to fall for the Lions, they are still 2-of-15 from three and shooting 30% (9-of-30) from the field. Weiss leads Columbia with five points.
End of Q1: Washington 21, Columbia 10
The Huskies closed the first quarter on a 13-4 run to take a 21-10 lead over the Lions into the second quarter. Everything appeared to go right for Washington, which shot 62.5% from the field (10-of-16). Starters Dalayah Daniels, Sayvia Sellers and Elle Ladine each have six points. Meanwhile, Columbia is still looking to settle into the First Four matchup. The Lions are only shooting 33.3% (5-of-15) from the field and are 0-of-9 from three. They were held scoreless for over four minutes in the quarter and trailed by as many as 13 points.
Washington jumps to 14-6 lead over Columbia
The Washington Huskies went on a 6-0 run to take a 14-6 lead over the Columbia Lions with 4:20 remaining in the first quarter. The Huskies are shooting an impressive 87.5% from the field (7-of-8) to open the game and are outscoring the Lions 14-4 in the paint. Washington’s Elle Ladine leads the team with six points. Meanwhile, Columbia is struggling to find any kind of offensive rhythm. The Lions are shooting 30% from the field and have yet to knock down a three, going 0-of-7 from the 3-point line. Columbia’s Cecelia Collins has four points.
What time are the Women’s March Madness First Four games today?
March Madness continues with a second night of women’s First Four action. No. 11 Washington takes on No. 11 Columbia at 7 p.m. ET, followed by No. 16 William & Mary vs. No. 16 High Point. The second game has an approximate start time of 9 p.m. ET.
How to watch First Four Thursday: TV, streaming coverage
TV channels: ESPN2
Live stream: Fubo, which offers a free trial subscription for new users.
Watch Women’s March Madness and First Four with Fubo
Women’s March Madness First Four odds
March Madness First Four odds, according to BetMGM.
Odds as of Wednesday, March 19
Washington vs. Columbia
Spread: Washington (-3.5)
Moneyline: Washington (-160); Columbia (+135)
Total: 137.5
William and Mary vs. High Point
Spread: High Point (-5.5)
Moneyline: High Point (-235); Texas (+195)
Total: 126.5
Washington vs. Columbia predictions
Sportskeeda: Huskies to win
Alexander O’Reilly cites the Huskies’ experience if facing tougher competition as a reason Washington gets this pivotal win on Thursday.
Bleacher Nation: Columbia 68, Washington 67
The site’s computation cites the following: ‘Columbia is outscoring opponents by 14.8 points per game with a +432 scoring differential overall. It puts up 73.4 points per game (57th in college basketball) and allows 58.6 per contest (57th in college basketball).’
William and Mary vs. High Point prediction
USA TODAY: High Point 65, William & Mary 60
Ehsan Kassim writes, ‘High Point pulls off a close victory but is not enough to cover the spread, as William & Mary sticks around until the end.’
First Four scores: Results from Women’s March Madness games
Wednesday, March 19
First Four games
No. 11 Iowa State def. No. 11 Princeton, 68-63
No 16 Southern University def. UC San Diego, 68-56
Women’s March Madness bracket predictions
Nancy Armour, USA TODAY: Don’t be surprised by upsets
Armour writes: ‘Will all four No. 1s make the Final Four? Highly unlikely.
‘There was a time when you could predict the Final Four before the season began and likely be right. But the caliber of play has improved so much that the women’s tournament is now ripe for the upsets that make the men’s tournament so enjoyable. … Don’t be surprised if Duke and Ohio State blow up some brackets.’
Sabreena Merchant, The Athletic: UConn to win it all
Merchant writes, ‘(Paige) Bueckers and (Sarah) Strong both average fewer than 30 minutes per game. Think about how much better the Huskies could be if they played an additional five or six minutes. UConn already put together an outstanding regular season, punctuated by its 29-point demolition of the Gamecocks in South Carolina. With how tough this season has been in the power conferences, the Huskies have been biding their time. If they can unlock an extra level in the postseason, this is their chance to end the UConn title drought.’
Elizabeth Swinton, Sports Illustrated: All four No. 1 seeds to reach Final Four
As the tournament approaches Swinton believes all four No. 1 seeds − UCLA, South Carolina, Texas and USC − will reach the Final Four. Picking No. 1 seeds to reach the Final Four isn’t a bad strategy at all in the women’s tournament. Across the 42 years of women’s March Madness, there have been 168 No. 1 seeds and 94 of them (56%) have reached the Final Four. While you may not get your entire Final Four correct with this strategy, you are more than likely to have a few correct names.
Nicole Auerbach, NBC Sports: USC wins national championship
Auerbach is going against the grain with her pick. She writes, ‘JuJu [Watkins] has great pieces around her, but ultimately this history-making moment for the Trojans will come down to her. And she’ll be more than ready for it. The Trojans will win their first national championship in four decades.’
Women’s March Madness printable bracket
Click here to print your 2025 NCAA women’s tournament printable bracket
Women’s March Madness schedule
All times Eastern.
Wednesday, March 19 (First Four)
No. 11 Iowa State 68, 11 Princeton 63
No. 16 Southern U. 68, No. 16 UC San Diego 56
Thursday, March 20 (First Four)
No. 11 Columbia vs. No. 11 Washington 7 p.m. | ESPN2
No. 16 UC San Diego vs. No. 16 Southern U., 9 p.m. | ESPNU
Friday, March 21 (First Round/Round of 64)
No. 6 Michigan vs. No. 11 Iowa State, 11:30 a.m. | ESPN2
No. 4 Kentucky vs. No. 13 Liberty, 12 p.m. | ESPN
No. 8 Utah vs. No. 9 Indiana, 1:30 p.m. | ESPN2
No. 3 Notre Dame vs. No. 14 Stephen F. Austin, 2 p.m. | ESPN
No. 5 Kansas State vs. No. 12 Fairfield, 2:30 p.m. | ESPNews
No. 4 Baylor vs. No. 13 Grand Canyon, 3:30 p.m. | ESPNU
No. 2 TCU vs. No. 15 FDU, 3:30 p.m. | ESPN2
No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 16 Tennessee Tech, 4 p.m. | ESPN
No. 7 Vanderbilt vs. No. 10 Oregon, 5:30 p.m. | ESPNews
No. 4 Ohio State vs. No. 13 Montana State, 5:30 p.m. | ESPN2
No. 5 Ole Miss vs. No. 12 Ball State, 6 p.m. | ESPNU
No. 7 Louisville vs. No. 10 Nebraska, 6 p.m. | ESPN
No. 8 Richmond vs. No. 9 Georgia Tech, 7:30 p.m. | ESPNews
No. 2 Duke vs. No. 15 Lehigh, 8 p.m. | ESPNU
No. 5 Tennessee vs. No. 12 South Florida, 8 p.m. | ESPN
No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 16 Southern U., 10 p.m. | ESPN
Saturday, March 22 (First Round/Round of 64)
No. 6 Iowa vs. No. 11 Murray State, 12 p.m.| ESPN
No. 2 UConn vs. No. 15 Arkansas State, 1 p.m. | ABC
No. 5 Alabama vs. No. 12 Green Bay, 1:30 p.m. | ESPN2
No. 2 NC State vs. No. 15 Vermont, 2 p.m. | ESPN
No. 6 West Virginia vs. No. 11 Columbia/Washington, 2 p.m. | ESPNews
No. 3 Oklahoma vs. No. 14 FGCU, 2:30 p.m. | ESPNU
No. 1 Southern California vs. No. 16 UNC Greensboro, 3 p.m. | ABC
No. 7 Oklahoma State vs. No. 10 South Dakota State, 3:30 p.m. | ESPN2
No. 4 Maryland vs. No. 13 Norfolk State, 4 p.m. | ESPN
No. 3 North Carolina vs. No. 14 Oregon State, 4:30 p.m. | ESPNU
No. 7 Michigan State vs. No. 10 Harvard, 4:30 p.m. | ESPNews
No. 8 California vs. No. 9 Mississippi State, 5:30 p.m. | ESPN2
No. 8 Illinois vs. No. 9 Creighton, 7:15 p.m. | ESPNews
No. 6 Florida State vs. No. 11 George Mason, 7:45 p.m. | ESPN2
No. 1 Texas vs. No. 16 High Point/William & Mary, 9:45 p.m. | ESPN2
No. 3 LSU vs. No. 14 San Diego State, 10:15 p.m. | ESPN
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