Six Pac-12 Women’s Basketball Teams Headed to NCAA Tournament

NCAA Interactive Bracket | NCAA PDF Bracket

SAN FRANCISCO - Six Pac-12 teams earned bids to the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Selection Committee announced today with the release of the 64-team field. It marks the fifth-consecutive year the Pac-12 has been awarded at least five bids. OREGON, UCLA and STANFORD earned a top-16 seed, earning them the right to host in the first and second rounds. The WNIT also announced its 64-team bracket, giving the Pac-12 a total of seven postseason teams.

The six selections is just one less than the league record which was set last season after seven teams earned NCAA Tournament bids in 2017. Pac-12 teams have seen success in the postseason in recent years, going a combined 12-0 in the first round the last two years; placing five teams in the NCAA Sweet 16 last year and nine over the last two years; and at least one Final Four team in nine of the last 10 years, including a league-record two in 2016. In addition to the six NCAA Tournament bids, UTAH (17-13) was selected to participate in the WNIT. The official WNIT bracket will be announced later tonight on twitter @WomensNIT.

Leading the way in the 2018 postseason is sixth-ranked OREGON (30-4), the Pac-12 regular-season and tournament champion earned a No. 2 seed in the Spokane Regional. Pac-12 Tournament champions for the first time in program history, the seeding is the highest-ever for the Ducks and is the first time they host since 2000. UO hosts 15th-seeded Seattle (18-14) in the first round and also host No. 7-seed Green Bay (29-3) vs. 10th-seeded Minnesota (23-8) on Friday, the winners moving on to the second round on Sunday in Eugene. The Ducks advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight for the first time in program history last year after making a return to the postseason event for the first time in 12 years.

Ninth-ranked UCLA (24-7) is the No. 3 seed in the Kansas City Regional. The Bruins earn a top-16 seed and host the first- and second-rounds for the third-consecutive year. It is also the fifth time in eight years UCLA has received a top-five seeding. Looking to make a third-straight Sweet 16 appearance, the Bruins face 14th-seeded American (26-6), the Patriot League Champion, in the first round at Pauley Pavilion on Saturday and host the first-round matchup between sixth-seeded Iowa (24-7) vs 11th-seeded Creighton (18-12). The second round will be played on Monday night.

No. 15 STANFORD (22-10) is making its 31st-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and 32nd all-time. The No. 4-seed in the Lexington Regional, the Cardinal finished second in the Pac-12 race, also advancing to the Pac-12 Tournament championship game. The Cardinal found itself for the first time this season among the top-16 seeds in the NCAA’s third and final reveal in late February. It will host the first and second rounds at Maples Pavilion on Saturday to open postseason play against 13th-seeded Gonzaga (27-5), while also hosting No. 5-seed Missouri (24-7) vs. No. 12-seed FCGU (30-4). The Cardinal advanced to the NCAA Final Four last year.

Playing in the Lexington Regional, OREGON STATE (23-4) is in the NCAA Tournament for the fifth-consecutive year, besting the program’s postseason streak of four-straight WNIT appearances from 2001-04. Making its 10th overall NCAA Tournament appearance, the 13th-ranked Beavs travel to Knoxville, Tenn., as the No. 6 seed to face 11th-seeded Western Kentucky (24-8) in the first round on Friday. Also playing in Knoxville are third-seeded Tennessee (24-7) and 14th-seeded Liberty (24-9).

ARIZONA STATE (21-12) is making its fifth-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance after earning the No. 7 seed in the Kansas City Regional. The Sun Devils secured their NCAA Tournament bid after advancing to the semifinal of the Pac-12 Tournament. ASU faces No. 10-seeded Nebraska (21-10) on Saturday in Austin, Texas. The other game features host and second-seeded Texas (26-6) versus No. 15 Maine (23-9), with the second-round clash scheduled for Monday. ASU has advanced to the NCAA Tournament 16 times in the history of the program.

CALIFORNIA (21-10) makes its second-straight NCAA Tournament appearance and 13th all-time showing in the NCAA Tournament. It is the sixth time in seven years the Golden Bears advance to the Big Dance. The seventh seed in the Albany Regional, Cal travels to face 10th-seeded Virginia (18-13) in the first round on Friday, with a potential second-round matchup between host No. 2-seed South Carolina (26-6) or No. 15-seed North Carolina A&T (23-8).

The Pac-12 has had at least two teams in the NCAA Tournament every year of the event, dating back to 1982. This year’s NCAA Women’s Final Four will be held at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, March 30 and April 1. Every round of the NCAA Tournament will be televised on the ESPN Network. For more information on the tournament, visit ncaa.com. For ticket information and game times, visit the NCAA’s website or a participating team’s website.

The Utes will be playing in the postseason for the third-straight year, advancing to the third round in 2016 and falling in the first round in 2017.

ALBANY REGIONAL
Friday, March 16 • First Round (Columbia, S.C.)
#7 CALIFORNIA (21-10) vs. #10 VIRGNIA (18-13), 2 p.m. PT/5 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
#2 South Carolina (26-6) vs. #15 NC A&T (23-8), 4:30 p.m. PT/7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2)

Sunday, March 18 • Second Round (Columbia, S.C.)
First round game winners, TBA

SPOKANE REGIONAL
Friday, March 16 • First Round (Eugene, Ore.)
#7 Green Bay (29-3) vs. #10 Minnesota (23-8), 2 p.m. PT/5 p.m PT (ESPN2)
#2 OREGON (30-4) vs. #15 Seattle (18-14), 4:30 p.m. PT/7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2)

Sunday, March 18 • Second Round (Eugene, Ore.)
First round game winners, TBA

KANSAS CITY REGIONAL
Saturday, March 17 • First Round (Austin, Texas)
#7 ARIZONA STATE (21-12) vs. #10 Nebraska (21-10), 12:30 p.m. PT/3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
#2 Texas (26-6) vs. #15 Maine (23-9), 3 p.m. PT/6 p.m. PT (ESPN2)

Monday, March 19 • Second Round (Austin, Texas)
First round game winners, TBA

Saturday, March 17 • First Round (Los Angeles)
#3 UCLA (24-7) vs. #14 American (26-6), 12:30 p.m. PT/3:30 p.m. PT (ESPN2)
#6 Iowa (24-7) vs. #11 Creighton (18-12), 3 p.m. PT/6 p.m. ET (ESPN2)

Monday, March 19 • Second Round (Los Angeles)
First round game winners, TBA

LEXINGTON REGIONAL
Saturday, March 17 • First Round (Stanford, Calif.)
#5 Missouri (24-7) vs. #12 FGCU (30-4), 12:30 p.m. PT/3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
#4 STANFORD (22-10) vs. #13 Gonzaga (27-5), 3 p.m. PT/6 p.m. ET (ESPN2)

Monday, March 19 • Second Round (Stanford, Calif.)
First round game winners, TBA

Friday, March 16 • First Round (Knoxville, Tenn.)
#6 OREGON STATE (23-7) vs.  #11 Western Kentucky (24-8), 9 a.m. PT/12 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
#3 Tennessee (24-7) vs. #14 Liberty (24-9), 11:30 a.m. PT/2:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2)

Sunday, March 18 • Second Round (Knoxville, Tenn.)
First round game winners, TBA