The NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee tabbed South Carolina, Stanford, Ohio State and Colorado as the No. 1 seeds in the first top-16 early reveal announced on Thursday evening.
If the season ended today, Iowa, NC State, UCLA and Texas would be the No. 2 seeds. The nine through 16 seeds feature Southern California, Virginia Tech, Oregon State and UConn on the three line, while Kansas State, LSU, Indiana and Louisville were tabbed as No. 4 seeds.
The committee provided region assignments for all 16 seeds, with Albany Regional 1 including top-seed South Carolina, UCLA, UConn and Louisville. Portland Regional 2 included Stanford, Texas, Oregon State and Indiana. Albany Regional 3 included Ohio State, NC State, Southern California and LSU. Portland Regional 4 includes Colorado, Iowa, Virginia Tech and Kansas State. The number listed next to the regional site location (e.g. Albany Regional 1) reflects the true seed number of the number one seed within that respective regional pod.
“The only obvious choice in this first reveal was South Carolina as the top overall seed, with the other 15 seeding decisions being a significant challenge,” said Lisa Peterson, senior associate commissioner of the Pac-12 Conference and chair of the Division I Women’s Basketball Committee. “The race is on for teams to provide clarity over the next 32 days before Selection Sunday with a lot of big games upcoming for all of the teams involved.”
Currently, the No. 1 team in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll and the only undefeated team in the country, South Carolina is 23-0 overall and 10-0 in Southeastern Conference play. As the No. 1 overall seed, South Carolina would be guaranteed to play its regional semifinal game on Friday, March 29 if they advance to regional play, and if advancing, play in the regional final played on Sunday, March 31.
Stanford, 22-3 overall and 11-2 in Pac-12 play, was the No. 2 overall seed. Winners of seven of the last eight games, the Cardinal are currently on top of a conference that features five teams in this first top-16 reveal.
Ohio State, 21-3 overall and 13-1 in Big Ten Conference play, was the No. 3 overall seed. The Buckeyes are riding a 13-game winning streak and are undefeated in the 2024 portion of the schedule, with its last loss coming on Dec. 30 against Michigan.
Colorado, the No. 4 overall seed, is currently 20-4 overall and 10-3 in the Pac-12. The Buffaloes’ top win this season came at home over No. 2 seed Stanford, 71-59.
Thursday’s top-16 reveal was the first of two that will be provided by the committee during the 2023-24 regular season. The other will take place on Thursday, February 29 at 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
The top 16 teams announced during both reveals have no bearing on the final 68-team field for the 2024 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship that will be announced during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Selection Show on Sunday, March 17 at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.
The First Four opening-round games of the 2024 championship will take place March 20-21 and will again be conducted on the campuses of four of the teams seeded in the top 16. First- and second-round games will take place March 22-24 on the campuses of the top-16 seeds. Regional play in Albany, N.Y. (MVP Arena) and Portland (Moda Center) will take place March 29-April 1, with each site hosting two regional semifinal games on March 29 and two on March 30. In addition, each site will host a regional championship game on March 31 and one on April 1. The 2024 NCAA Women’s Final Four will be played on April 5 and 7 at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland.
NCAA DI Women's Basketball Committee Top 16 Ranking | Feb. 15
1. South Carolina
2. Stanford
3. Ohio State
4. Colorado
5. Iowa
6. NC State
7. UCLA
8. Texas
9. Southern California
10. Virginia Tech
11. Oregon State
12. UConn
13. Kansas State
14. LSU
15. Indiana
16. Louisville
Regional Assignments
Albany Regional 1:
1. South Carolina
2. UCLA
3. UConn
4. Louisville
Portland Regional 2:
1. Stanford
2. Texas
3. Oregon State
4. Indiana
Albany Regional 3:
1. Ohio State
2. NC State
3. Southern California
4. LSU
Portland Regional 4:
1. Colorado
2. Iowa
3. Virginia Tech
4. Kansas State
*Rankings and regional assignments based on games played through Wednesday, February 14.
