With only 18 days remaining before Selection Sunday, the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee tabbed South Carolina, Ohio State, Stanford and UCLA as the No. 1 seeds in the latest top-16 reveal.
If the season ended today, Virginia Tech, Texas, Iowa and Southern California would be the No. 2 seeds. The nine through 16 seeds feature LSU, UConn, NC State and Oregon State on the three line, while Colorado, Indiana, Gonzaga and Oklahoma were tabbed as No. 4 seeds. Both Gonzaga and Oklahoma moved into the top-16 after being just outside of the ranking in the first reveal on Feb. 15.
The committee also provided region assignments for all 16 seeds, with Albany Regional 1 including top-seed South Carolina, Iowa, Oregon State and Oklahoma. Albany Regional 2 included Ohio State, Southern California, LSU and Colorado. Portland Regional 3 included Stanford, Texas, NC State and Indiana. Portland Regional 4 includes UCLA, Virginia Tech, UConn and Gonzaga. 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.
“Since the last reveal on Feb. 15, we had quite a bit of movement over the last two weeks,” said Lisa Peterson, senior associate commissioner of the Pac-12 Conference and chair of the Division I Women’s Basketball Committee. “This last 18-day stretch of the season will provide greater clarity as we work toward Selection Sunday. There are a number of key matchups as the regular season closes out and conference tournament champions are crowned.”
Currently the No. 1 team in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll and the only undefeated team in the country, South Carolina is currently 27-0 overall and 14-0 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. South Carolina would be the top seed in the Albany Regional based on the latest reveal.
Ohio State, 25-3 overall and 16-1 in Big Ten Conference play, was the No. 2 overall seed. The Buckeyes are riding a 15-game winning streak and are undefeated in the 2024 portion of the schedule, with its last loss coming Dec. 30 against Michigan.
Stanford, 24-4 overall and 13-3 in Pac-12 play, was the No. 3 overall seed. Winners of eight of the last 10 games, the Cardinal are currently on top of a conference that features five teams in this reveal.
UCLA, the No. 4 overall seed, is currently 22-5 overall and 11-5 in the Pac-12. The Bruins are riding a three-game winning streak and have won seven of the last 10 games. UCLA’s top win this season came over UConn, 78-67 on Nov. 24.
Thursday’s top-16 reveal was the second of two that will be provided by the committee during the 2023-24 regular season. 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 March 29 and two March 30. In addition, each site will host a regional championship game March 31 and one on April 1. The 2024 NCAA Women’s Final Four will be played April 5 and 7 at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland.
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NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee | Feb. 29 – Top 16 Ranking*
1. South Carolina
2. Ohio State
3. Stanford
4. UCLA
5. Virginia Tech
6. Texas
7. Iowa
8. Southern California
9. LSU
10. UConn
11. NC State
12. Oregon State
13. Colorado
14. Indiana
15. Gonzaga
16. Oklahoma
REGIONAL ASSIGNMENTS
Albany Regional 1:
1. South Carolina
2. Iowa
3. Oregon State
4. Oklahoma
Albany Regional 2:
1. Ohio State
2. Southern California
3. LSU
4. Colorado
Portland Regional 3:
1. Stanford
2. Texas
3. NC State
4. Indiana
Portland Regional 4:
*Rankings and regional assignments based on games played through Wednesday, February 28.
