Women’s March Madness Roundup: Top Canadians set to square off

After some big wins on day one of the NCAA women’s basketball championship, Canada is set to be well-represented this weekend.

Mar 22, 2025 - 05:01

Women’s March Madness Roundup: Top Canadians set to square off

After some big wins on day one of the NCAA women’s basketball championship, Canada is set to be well-represented this weekend.

Unfortunately for a group of four, that number will be cut to two for next week, as their wins put them on a collision course with one another.

The day started off strong as No. 6 Michigan and Canadian Olympic team member Syla Swords downed Iowa State in a tight 80-74 matchup.

With the win, the Wolverines booked a Round 2 showdown against No. 3 Notre Dame and fellow Canadian Cassandra Prosper, who demolished No. 14 Stephen F. Austin later on Friday.

In the Birmingham 2 Regional, No. 2 Duke, fresh off an ACC Tourney victory, obliterated No. 15 Lehigh 86-25, with help from Toronto native Toby Fournier.

They now advance to a second-round game against No. 10 Oregon and Calgary native Phillipina Kyei, who won a 77-73 overtime nail-biter over Vanderbilt.

Here’s everything that happened across the bracket on the first day of Women’s March Madness.

SOUTH CAROLINA 108, TENNESSEE TECH 48

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Freshman Joyce Edwards scored 22 points in her first women’s NCAA Tournament game as No. 1 seed South Carolina began its run at a second straight national title with a victory over Tennessee Tech on Friday.

The Gamecocks (31-3) improved to 17-1 in the past four women’s tournaments, winning in 2022 and 2024. The lone defeat came to Caitlin Clark and Iowa in the national semifinals in 2023.

With Edwards, named to the all-Southeastern Conference first-team this season, leading the way, the top seeds of the Birmingham 2 Regional looked poised for another title in a few weeks.

(9) INDIANA 76, (8) UTAH 68

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Yarden Garzon scored 17 points and Shay Ciezki added 16 as No. 9 seed Indiana won its opener for a sixth straight NCAA Tournament with a victory over eighth-seeded Utah.

The Hoosiers (20-12) reached 20 wins for a sixth consecutive season. Their reward is a likely matchup with the Birmingham 2 Regional’s top seed in South Carolina, who will play later Friday against No. 16 seed Tennessee Tech.

Ciezki had 11 of her 16 points in the final two quarters as Indiana used a 15-4 run in the third period to take control. The Utes (22-9) got within 72-68 on Gianna Kneepkens’ 3-pointer with 1:05 left, but could get no closer.

(4) KENTUCKY 79, (13) LIBERTY 78

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Georgia Amoore scored 34 points, including three free throws in the final 10 seconds for fourth-seeded Kentucky, which nearly blew a 17-point fourth-quarter lead but held on for a 79-78 victory over 13th-seeded Liberty in the first round of the women’s NCAA Tournament on Friday.

The second-team All-America guard made 6 of 10 3-pointers and added eight assists, two steals and two blocks. She scored 23 first-half points for the Wildcats (23-7), who led 67-50 in the opening minute of the fourth quarter.

Liberty’s Emma Hess drained a 3-pointer for the final points of the game, but Amoore avoided getting fouled in the final 2 seconds to preserve Kentucky’s first tournament win in four years. The Wildcats will face either Kansas State or Fairfield in the second round on Sunday.

Dazia Lawrence added 16 points for Kentucky, which also got 15 points and 10 rebounds from Clara Strack.

Emmy Stout came off the bench to lead Liberty with 20 points. Hess added 17..

(5) KANSAS ST. 85, (12) FAIRFIELD 41

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Ayoka Lee had 17 points and 10 rebounds in her return to the lineup, and fifth-seeded Kansas State beat Fairfield in the first round of the NCAA women’s tournament.

Lee went 7 for 10 from the field in her first game since she played just four minutes in a 90-60 victory over Kansas on Feb. 22. The 6-foot-6 center has been hampered by foot injuries.

She played 15 minutes against the Stags before departing with 2:15 remaining in the third quarter.

(1) SOUTH CAROLINA 108, (16) TENNESSEE TECH 48

The Gamecocks (31-3) improved to 17-1 in the past four women’s tournaments, winning in 2022 and 2024. The lone defeat came to Caitlin Clark and Iowa in the national semifinals in 2023.

With Edwards, named to the all-Southeastern Conference first-team this season, leading the way, the top seeds of the Birmingham 2 Regional looked poised for another title in a few weeks.

(6) MICHIGAN 80, (11) IOWA ST. 74

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Jordan Hobbs scored 28 points to help No. 6 Michigan hold off 11th-seeded Iowa State to advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

The Wolverines (23-10) will play on Sunday in South Bend, Ind., against the winner of the Notre Dame-Stephen F. Austin game for a shot at the Sweet 16.

Olivia Olson scored 16 points. The Wolverines’ freshman hit only one of her first nine shots, but connected on 4-of-6 shots down the stretch.

(3) NOTRE DAME 106, (14) STEPHEN F. AUSTIN 54

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Olivia Miles departed Notre Dame’s victory over Stephen F. Austin in the NCAA Tournament because of a left knee injury, casting a shadow over the school’s dominant performance in the first round on Friday.

Miles fell to the court under the SFA basket with 8:44 left in the fourth quarter. The senior guard limped off the court and headed to the team’s locker room.

Miles, a first-team All-ACC selection, finished with two points and eight assists. She missed the 2023-2024 season because of a knee injury.

(2) TCU 73, (15) FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON 51

FORT WORTH, Texas — Madison Conner had 23 points with four 3-pointers and Sedona Prince overcame two early fouls to have 16 points and 10 rebounds as second-seeded TCU won over Fairleigh Dickinson on Friday in the Horned Frogs’ first women’s NCAA Tournament game at home.

Hailey Van Lith added 13 points and seven assists for the Big 12 champion Horned Frogs (32-3), who made their first NCAA appearance in 15 years. They have won their last 11 games.

Teneisia Brown had 18 points and Ava Renninger 12 for 15th-seeded FDU (29-4), the Northeast Conference champions who had won 22 games in a row and were in the NCAA Tournament for the first time.

(4) BAYLOR 73, (13) GRAND CANYON 60

WACO, Texas — Aaronette Vonleh had 25 points and 11 rebounds, leading fourth-seeded Baylor to a victory over Grand Canyon in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Jada Walker scored 17 points as the host Bears (28-7) ended the Lopes’ nation-leading winning streak at 30 games in Grand Canyon’s first NCAA appearance. Baylor will play the Mississippi-Ball State winner in the second round Sunday.

Baylor trailed most of the first half before going in front for good on a 9-0 run in the final 3:35 before the break. The No. 13 seed Lopes (32-3) got back within three at halftime on Sydney Erikstrup’s three-pointer at the buzzer.

(10) OREGON 77, (7) VANDERBILT 73 (OT)

DURHAM, N.C. — Deja Kelly scored 20 points, and No. 10 seed Oregon recovered in overtime after losing a 19-point lead in the second half to beat No. 7 Vanderbilt in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Kelly – who had previously played at Duke’s arena three times as a North Carolina Tar Heel – shot 6 for 16 from the floor and added eight rebounds, three steals and three assists for the Ducks (20-11). Nani Falatea added 17 points and Peyton Scott scored 13 in Oregon’s first March Madness victory since 2021.

Mikayla Blakes, the SEC freshman of the year, finished with 26 points for Vanderbilt (22-11). Khamil Pierre chipped in 17 points for the Commodores, while Jordyn Oliver had 10.

(4) OHIO ST. 71, (13) MONTANA ST. 51

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Taylor Thierry had 16 points, and No. 4 seed Ohio State used a balanced attack to beat Montana State in the first round of the women’s NCAA Tournament.

Ohio State shot 50.9 per cent from the field, and each of its starters scored in double figures. Cotie McMahon and Chance Gray each had 15 points, and Jaloni Cambridge finished with 12. Ajae Petty had 11 points and seven rebounds.

Next up for the Buckeyes (26-6) is the winner of Tennessee versus South Florida.

Esmeralda Morales scored 20 points and Natalie Picton had 12 for No. 13 seed Montana State (30-4), the champions of the Big Sky.

(5) OLE MISS 83, (12) BALL ST. 65

WACO, Texas — Starr Jacobs had 18 points and 11 rebounds, Kennedy Todd-Williams added 14 points with 11 boards and No. 5 seed Mississippi rolled to a victory over 12th-seeded Ball State in the first round of the women’s NCAA Tournament.

Madison Scott scored 15 points as the Rebels (21-10) had a much better time on Baylor’s home court three years after South Dakota won a tournament game for the first time by beating Ole Miss in Waco.

The Rebels will face fourth-seeded Baylor, a 73-60 winner over Grand Canyon, in the second round Sunday.