NCAA Women’s Tournament 2025: Top moments from Day 1

The 2025 NCAA Women’s Tournament might have just tipped off on Friday, but brackets across the country are already busted.

Within the first few hours of the tournament, the No. 9 seed Indiana Hoosiers upset the No. 8 seed Utah Utes. Later in the day, No. 10 seed Oregon became the first double-digit seed to advance when the Ducks beat No. 7 seed Vanderbilt in overtime. With more upsets sure to come, the stage is set for some interesting matchups in the next round.

Here are all the top moments from Day 1 of the women’s tournament:

Oregon recovers from blowing 19-point lead, tops Vandy in OT

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 77-73 on Friday 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.

Oregon led by 11 points at halftime and then used a 12-4 to open the third quarter to take a 48-29 lead. Vanderbilt clawed back as Oliver had eight points in the fourth quarter as the Commodores outscored the Ducks 24-12 before Leilani Kapinus made her first field goal of the game on a layup in traffic with four seconds remaining to tie the game at 67.

In overtime, Blakes and Pierre were off the floor in the final minute, both having fouled out. Free throws by the Ducks from Kelly, Scott and Amina Muhammad sealed the win.

Oregon will play the winner of No. 15 Lehigh vs. No. 2 Duke on Sunday.

South Carolina routs overmatched Tennessee Tech

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 108-48 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.

South Carolina will face ninth-seeded Indiana on Sunday for a spot in the Sweet 16. The Hoosiers outlasted eighth-seeded Utah 76-68 earlier Friday.

Edwards scored six straight points to open up the game as the Gamecocks went ahead 31-11. The Golden Eagles (26-6), champions of the Ohio Valley Conference, saw their 17-game win streak come to an end.

Taris Thornton led Tennessee Tech with 13 points.

MiLaysia Fulwiley added 15 points as all 12 Gamecocks who played scored baskets.

Kansas State cruises in Ayoka Lee’s return

Ayoka Lee had 17 points and 10 rebounds in her return to the lineup, and fifth-seeded Kansas State beat Fairfield, 85-41, on Friday 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.

Kansas State made the most of its big size advantage. The Wildcats outrebounded the Stags 44-19 and outscored them in the paint 44-20.

Next up for the Wildcats (27-7) is a second-round game against host Kentucky on Sunday.

Notre Dame rolls despite losing Olivia Miles to injury

Olivia Miles departed Notre Dame‘s 106-54 victory over Stephen F. Austin in the NCAA Tournament because of a left knee injury, casting a shadow on 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.

Hannah Hidalgo and Sonia Citron each scored 24 points for third-seeded ND (27-5). Liza Karlen had 13 points. Hidalgo also had six rebounds and five assists. Citron grabbed seven rebounds.

Notre Dame forced 28 turnovers, including 18 steals, while committing only 11. The Fighting Irish piled up a 38-5 advantage in points off turnovers.

Next up for the Irish is No. 6 seed Michigan (23-10) on Sunday.

Indiana wins its sixth straight tournament opener

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 76-68 victory over eighth-seeded Utah on Friday.

The Hoosiers (20-12) reached 20 wins for a sixth consecutive season. Their reward is a matchup with the Birmingham 2 Regional’s top seed in South Carolina.

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.

Kneepkens led Utah with 24 points, including a four-point play in the fourth quarter.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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