Postponed games, long COVID-19 pauses for some programs and few nonconference contests have made this season different than any we have ever seen. Yet the 2021 women’s NCAA tournament is coming into focus, and is expected to be contested by 64 teams. After last season’s tournament was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, getting to this point feels like a mission accomplished even if the journey was unlike any other.
The NCAA tournament also will look different. The entire tourney will be played at a single destination — the San Antonio region — with multiple venues, limited fans and an adjusted schedule. The Women’s Final Four will be held at the Alamodome on April 2 and 4. The road to the Lone Star State begins with Selection Monday on March 15. Along the way, and as automatic bids are won, we will continue to update Bracketology and the projected tournament field.
Bracket Watch
Stanford’s decisive win over UCLA in the Pac-12 championship game and dominance throughout the tournament is enough to make the Cardinal the No. 1 overall seed. Stanford continues to be the top-ranked team in the NET and now has six top-25 NET wins, tied for best in the country with South Carolina and Texas A&M. That results in UConn being pushed to No. 2 overall, and a win over Marquette in the Big East tournament title game on Monday won’t be enough to change that.
