The conclusive day of the second round of the 2026 women’s NCAA tournament is currently in progress. We are meticulously tracking every game as the regional semifinals begin to solidify.
Presented here is ESPN’s comprehensive guide to all Day 4 outcomes, featuring insightful analysis from reporters on how each victory was achieved, along with our experts’ assessments of each winner’s prospective path to the Elite Eight.
How Kentucky secured the win: Despite West Virginia turning the game into a tense and closely contested battle late, Kentucky maintained a lead for 33 minutes and never fell behind after the initial quarter. The Wildcats established a lead of up to 14 points, but the Mountaineers’ defensive adjustments tightened the competition. Kentucky’s success was largely attributed to the performances of its top three scorers: Teonni Key, Clara Strack, and Tonie Morgan. Key spearheaded the effort with 19 points and 10 rebounds – marking her second-highest scoring output of the season. Strack achieved her 16th double-double of the season, and her fourth in six NCAA tournament appearances, contributing 18 points and 15 rebounds. Morgan chipped in with 15 points.
Kentucky’s Sweet 16 contender: (1) Texas
How the Wildcats can progress to the Elite Eight: The Wildcats are advancing to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2016, and now have an opportunity to reach the Elite Eight, a feat not accomplished since 2013. Their next challenge in the third round of the tournament will be Madison Booker and the Longhorns. To overcome this formidable opponent, the Wildcats must leverage their considerable size advantage. Kentucky boasts four players measuring 6-foot-4 or taller, contributing to their average of 40 rebounds per game. This physical presence could prove crucial in disrupting Texas’ high-octane offense.
How Notre Dame prevailed: The Irish entered this season having lost four starters and two key reserves from last year’s Sweet 16 squad due to graduation and transfers. Nevertheless, junior guard Hannah Hidalgo remained, delivering yet another exceptional season. On Monday in Columbus, Ohio, she was the primary driving force behind their success, concluding the game with 26 points, 13 rebounds, eight steals, and two assists. She also received solid backing from her teammates, as Vanessa de Jesus contributed 15 points, Cassandre Prosper and Iyana Moore each added 13, and KK Bransford provided 10. The Irish effectively forced 21 turnovers, converting them into 25 points.
Notre Dame’s Sweet 16 matchup: (2) Vanderbilt or (7) Illinois
How Notre Dame can reach the Elite Eight: Notre Dame is currently in formidable form and will pose a significant challenge to any adversary. However, their season did not begin this way. The Irish experienced a 3-6 record in January; following a loss at Cal on January 29, their overall standing was 13-8, and 5-5 in the ACC. Subsequently, their season trajectory shifted on February 1 after securing a victory at Stanford. Since that turnaround, the Irish have suffered only two defeats: 81-70 at Virginia on February 8 and 65-63 against Duke on March 7 in the ACC tournament semifinals. Hidalgo has been the unwavering foundation for the Irish. The advancement of Prosper and the enhanced cohesion among transfers Moore (from Vanderbilt) and de Jesus (from Duke) have contributed to the Irish arguably becoming the nation’s most improved team since midseason. — Voepel
How Virginia secured the victory: In essence: relentless, courageous, and highly effective guard play. Kymora Johnson posted 28 points, complemented by Paris Clark’s 20, with the pair also combining for nine rebounds and eight assists. Additionally, fellow Cavalier guard Romi Levy chipped in 13 points. The Cavaliers connected on 9 of 27 three-point attempts and converted 18-of-23 free throws. Despite Virginia committing 20 turnovers compared to Iowa’s 16, the Cavaliers were significantly more effective in capitalizing on these miscues, scoring 27 points off turnovers to Iowa’s 14. Iowa held a 42-24 advantage in points in the paint. Yet, in a closely contested game that extended to two overtime periods, the Hawkeyes faltered in executing crucial plays too frequently. They possessed the ball with a chance to win at the end of regulation, but Chazadi Wright’s turnaround jumper missed. Again, they had possession at the close of the first overtime but failed to convert a three-pointer and a subsequent putback attempt. Then, Iowa’s sophomore standout center Ava Heiden and senior guard Kylie Feuerbach fouled out in the second overtime. The Hawkeyes also missed vital free throws late in the game, concluding at 8-of-16 from the line, and struggled from beyond the arc, shooting 5-of-29. Iowa had already lost its top three-point shooter, senior Taylor McCabe, to a knee injury on January 25, and her absence as a perimeter threat and ball handler was acutely felt in Monday’s defeat. The Hawkeyes conclude their season with a 27-7 record and will lose senior forward Hannah Stuelke, a key member of their 2023 and 2024 Final Four teams. She registered 15 points, 19 rebounds, and six assists in her final game, but was only 1-of-6 from the free-throw line.
Virginia’s Sweet 16 opponent: (3) TCU
How Virginia can advance to the Elite Eight: The Cavaliers appeared to thrive in the familiar surroundings of Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, where they secured three victories to advance to the program’s first Sweet 16 since 2000. Each contest was a nail-biter – Virginia overcame Arizona State 57-55 in the First Four and defeated No. 7 seed Georgia 82-73 in overtime before their marathon win against Iowa. The Cavaliers are the inaugural team since the women’s tournament introduced the First Four in 2022 to progress from that round all the way to the Sweet 16. Johnson amassed a total of 73 points across the three games and is set to clash with TCU’s superstar guard Olivia Miles in the regional final. For the Cavaliers to overcome the Horned Frogs, they must sustain their exceptional guard play and tenacious defense. — Michael Voepel
How Louisville claimed victory: The Cardinals experienced five home losses this season, and Alabama very nearly added a sixth on Monday. Louisville managed to do just enough to keep the Crimson Tide at bay, despite leaving opportunities open: The Cardinals shot a mere 8-of-16 from the free-throw line and 7-of-26 from beyond the three-point arc, whereas Alabama was perfect from the stripe at 4-of-4 and effective from deep at 12-of-26. However, Louisville asserted dominance on the boards with a 41-24 rebounding advantage and committed only 10 fouls compared to Alabama’s 21.
Louisville’s Tajianna Roberts and Elif Istanbulluoglu each contributed 18 points, and Laura Ziegler added 12. The Cardinals have now advanced to the Sweet 16 for the 13th time, heading to the Fort Worth Regional. Conversely, freshman Ace Austin led Alabama with 17 points; the Crimson Tide were aiming for the program’s first Sweet 16 appearance since 1998. Instead, Alabama concludes its season with a 24-11 record.
Louisville’s Sweet 16 opponent: (2) Michigan
How Louisville can progress to the Elite Eight: The Cardinals are set to face a Michigan team that breezed through its initial two tournament games, defeating Holy Cross by 35 points and NC State by 29. Sophomore standouts Olivia Olson (27 points against the Wolfpack) and Syla Swords (26) have consistently presented challenges for opposing defenses throughout the season, and the Cardinals will need to devise a strategy to prevent them from dominating the game. Louisville’s three-point defense against Alabama was not as effective as desired, and they cannot afford to provide the Wolverines with similar open looks. Louisville is striving for its ninth Elite Eight appearance, while Michigan is seeking its second. — Voepel