Women's Bracketology: Five biggest questions of conference tournament week
CBS Sports
by
Connor Groel
March 2, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
Women's college basketball is entering a critical phase as conference tournaments gear up for Selection Sunday. The past weekend saw major shakeups in rankings and performances, with teams like Louisville and Duke losing ground despite their strong regular seasons. Meanwhile, Ohio State made a significant statement with an 87-68 victory over Michigan State, climbing back into contention after a poor initial seed reveal. Other standout performances included Virginia Tech's narrow win over Virginia and TCU securing the Big 12 title with a defensive showdown against Baylor.
The SEC and ACC conferences are particularly intriguing heading into their tournaments. In the SEC, both Vanderbilt and Texas are vying for the top No. 1 seed, with a potential meeting in the semifinals seen as the deciding moment. Similarly, the ACC's North Carolina is on the cusp of earning a hosting spot after a strong late-season run, though they currently sit just outside the top four seeds. The Big Ten remains dominant, with all its teams likely securing spots through intra-conference competition.
One of the most pressing questions this year is the number of at-large bids available. Mid-major conferences like the Ivy League and Summit League have teams on the bubble, but their chances hinge on conference tournament outcomes. Princeton and South Dakota State are strong contenders for at-large spots, which could shuffle teams like Richmond and Texas A&M into the bracket. Additionally, Texas A&M's remarkable turnaround under head coach Karen Smith has fans wondering if they can pull off a Cinderella story this season.
As March Madness approaches, all eyes will be on how these dynamics play out in conference tournaments. The stakes
Verticals
sports
Originally published on CBS Sports on 3/2/2026