Every March, the madness takes over, but this year, the Big Ten is leading the charge with a historic achievement. After a season of dominance, the conference set a new record by sending an astonishing 12 teams to the 2025 Women’s NCAA Tournament.
Big Ten Makes History With NCAA Tournament Selections
The Big Ten’s impressive 12-team representation in the NCAA Tournament surpassed that of every other conference. The SEC followed closely behind with 10 teams, while the ACC sent eight, and the Big 12 secured seven.
The Big Ten’s success is even more remarkable considering the league’s recent expansion to 18 teams, making the competition even fiercer. Despite this, earning 12 tournament bids is no small feat and speaks volumes about the strength of the programs within the conference.
Fans of the Big Ten won’t have to wait long to see one of their teams in action. Washington, which landed in the First Four round, will play on Thursday, March 20. From there, the remaining 11 teams will take the court on Friday and Saturday.
For those eager to follow all the action, every game in the 2025 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament will be broadcast across the ESPN family of networks, as well as streamed on the ESPN app.
Breaking Down the Matchups
Here’s a full rundown of the 12 Big Ten teams that secured a spot in the tournament, along with their first-round opponents.
Thursday, March 20
- No. 11 seed Washington vs. No. 11 seed Columbia
Time: 7 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN2
Friday, March 21
- No. 6 seed Michigan vs. No. 11 seed Princeton/Iowa State
Time: 11:30 a.m. ET
TV: ESPN2 - No. 9 seed Indiana vs. No. 8 seed Utah
Time: 1:30 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN2 - No. 4 seed Ohio State vs. No. 13 seed Montana State
Time: 5:30 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN2 - No. seed 10 Oregon vs. No. 7 seed Vanderbilt
Time: 5:30 p.m. ET
TV: ESPNEWS - No. 10 seed Nebraska vs. No. 7 seed Louisville
Time: 6 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN - No. 1 UCLA seed vs. No. 16 seed Southern/UC San Diego
Time: 10 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Saturday, March 22
- No. 6 seed Iowa vs. No. 11 seed Murray State
Time: Noon ET
TV: ESPN - No. 1 seed USC vs. No. 16 seed UNC Greensboro
Time: 3 p.m. ET
TV: ABC - No. 4 seed Maryland vs. No. 13 seed Norfolk State
Time: 4 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN - No. 7 seed Michigan State vs. No. 10 Harvard
Time: 4:30 p.m. ET
TV: ESPNEWS - No. 8 seed Illinois vs. No. 9 seed Creighton
Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
TV: ESPNEWS
A Tournament to Remember
With a record-breaking 12 teams in the tournament, the Big Ten is poised to make a serious impact in March Madness.
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The conference has long been known for its competitiveness, and with so many programs in the mix, expect to see multiple deep runs into the later rounds. Whether it’s the top-seeded powerhouses like UCLA and USC or potential Cinderella stories like Washington or Nebraska, Big Ten teams are set to take center stage.
The road to the Final Four is never easy, but one thing is clear—this season, the Big Ten has set the standard. Now, it’s time to see who can turn history into hardware.
Don’t miss a moment of March Madness! Download your 2025 NCAA Tournament printable bracket and stay on top of every game, matchup, and Cinderella story. Get yours now!
