After Selection Sunday and the release of the Women’s March Madness bracket, we now know the path to the National Championship. In just a few weeks, we will crown the 2026 NCAA Tournament champions, but before that, we have a ton of great basketball to get to.
One of the most fun parts about March Madness is filling out brackets and making predictions for the tournament. Nothing beats the thrill of seeing your bracket last another game, another hour, another minute. If you need any help making choices while bracket building, here are a few instant picks:
If you’re feeling risky: UCLA to win the tournament
Saying the overall No. 2 seed is going to win the entire tournament isn’t too risky, but if you’re looking to stray off the beaten path a little, this is a great pick. A lot of people have UConn slated in as their prediction to win it all, but UCLA is a tough team with a lot of motivation to succeed. They made the Final Four last year, have been a top team for a few seasons, and it’s their last dance with Lauren Betts before she heads to the WNBA.
It’s a little risky given how dominant UConn has been all season, but these two teams will only meet if they both make it to the championship game. Anything can happen at that point.
If you’re looking for a dark horse: Duke
There are a few March Madness tropes we love: the quest for an undefeated season, a first championship, a Cinderella story. The dark horse journey is also very fun — a team that is good, but is not expected to make it as far as the Elite Eight or Final Four, gets there. A team that causes a few upsets along the way. If you’re looking for a potential dark horse team, Duke could be a good pick.
Duke headed into the season ranked No. 7 in the country based on preseason polls, but quickly fell completely out of the poll after a rocky season start. They were able to recover, going on a massive winning streak in January and February to bring themselves back into the conversation. Ultimately, they came back to win an ACC tournament championship.
Now, they are a three-seed in the Sacramento 2 region, and very easily could have been a two-seed as well. They have a chance to cause a few upsets, especially with teams like LSU in their corner of the bracket.
Final Four Prediction: UConn, South Carolina, UCLA, Texas
These four teams have been in a league of their own all season long. UConn is currently undefeated, maintaining the No. 1 spot in the rankings all season long. Yet, they also have not played any of the other three top teams at all this year. The other three, however, have been battling it out.
One of the biggest shocks of the season came in November when Texas beat both South Carolina and UCLA within 24 hours of each other. South Carolina played Texas again during conference play, beating them in a one-possession victory. The two teams clashed a third time in the SEC tournament championship game, and Texas came out victorious in that one. Those two won’t play each other unless they make it to the championship game.
UCLA didn’t have to play either team again through the regular season, but Texas remained their sole loss of the season. That loss is one of the biggest reasons UCLA didn’t get the No. 1 seed in the tournament as well, which can only be motivation for the Bruins. UCLA and Texas could clash again in the Final Four.
Overall, it’s going to take a wild upset to stop these four teams before they can get to Phoenix. It’s not impossible, of course, they call it March Madness for a reason, but it would be the upset of the year. Picking these four to make it to the final two rounds of the tournament is a solid pick.
