It’s the best time of the year, and the rapid growth of women’s basketball makes it even more exciting. With the 2025 NCAA women’s basketball public being released for all eyes to see, I now publicly publish a glimpse of my perfect bracket in all its glory.
Spokane One
Grand Canyon – Second Round: It’s hard to not pick a team who’s currently on a 30 game winning streak, no matter what conference they come from. For the 13 seed Grand Canyon Antelopes, this season's success was nothing short of expected. Facing fourth-seeded Baylor, Grand Canyon isn’t just poised for an upset — I expect them to dominate.
Ball State – Sweet 16: Representing the MAC, 12-seed Ball State is my Cinderella pick for this region. These Cardinals know how to play together, and because of this are capable of beating good teams. Opening up with five seed Ole Miss, I don’t believe the Cardinals will have any issues with upsetting the Rebels. To me, their matchup with Grand Canyon will present more of a challenge, but I don’t see Ball State's season ending to a mid-major.
LSU – Sweet 16: Keeping LSU’s run to just the Sweet 16 was a tough decision. Any team under Kim Mulkey’s leadership has championship potential, but LSU has shown signs of decline. The three-seed Tigers should comfortably defeat six-seed Florida State, but I have them falling to my seven-seed Michigan State University in a surprise upset.
Michigan State – Elite Eight: This pick is all about coaching. I fully believe in what MSU head coach Robyn Fralick has built. She has the potential to transform the program, and this tournament will be her first big statement. I see the Spartans defeating 10-seed Harvard, stunning 2-seed NC State, and then taking down 3-seed LSU, earning their first Elite Eight appearance since 2005.
"I think we have a good chance of making it pretty far this year," physiology and psychology sophomore Alexa Thurman said. "If our team uses the last couple of games and last year's tournament as a way to move forward, then we can make it far in this tournament."
Thurman has closely followed MSU all season, especially during big games. She hopes to see the Spartans make a statement in March.
UCLA – Final Four: The team that will end MSU’s run is none other than top-seeded UCLA, the most complete team in the nation. This squad is deep, well-balanced, and poised for a deep run. UCLA should have little trouble handling 9-seed Georgia Tech, my Cinderella pick Ball State and my hometown Spartans before securing their first-ever Final Four appearance.
Birmingham Two
Alabama – Sweet 16: The five-seed Crimson Tide rely on leadership, and that’s exactly what will carry them through this tournament. Despite some ups and downs this season, Alabama finished strong in the highly competitive SEC. That experience will help them avoid an upset against a tough 12-seed Green Bay and battle past 4-seed Maryland to reach the Sweet 16.
North Carolina – Sweet 16: I was hesitant about picking the 3-seed Tar Heels for a deep run. Their offense isn’t elite, and rebounding has been a weak spot. However, their strong defense and team chemistry should help them survive a potential scare against 14-seed Oregon State and grind out a tough win over 6-seed West Virginia to reach the Sweet 16.
South Carolina – Elite Eight: Over the past decade, South Carolina has been a force to be reckoned with. Now, the one seed and defending national champions look to continue their dominant ways by getting back to the Final Four. Do I think this will happen? No. South Carolina isn’t as good as they were last year, and there seems to be a missing piece to this team. Until they can find this missing piece, Dawn Staley and the Gamecocks will have to wait until next year to continue their dynasty.
Duke – Final Four: The team that dethrones this Gamecock squad is the 2-seed Duke Blue Devils. All year, Duke has been a fun watch, with standout freshman Toby Fournier leading the way. The Blue Devils are heating up at the right time, and I believe they will take down 10-seed Oregon, North Carolina and South Carolina, rolling into their first Final Four since 2006.
Birmingham Three
Notre Dame – Sweet 16: All season, Notre Dame has been a streaky team. One week they beat No. 2 USC; the next, they lost to unranked Utah. So in this tournament, it all depends on which Notre Dame team shows up. My take? They’ll live up to that reputation. I see the Fighting Irish getting past 6-seed Michigan before running into trouble against TCU in the Sweet 16.
Texas – Sweet 16: One may be surprised to see that I have one seed Texas being eliminated so quickly. This season, the Longhorns have been nothing short of spectacular, but I have an odd feeling that this magic won’t last too long. I see them dominating their first two opponents, but come the Sweet 16, a rematch with SEC foe Tennessee may not go the Longhorns' way.
Tennessee – Elite Eight: All year, Tennessee has fought, clawed and beaten opponents mercilessly. When the Volunteers have lost, they’ve bounced back stronger — every loss but one was within 10 points. This team is battle-tested, and that’s why I have them taking down 4-seed Ohio State and Texas. I strongly considered putting them in the Final Four, and I wouldn’t be shocked if they made it.
TCU – Final Four: One word to describe this TCU team is underrated. All year, they’ve been one of the top teams in the nation, yet they continue to be overlooked. Led by star Hailey Van Lith, the two-seed Horned Frogs boast one of the best offenses and defenses in the country, making it easy for them to roll past 7-seed Louisville, Notre Dame and Tennessee en route to their first-ever Final Four appearance.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
Spokane Four
Florida Gulf Coast – Second Round: I love Florida Gulf Coast basketball. Why? Because the Eagles are always up for the challenge of playing spoiler to any unfortunate team in their path. In 2022, they took down 5-seed Virginia Tech. A year later, they upset 5-seed Washington State. This year, I see the same script playing out, with 14-seed FGCU knocking off 3-seed Oklahoma to avenge last year’s close loss to the Sooners.
Iowa – Sweet 16: Like Notre Dame — only worse — the 6-seed Iowa Hawkeyes have been an incredibly streaky team. To avoid an upset against 11-seed Murray State, they’ll need to lock down the perimeter. I believe they’ll do just that, handling Murray State and then taking down my Cinderella pick, FGCU.
Kentucky – Sweet 16: Like most SEC teams this season, 3-seed Kentucky is no pushover. They have one of the strongest starting fives in college basketball, which should carry them past 4-seed Kansas State. However, their lack of depth is a concern and ultimately the reason I don’t see them advancing beyond this round.
Connecticut – Elite Eight: In any other region, 2-seed Connecticut would be a Final Four pick — maybe even a national champion. Like any Geno Auriemma team, the Huskies are tough, disciplined, and built to win. With stars like Paige Bueckers and Sarah Strong leading the way, few teams in the nation can stop them. They should cruise past 7-seed Oklahoma State and Iowa. The only problem? They’ll have to face USC.
Thurman would disagree with me on Connecticut’s placement. With Auriemma’s roster, she believes the Huskies are not just Final Four-bound but championship material, picking them to take down South Carolina. My take? It’s possible, but the perfect bracket doesn’t lie.
USC – Final Four: The legend of JuJu Watkins and Kiki Iriafen continues to grow. Without these two stars, the 1-seed Trojans wouldn’t be in this position. All season, USC has dominated opponents and established itself as a serious force. But will that dominance hold up in the toughest region of the bracket? I say yes. I see USC rolling past 9-seed Cal, Kentucky and Connecticut to reach its first Final Four since 1986.
Final Four
UCLA vs. USC: The Los Angeles City Championship — or better yet, the Los Angeles City Final Four. Can it get any better than this? The answer: no. USC holds a 2-1 edge over UCLA this season, but the Bruins won the most recent meeting. In the postseason, though, past results mean little. UCLA’s depth is a major advantage, but USC’s two stars are just as dangerous. In what could be the game of the decade, USC survives a thriller to reach the National Championship.
TCU vs. Duke: With two strong, evenly matched teams, this will come down to who wants it more. TCU has the experience, which could make things tough for a young Duke squad. On the other hand, Duke has battled through one of the nation’s toughest schedules. In a back-and-forth contest, I expect the team that’s been more battle-tested to prevail. That team is Duke.
Duke vs. USC – National Championship: The final game of the college basketball season always delivers, and this one will be no different. Duke’s stifling defense will challenge USC’s fast-paced attack, making for a tight battle. But on the biggest stage, I have to believe USC’s stars will rise to the occasion. In a thrilling finish, the Trojans will claim the 2025 women’s college basketball national championship.
