Forty games are in the books. Day 3 of the women's NCAA tournament set up half of the Sweet 16. And No. 5 seeds ruled the day. Tennessee, Ole Miss and Kansas State all won true road games and knocked off 4-seeds to reach the regional semifinals.
No. 1 seeds South Carolina and UCLA also advanced. And No. 2 seed TCU reached the regional semifinals for the first time in program history.
We captured all of Sunday's action, with reporters on site and analysis of every matchup. Find out what's next for the winners or relive all the highlights. And come back Monday when we do it all again.
Jump to: Relive the action | Full results and analysis
Sunday's full results and analysis
(5) Kansas State vs.
(4) Kentucky
Final: Kansas State 80, Kentucky 79 (OT)
How did Kansas State pull it out? It looked like the 5-seed had blown a chance at the Sweet 16 when Kentucky took a 5-0 run late in the game. But back-to-back 3-pointers gave Kansas State the lead and set up a thrilling finish. Down the stretch, perimeter shooting enabled Kansas State to not only keep pace with Kentucky but ultimately advance to the school's first Sweet 16 since 2002. Temira Poindexter started the game by missing her first five deep shots but more than made amends. She finished with a game-high 24 points. All of her makes were 3-pointers. And a potential game-winning Georgia Amoore floater bounced off the front and back of the rim to allow Kansas State to survive an absolute thriller.
What this means for Kansas State: Kansas State's players stepped up in many spots over the course of the game. There are still questions about how well the Wildcats will match up against the next opponent, which could be 1-seed USC. But that is another problem for another day. -- Ben Baby
MORE: Kansas State advances to first Sweet 16 in 23 years
Temira Poindexter hits a three-pointer late in OT as No. 5 Kansas State advances to the Sweet 16 over No. 4 Kentucky.
(5) Tennessee vs.
(4) Ohio State
Final: Tennessee 82, Ohio State 67
How did Tennessee give March Madness another 5-seed moving on? Sunday was the day for No. 5 seeds in the women's NCAA tournament, as three of them won road games to advance to the Sweet 16. It started with Kansas State at Kentucky, then Ole Miss at Baylor, then Tennessee at Ohio State. The end of the regular season didn't go as the Lady Vols hoped: They lost at Kentucky and then to Georgia at home. Then they fell to in-state rival Vanderbilt in the second round of the SEC tournament. But we've seen the best of Tennessee in the NCAA tournament. While fellow SEC teams started to get a handle on Tennessee's high-pressure style of play under first-year coach Kim Caldwell, the Lady Vols' NCAA opponents have not. South Florida had 24 turnovers in the first round and Ohio State 23. The Buckeyes are known for pressing, too, but Tennessee did it better Sunday. Tennessee scored 37 points off Ohio State turnovers. And even when the Buckeyes rallied with a 20-2 run to take a lead in the third quarter, the Lady Vols answered with a 10-2 run.
In the fourth quarter, the Lady Vols clamped down defensively, holding Ohio State to eight points. It's the second year in a row the Buckeyes have been eliminated at home in the second round. Sunday's game was the only time this season that Ohio State lost at home, where the Buckeyes (26-7 overall) finished 16-1. Freshman Jaloni Cambridge led them with 19 points.
What it means for Tennessee: The Lady Vols didn't shoot a high percentage from behind the arc (29.4%), but they made 10 3-pointers. They also edged Ohio State in rebounding 39-34. If seeds hold, they will face No. 1 seed Texas -- which hosts Illinois on Monday -- for a spot in the Elite Eight. The Lady Vols last made a regional final in 2016. -- Michael Voepel
Talaysia Cooper leads with 20 points as the Volunteers put up 16 3-pointers all together to secure a 101-66 victory against the Bulls.
(5) Ole Miss vs.
(4) Baylor
Final: Ole Miss 69, Baylor 63
What made the difference for Ole Miss? The second 4-5 matchup of this NCAA tournament was about as exciting as the first on Sunday. Right after 5-seed Kansas State beat 4-seed Kentucky in overtime in Spokane 4, Ole Miss pulled a similar upset on Baylor's home court in Spokane 1. The Rebels were one of the teams in the running for a top-16 seed and the chance to host but fell just short in the committee's eyes. That was a rallying point for Ole Miss coach Yolette McPhee-McCuin and her team, which finished tied for sixth with Alabama in the SEC. McPhee-McCuin and the Rebels also made the Sweet 16 in 2023, when as a No. 8 seed they upset No. 1 Stanford on its home court in the second round. Sunday was the fourth time in program history that Ole Miss has won a true road game in the NCAA tournament.
The Rebels struggled in the second quarter, scoring just six points. But their defense was good enough that they trailed only 29-26 at halftime. Neither team got things going from behind the arc all game; Ole Miss and Baylor were a combined 4-of-25 there. However, the Rebels got to the free throw line a lot more, finishing 17-of-21 on foul shots to Baylor's 7-of-11. Ole Miss forced 21 turnovers and also shot better in the second half. The Rebels were 5-of-14 on open looks in the first half, and 9-of-14 on those looks in the second half.
What it means for Ole Miss: The Rebels got big games from both their most experienced players -- fifth-year seniors Madison Scott (14 points) and KK Deans (13 points) -- and freshman Sira Thienou (16 points, 6 rebounds). Ole Miss fell to Louisville in its most recent Sweet 16 appearance in 2023 and now awaits the winner of Monday's Florida State-LSU second-round game. In their SEC regular-season finale, the Rebels beat LSU 85-77 on March 2, although Tigers star guard Flau'Jae Johnson was out injured and didn't play in that game. -- Michael Voepel
Sira Thienou puts up 16 points along with six rebounds as the Rebels grind out a tough win against the Bears to punch their ticket to the Sweet 16.
(7) Louisville vs.
(2) TCU
Final: TCU 85, Louisville 70
How did TCU win to advance to its first Sweet 16? The short answer is: together. Four starters finished the game in double figures, with Agnes Emma-Nnopu leading the Horned Frogs with 23. It was a cathartic performance for a squad that held open tryouts last season because it had so many injuries. Big 12 Player and Newcomer of the Year Hailey Van Lith contributed 16 points and 10 assists to defeat her former team (she played for the Cardinals for three seasons). While TCU cooked on the offensive end, shooting 63% from the floor and 61.1% from 3-point range, the Frogs also heavily disrupted Louisville, holding the Cardinals to 33.8% shooting. The bright spot for Louisville was the incredible offensive performance from Jayda Curry, who dropped 41 points and hit six 3-point shots in a losing effort.
What's next for TCU: With the win over Louisville, TCU made its first Sweet 16 in program history and finished the season undefeated at home. In the Birmingham 3 Regional later this week, TCU will face 3-seed Notre Dame. The two teams previously played in a Thanksgiving tournament in the Cayman Islands. The Frogs got the better of the Irish in that one, winning 76-68, but don't be surprised if Notre Dame is considered the favorite in the rematch. -- Katie Barnes
Jayda Curry finishes with 41 points for Louisville, but it's enough as Hailey Van Lith and TCU prevail to reach the Sweet 16.
(8) Richmond vs.
(1) UCLA
Final: UCLA 84, Richmond 67
How did UCLA pull away from Richmond?: Lauren Betts set the pace for the top-seeded Bruins in the first half by scoring 14 points, but the Spiders were able to keep up thanks to their ability to move the ball at will and hit over 50% of their shots. The score was tied at the half, and then suddenly, it wasn't. UCLA showed that what Richmond could do well, the Bruins could do even better. They made eight 3-pointers on their way to a commanding win that pushed them to the Sweet 16. Betts, called a "cheat code" by her teammates, was exactly that -- she finished with 30 points (her highest point total since UCLA's win at Maryland in January) and 10 rebounds, becoming the first UCLA player to accomplish the feat in an NCAA tournament game.
What it means for UCLA: Richmond had the Bruins on high upset alert at halftime, but the way they responded showed their impressive depth and sky-high potential yet again. From here on out, no game will come easy for UCLA, and the Bruins know it. Last year, they waltzed into the Sweet 16 only to be beaten by LSU in a game that coach Cori Close still rues. This year, the expectations for UCLA are even higher as the No. 1 overall seed, but the Bruins appear to be ready for the moment. Betts is playing some of her best basketball, while her supporting cast looked supremely confident in the second half of Sunday night's game. -- Paolo Uggetti
(9) Indiana vs.
(1) South Carolina
Final: South Carolina 64, Indiana 53
How did South Carolina overcome a 26-25 halftime deficit? To put it simply, a huge third quarter. South Carolina scored 26 points in the period -- more than it did in the entire first half. Chloe Kitts keyed the run, but getting good interior play from Sania Feagin was clutch, too. This was not the best game the Gamecocks have played this season. They looked disjointed at times on offense for large swaths of the game. Consider this: The third quarter was the only period in which the Gamecocks scored more than 17 points. That ended up being the biggest difference in the game. Outside that third quarter, their defensive performance helped, too. South Carolina forced 16 turnovers, outrebounded Indiana and had seven blocks and seven steals. Kitts ended up with a double-double (10 points, 10 rebounds).
What can South Carolina learn from Sunday headed into the Sweet 16? South Carolina has not relied on just one player to lead the way this season, but on its collective team to get the job done. If Sunday showed anything, it was that the Gamecocks could survive a down game from their bench and in particular their two leading scorers, freshman Joyce Edwards and MiLaysia Fulwiley. Edwards was uncharacteristically off her game, with only 5 points on 2-of-8 shooting with 5 turnovers. Fulwiley scored 3 points on 1-of-4 shooting. Without the bench delivering points by the bushel, others stepped up, including Bree Hall (3-of-4 from 3), Kitts and Feagin. -- Andrea Adelson
The Gamecocks prove too powerful for the Hoosiers as Chloe Kitts shines with a double-double in a game where South Carolina was down at the half but finished strong for a 64-53 win.
(6) Michigan vs.
(3) Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Final: Notre Dame 76, Michigan 55
How did Notre Dame dominate Michigan? Michigan didn't lead at any point in the round of 32 because Notre Dame came at the Wolverines from all angles in yet another double-digit victory. Whether in transition, attacking the paint (36 points), some well-timed shots from deep or the contributions from its stars --Olivia Miles, Sonia Citron, Hannah Hidalgo and Liatu King scored or assisted on all but six of Notre Dame's points -- the Fighting Irish were too much for Michigan to handle. This game was never close, but Notre Dame put its foot on the gas in the third quarter, when it limited Michigan to eight points. Understandably gassed from a hard-fought battle with Iowa State in the first round, the Wolverines didn't get the same contributions from Jordan Hobbs or Mila Holloway that they needed to go toe-to-toe with a team that has outscored its opponents by 73 in the first two rounds.
What it means for Notre Dame: No one in the field has had an easier time with its opponents during the opening weekend of the tournament. Notre Dame made light work of Stephen F. Austin (won by 54) and beat a tired Michigan team by 21. The Fighting Irish look like the version of themselves that was ranked No. 1 in the country for most of the season, and the results from the first two rounds are a sign that they can contend for a national championship. They'll face either No. 7 seed Louisville (which they beat twice this season) or No. 2 seed TCU (which beat the Irish by eight on Nov. 29 in a tournament in the Cayman Islands) in the Sweet 16. -- Courtney Cronin
(10) Oregon Ducks vs.
(2) Duke Blue Devils
Final: Duke 59, Oregon 53
How did Duke avoid the upset? Duke did just enough to squeak out this win. After building a 10-point lead, the Blue Devils missed seven shots through the closing minutes of the third quarter and the start of the fourth, opening the door for Oregon and Deja Kelly, who scored nine points in the third (she finished with 20). Ashlon Jackson kept the Blue Devils in it with her own 14 points in the third, plus a massive 3-pointer late in the fourth to put the Blue Devils up seven with under two minutes remaining -- prompting her teammates to hit Stephen Curry's famous "Night Night" celebration. All of her 20 points came in the second half. Despite a frantic finish, almost turning the ball over several times through the final 30 seconds of the game, the Blue Devils survived ... and advanced.
What's next for Duke? After escaping what would have tied the program's largest seed upset loss in its tournament history, Duke returns to the Sweet 16 for the second straight year. Up next? The winner of No. 3 North Carolina-No. 6 West Virginia. The Tar Heels present a familiar foe for the Blue Devils, but the pair have never met in the NCAA tournament. This season, UNC earned an OT win in the teams' first matchup back in January, and the Blue Devils took the Feb. 27 matchup handily. -- Kendra Andrews
MORE: With Fournier sidelined, Duke reaches second consecutive Sweet 16