NCAA® Women's Sweet 16® Preview, Schedule and How to Watch With Sling TV
The top women’s teams are still alive as March Madness® bounces into its second week. Here’s a preview of each game, and how to watch all the action with Sling.
The NCAA® Women’s Basketball Tournament has been fairly chalky so far, but the excitement is heating up as March Madness® rolls on. Can UConn complete an undefeated season? Will other No. 1 seeds UCLA, Texas, or South Carolina get to the top of the mountain? Can No. 10 Cinderella Virginia keep its fairytale run alive?
We’ll know more following the Sweet 16®, which is scheduled for March 27-28 on ESPN and ABC. Here’s the schedule, a preview of each game, and details on how to watch all of the action with Sling. To watch both the Women’s and Men’s tournaments with Sling, use the link below to subscribe to Sling Orange + Blue with ESPN, TBS, and, in designated markets, ABC.
NCAA Women’s College Basketball Tournament on Sling
To watch the most games, subscribe to Sling Orange + Blue
NCAA Games on Friday, March 27, 2026
https://youtu.be/gVLHbez3dB0?si=O55NTbWovpXB7rx1
#2 Vanderbilt vs. #6 Notre Dame - 2:30pm ET, ESPN
The South Region’s Sweet 16 in Fort Worth features a premier guard duel as the No. 2 seed Vanderbilt Commodores face the No. 6 seed Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Vanderbilt enters their first Sweet 16 since 2009 after dominant Nashville victories over High Point (102–61) and No. 7 Illinois (75–57). Notre Dame has embraced the underdog role, cruising past Fairfield before pulling off a gritty 83–73 road upset against No. 3 Ohio State to reach their fifth consecutive Sweet 16.
The spotlight belongs to the backcourt. Vanderbilt is led by sophomore sensation Mikayla Blakes, the nation’s leading scorer (27.1 PPG), who nearly recorded a triple-double in the Round of 32. She meets Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo (25.2 PPG), a defensive nightmare who leads the country in steals (5.5 SPG) and recently set the program’s single-season scoring record. Statistically, Vanderbilt boasts a top-10 offense (85.2 PPG) and a perfect 18–0 home record this year, but this neutral-site clash tests their discipline against an Irish squad that forces 19 turnovers per game. With former Commodore Iyana Moore now starting for the Irish, the tactical familiarity adds another layer to this high-octane matchup.
Best Bet: Vanderbilt -5.5, as Mikayla Blakes’ historic scoring pace and the Commodores' superior offensive depth should eventually break down the Irish defense.
#1 UConn vs. #4 North Carolina - 5pm ET, ESPN
The Fort Worth 1 Region’s Sweet 16 features a clash of blue bloods as the No. 1 seed UConn Huskies face the No. 4 seed North Carolina Tar Heels. Reigning national champion UConn has been untouchable, entering the matchup with a perfect 36–0 record. The Huskies reached the Sweet 16 by crushing UTSA 90–52 and dismantling Syracuse 98–45, a game highlighted by a staggering 31–0 scoring run. North Carolina secured their second consecutive Sweet 16 appearance by rolling past Western Illinois 82–51 and outlasting Maryland 74–66 in a physical second-round battle.
The matchup features a heavyweight battle between UConn’s sophomore star Sarah Strong (18.4 PPG, 7.5 RPG) and UNC’s defensive grit. Strong, a Naismith finalist, leads a UConn offense that ranks No. 2 in adjusted efficiency. They are bolstered by senior guard Azzi Fudd, who recently dropped 34 points and eight triples against Syracuse. The Tar Heels counter with sophomore Elina Aarnisalo and a defense that ranks 13th in opponent effective field goal percentage. However, the stats favor the Huskies heavily; UConn leads the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency and has won 52 consecutive games. While UNC is disciplined, UConn’s 25.5-point spread reflects their season-long dominance.
Best Bet: UConn -25.5, as the Huskies' historic 52-game win streak and elite perimeter shooting from Azzi Fudd should overwhelm the Tar Heels’ defense.
#1 UCLA vs. #4 Minnesota - 7:30pm ET, ESPN
The Sacramento 2 Region’s Sweet 16 presents a Big Ten showdown in California as the No. 1 seed UCLA Bruins face the No. 4 seed Minnesota Golden Gophers. UCLA (33–1) arrives in their fourth consecutive Sweet 16 after overwhelming California Baptist (96–43) and Oklahoma State (87–68). Minnesota is the region's feel-good story, reaching their first Sweet 16 since 2005 after a comeback win over Green Bay and a dramatic 65–63 upset of No. 5 Ole Miss, sealed by Amaya Battle’s baseline buzzer-beater.
The statistical mountain for Minnesota is steep. UCLA dominated their lone regular-season meeting 76–58 in January and enters this game with the nation’s 2nd-ranked assist-to-turnover ratio (1.80). The pivotal matchup features UCLA’s 6'7" center Lauren Betts, who is coming off a career-high 35 points, against Minnesota’s Sophie Hart. While the Gophers boast a top-35 scoring defense (58.1 PPG) and the hot hand of Mara Braun, they must find a way to negate UCLA’s massive rebounding advantage—the Bruins recently grabbed 62 boards in their opening-round win. Minnesota’s resilience is proven, but UCLA’s elite efficiency and interior size make them a daunting postseason draw.
Best Bet: UCLA -14.5, as Lauren Betts' interior dominance and the Bruins' experience in the second weekend should pull them away late.
#2 LSU vs. #3 Duke - 10pm ET, ESPN
The Sacramento 2 Region’s Sweet 16 features a high-octane rematch at the Golden 1 Center as the No. 2 seed LSU Tigers take on the No. 3 seed Duke Blue Devils. LSU advanced by making NCAA history, recording their 16th 100-point game of the season in a 101–47 dismantling of Texas Tech following a 116–58 win over Jacksonville. Duke arrives in Sacramento after a dominant defensive weekend, stifling Charleston (81–64) and holding No. 6 Baylor to just 46 points in the Round of 32.
The focal point is LSU’s record-breaking offense (94.5 PPG) against a Duke team that has won 23 of its last 25 games since losing to the Tigers in December. In that first meeting, LSU overcame an early 14-point deficit to win 93–77, led by Flau’jae Johnson’s 18 points. The key matchup pits LSU’s dynamic backcourt of Johnson and Mikaylah Williams (both coming off 24-point games) against Duke’s Taina Mair and defensive anchor Toby Fournier (17.3 PPG, 8.2 RPG). While Duke’s defense has reached elite levels, LSU’s +10 rebounding margin and interior depth with Amiya Joyner make them a nightmare to contain for 40 minutes.
Best Bet: LSU -8.5, as the Tigers' historic offensive efficiency and physical advantage on the glass should prove too much for the Blue Devils to match.
NCAA Games on Saturday, March 28, 2026
https://youtu.be/fS0o_HibVnI?si=Vp8NMI-ElUSPb2Re
#2 Michigan vs. #3 Louisville - 12:30pm ET, ABC
The Fort Worth 3 Region’s Sweet 16 brings a powerhouse matchup to Dickies Arena as the No. 2 seed Michigan Wolverines take on the No. 3 seed Louisville Cardinals. Michigan returns to the Sweet 16 for the third time in program history after a dominant opening weekend, cruising past Holy Cross (83–48) and overpowering No. 7 NC State 92–75. Louisville, a perennial deep-tournament threat, advanced by handling No. 14 Vermont 72–52 before surviving a 69–68 nail-biter against No. 6 Alabama.
The game features a clash between Michigan’s explosive "Sophomore Surge" and Louisville’s balanced veteran depth. The Wolverines are led by Olivia Olson (19.2 PPG), who exploded for 27 second-half points against NC State, and Syla Swords, who recently eclipsed the 1,000-point career milestone. Statistically, Michigan is an offensive juggernaut, ranking 9th nationally at 83.9 PPG and remaining a perfect 25–0 when scoring at least 80 points. Louisville counters with a top-20 scoring defense (60.8 PPG allowed) and the versatile play of Tajianna Roberts. While Louisville holds the historical edge in tournament head-to-heads, Michigan’s 3–0 record against ACC opponents this season suggests they have the blueprint to dismantle the Cardinals' defensive schemes.
Best Bet: Michigan -4.5, as their elite scoring efficiency (9th nationally) and the momentum of Olivia Olson should overpower the Cardinals' interior defense.
#1 Texas vs. #5 Kentucky - 3pm ET, ABC
The Fort Worth 3 Region’s Sweet 16 features an all-SEC showdown at Dickies Arena as the No. 1 seed Texas Longhorns face the No. 5 seed Kentucky Wildcats. Texas has looked every bit the top seed, cruising through the opening rounds by crushing Stephen F. Austin and dismantling Oregon 102–60. Kentucky, reaching its first Sweet 16 in a decade, arrives battle-tested after a double-digit win over James Madison and a thrilling 74–73 upset of No. 4 West Virginia on the Mountaineers' home floor.
This matchup is a test of Kentucky’s resilience against the sheer star power of Texas sophomore Madison Booker, who recently exploded for 40 points, eight rebounds, and five assists against Oregon. The Longhorns are a statistical juggernaut, ranking top-10 nationally in scoring (85.1 PPG) and boasting a +21.4 scoring margin. While Kentucky's Clara Strack and Tonie Morgan led a valiant comeback in their February meeting—a 64–53 Texas win—the Wildcats struggled with ball security, committing 23 turnovers against the Longhorns' suffocating pressure. Kentucky’s nation-leading shot-blocking (6.6 BPG) will need to be perfect to negate Texas’ 30 points per game in the paint.
Best Bet: Texas -15.5, as Madison Booker’s current offensive tear and the Longhorns' defensive pressure are too much for Kentucky to sustain over 40 minutes.
#1 South Carolina vs. #4 Oklahoma - 5pm ET, ESPN
The Sacramento 4 Region’s Sweet 16 at the Golden 1 Center features a high-stakes rematch as the No. 1 seed South Carolina Gamecocks face the No. 4 seed Oklahoma Sooners. South Carolina reached their 12th consecutive Sweet 16 by overwhelming Southern (32-point win) and suffocating USC 82–51, a game where they recorded a program tournament-record 17 steals. Oklahoma arrives after hosting successful opening rounds in Norman, dispatching Idaho and outlasting Michigan State 77–71 to secure back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances.
The narrative of this game is defined by revenge. Oklahoma is one of only two teams to beat the Gamecocks this season, pulling off a 94–82 overtime upset in January behind 26 points from freshman sensation Aaliyah Chavez. The matchup pits South Carolina’s elite interior duo of Joyce Edwards (19.6 PPG) and 6'6" center Madina Okot against Oklahoma’s Raegan Beers, who has recorded a double-double in every tournament game this year. While the Sooners boast the nation’s second-highest scoring starting five, the Gamecocks have found a new level of "resolve" since that loss, ranking No. 1 in adjusted defensive efficiency. Oklahoma’s 23 turnovers in the Round of 32 could be fatal against a South Carolina defense that just forced 21 against USC.
Best Bet: South Carolina -18.5, as the Gamecocks’ suffocating perimeter defense and desire for revenge should prevent another Chavez-led upset.
#3 TCU vs. #10 Virginia - 7:30pm ET, ESPN
The Sacramento 4 Region’s Sweet 16 features a clash of momentum at the Golden 1 Center as the No. 3 seed TCU Horned Frogs face the tournament’s ultimate "Cinderella," the No. 10 seed Virginia Cavaliers. TCU (31–5) reached this stage by routing UC San Diego and surviving a 62–59 overtime thriller against Washington. Virginia has made history as the first women's team to go from the First Four to the Sweet 16, a run capped by a stunning 83–75 double-overtime upset of No. 2 Iowa.
The marquee matchup is a battle of elite guards: TCU’s Big 12 Player of the Year Olivia Miles (19.6 PPG, 6.4 APG) against Virginia’s Kymora Johnson (19.0 PPG). Miles is chasing her 13th career triple-double, while Johnson is fresh off a 28-point masterpiece against Iowa. Statistically, TCU relies on defensive pressure and an NCAA-leading home win streak, though they must now perform on a neutral floor. Virginia leads the nation in blocks (6.8 BPG) and rebounding margin (+9.7), anchored by Tabitha Amanze. While the Cavaliers are battle-tested by three overtime periods in two games, TCU’s superior depth and Miles’ ability to control the tempo pose a significant challenge to the exhausted underdogs.
Best Bet: TCU -6.5, as Olivia Miles’ playmaking and Virginia’s inevitable fatigue from back-to-back overtime marathons should favor the Horned Frogs.