NCAAW March Madness: Birmingham region preview

Welcome to March. The Birmingham 2 bracket is focused on Southern schools with three of the four first round sites being located in North or South Carolina.

Here’s a breakdown of the first round match-ups.

Columbia, South Carolina

No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 16 Tennessee Tech

For the first time since 2021, the Gamecocks don’t hold the number one overall seed in the tournament.

The Gamecocks showed their emotions in their watch party and head coach Dawn Staley alluded to this seeding becoming a chip on her teams’ shoulder.

After its loss to UConn on Feb. 16, South Carolina won their last seven games, all by at least ten points.

Chloe Kitts, junior forward, enters March averaging a career-high 10.1 points per game.

Tennessee Tech has just one player at 6 '2' in freshman Megan Aulbert. South Carolina has five players 6’3” and taller.

The Golden Eagles will struggle in the paint and securing rebounds with this height disadvantage.

South Carolina will take game one at home in Colonial Life Arena.

No. 8 Utah vs. No. 9 Indiana

This is a game that will come down to who shoots beyond-the-arc and free throws at the higher percentage.

Utah averages 76.7 points per game while Indiana averages 70.3.

Gianna Kneepkens leads the way for the Utes averaging 19.2 points per game. Gavin Peterson, head coach, took over the 2024-25 campaign five games into the season and looks to continue to build momentum within the program with a deep tournament run.

Indiana’s Yarden Garzon leads her team in rebounds,164, and points per game, 14.5.

Look forward to a halfcourt battle between three-pointers and aggressive defense.

College Park, Maryland

No. 5 Alabama vs. No. 12 Green Bay

Alabama would love to play in their home state and use the home crowd to their advantage making it through the games in College Park.

Tuscaloosa is just two hours from Birmingham and a home court feel adds a layer of confidence,

Green Bay is a branch campus of University of Wisconsin, The Phoenix enter the tournament after exiting in the first round to Tennessee in 2024.

The SEC style of play from Alabama will likely prove hard for Green Bay to compete with. Alabama will take this game by about 15 points.

No. 4 Maryland vs. No. 13 Norfolk State

The Terrapins enter the tournament for the 15th straight season. They’re second in the Big Ten in rebounding margin, +8.4.

This is the first time they’ll play Norfolk State.

The No. 13 seed is the highest seed by a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference women’s team since 2014.

Diamond Johnson, MEAC Player of the Year, is the only active Division I player with at least 2,000 points, 600 rebounds, 390 assists, and 300 steals.

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

No. 6 West Virginia vs. No. 11 Columbia/Washington

West Virginia awaits their opponent in round one of the tournament. The Mountaineers are making their third straight appearance.

Up two spots from last season, West Virginia hopes to knock off their first and second round opponents after a close loss to Iowa State last March.

The team did well in the Big 12 tournament losing to TCU in the semifinals.

No. 3 North Carolina vs. No. 14 Oregon State

Alyssa Ustby and Reniya Kelly are back for the Tar Heels, playing in the ACC tournament, after missing the last two games of the regular season.

This is the first time North Carolina is hosting in ten years.

The Beavers made it to the Elite Eight last season, but lost most of their roster to the transfer portal.

They also have to travel from the west to east coast while the Tar Heels possess home court advantage.

But, anything can happen in March. The Beavers have one at least one game in their last eight tournament appearances.

Durham, North Carolina

No. 7 Vanderbilt vs. No. 10 Oregon

Both teams secured three Quad 1 wins this season. Mikayla Blakes, SEC Freshman of the Year, leads Vanderbilt with 23.2 points per game. She’s the only freshman nationally to average above 20 points per game.

This will be an explosive offensive game and one that will come down to the wire.

Oregon is no stranger to closing out games. The Ducks have won five games decided by two or less points and trailed by multiple possessions in each of their last five wins.

This game is the trickiest to predict a winner in the first round of the Birmingham 2 region.

No. 2 Duke vs. No. 15 Lehigh

Lehigh is making their first tournament appearance since 2021.

The Mountain Hawks have a strong starting five.

Duke won the ACC title this season, its first time since 2013. The Blue Devils are the lone ACC team to beat all 17 conference opponents throughout the season.

Both teams have held their opponents under 59 points this season. Stifling defense will be a factor in this game.

Whatever team can break the opposing defense first, will be the one to win.

Julia Henry is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism and labor and human resources. To contact her, please email jbh6443@psu.edu.