The 2025 NCAA Women's Tournament is witnessing some of the most thrilling matchups and standout performances, as the final round of the Sweet 16 unfolded over the weekend. On Friday, teams like UCLA, South Carolina, LSU, and Duke punched their tickets to the Elite Eight, followed by TCU, Texas, UConn, and USC joining the ranks on Saturday.

The spotlight, however, belonged to Paige Bueckers, the prodigious guard for UConn, who delivered a sensational performance against Oklahoma. Not only did Bueckers propel UConn past the Sooners with an astonishing career-high of 40 points, but she also set a new single-game record for UConn in NCAA Tournament history. This made her the first player from the school to notch 30 or more points in three tournament games, solidifying her status as the likely top overall pick in the upcoming WNBA Draft.

UConn's Elite Eight appearance marks their 18th in the past 19 seasons, and they will face off against top-seeded USC—a rematch after the Trojans narrowly edged them earlier this season. The first clash ended 72-70 in favor of USC, a game where they had star player JuJu Watkins in the lineup.

Speaking of USC, they managed to make a statement of their own during the Sweet 16 by overcoming Kansas State without Watkins, who is sidelined due to an ACL injury. Kennedy Smith stepped up significantly in her absence, contributing 19 points, and was pivotal in a closely contested game that USC won 67-61. Although the Trojans were considered strong title contenders, Watkins's injury has made them the underdogs as they prepare for a rematch against UConn, who eliminated them from the tournament last year.

Other tournament highlights included Texas narrowly defeating Tennessee 67-59, where Madison Booker emerged as the star with 17 points, showing remarkable poise in crunch time. The Longhorns now look forward to facing TCU, who advanced after a landmark victory over Notre Dame—marking TCU's first trip to the Elite Eight. Hailey Van Lith’s late-game heroics, including scoring 12 of her 26 points in the fourth quarter, helped seal the deal.

The elite tournament continues to draw fans and generate buzz, with each round elevating the stakes and adding to the excitement surrounding women's basketball. With names like Paige Bueckers and Kennedy Smith making headlines, the upcoming Elite Eight promises to deliver compelling matchups that could reshape the future of college basketball.

Who will emerge victorious? Only time will tell as they all vie for a coveted spot in the Final Four! Don’t miss the action as the tournament unfolds and the race for the national title intensifies!