Top four seeds revealed for NCAA women's basketball tournament

In the United States, the NCAA women's basketball selection committee announced the first reveal of the top four seeds for the upcoming women's NCAA Tournament. This event occurred on February 18, 2025, highlighting UCLA, South Carolina, Texas, and Notre Dame as the No. 1 seeded teams. Spokane, Washington, and Birmingham, Alabama, have been designated to host regions of the tournament, with UCLA and Notre Dame in Spokane and South Carolina and Texas in Birmingham. The announcement did not consider games played later that day, including critical matchups for South Carolina and Texas. The selection committee emphasized their confidence in having the correct top four seeds, and chair Derita Dawkins stated that future reveals are scheduled, leading up to the real seedings on March 16, 2025. The announcement is significant as it sets the tone for the rest of the championship season and is a vital part of how teams will be bracketed in the tournament. This year's tournament is shaping up to be competitive due to the emergence of a tighter group of elite teams, especially following changes in conference alignments from the recent dissolution of the Pac-12. As the tournament approaches, the anticipation builds with numerous teams showcasing high performance. For instance, Auburn has been on a notable run, holding the No. 1 ranking for six uninterrupted weeks as of mid-February. Duke, led by freshman star Cooper Flagg, has also made headlines for winning games convincingly, further intensifying the competition as teams jockey for positioning. The presence of several strong teams within the Southeastern Conference adds another dimension to the championship race. Amid the excitement, other teams, such as Florida, Alabama, and Texas A&M, are performing well and find themselves in the top seven of the AP poll, indicating a robust competitive landscape. As the NCAA Tournament looms, the seeding process and later matchups will reveal how these teams fare against each other as they strive for the national championship. Fans and analysts alike are keenly observing developments, hoping for thrilling matchups and surprise outcomes as the culmination of the college basketball season approaches.