Duke, UNC, NC State Set To Host NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament First Round Games
Three North Carolina basketball giants will welcome the 2025 NCAA women’s tournament first round. The selection committee’s February 26 preview tagged Duke, UNC, and NC State as host locations.
This is quite special, only the second time in almost 30 years these rivals will host tournament games at the same time. The last time this happened was back in 1998 when the tournament grew to 64 teams.
UNC landed the third seed in Spokane 1 Regional. They’ll compete in a bracket with UCLA at the top, fifth-seed LSU, and Kansas State at 15. Right now, the Tar Heels stand at No. 8 in AP rankings, with their state rivals nearby, NC State at ninth and Duke at 16.
The Wolfpack keeps rolling with fresh wins over ranked Georgia Tech and previously unbeaten Notre Dame. Their only loss came in a close game against UNC. “The energy from the crowd can be a decisive factor in close matches,” said Wes Moore to News & Observer.
As the third seed in Spokane 3 Regional, Duke faces tough competition. They’ll have to get past third-overall Southern California, sixth-ranked Connecticut, and Kentucky at 14. Recent losses to Louisville and Notre Dame have left Duke looking to bounce back.
Everything kicks off with First Four games March 19-20, followed by first-round matchups March 21-22. Winners move on to Birmingham or Spokane for regionals March 28-31. The season wraps up with Tampa’s Final Four on April 4-6.
The latest committee rankings keep NC State holding steady at eighth overall. Meanwhile, UNC jumped to tenth spot as Duke slipped to eleventh – showing how their ACC performances have changed.
The full tournament picture will become clear on March 16, when officials reveal the final bracket showing every team’s road to the championship.
