{"id":96870,"date":"2026-03-23T20:50:46","date_gmt":"2026-03-23T23:50:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ubirataonline.com.br\/womens-march-madness-day-4-second-round-scores-analysis\/"},"modified":"2026-03-23T20:50:50","modified_gmt":"2026-03-23T23:50:50","slug":"womens-march-madness-day-4-second-round-scores-analysis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ubirataonline.com.br\/en\/womens-march-madness-day-4-second-round-scores-analysis\/","title":{"rendered":"Women’s March Madness Day 4: Second-round scores, analysis"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Mar 23, 2026, 07:40 PM ET<\/span><\/div>\n

The final day of the second round of the 2026 women’s NCAA tournament is underway. We’re tracking every game as the regional semifinals take shape.<\/p>\n

Here is ESPN’s guide to all the Day 4 results, with analysis from reporters of how each game was won, and our experts’ takes on each winner’s chances to advance to the Elite Eight.<\/p>\n

How Kentucky won the game: <\/strong>Though West Virginia made this a tight and intense game down the stretch, Kentucky led for 33 minutes and never trailed after the first quarter. The Wildcats led by as many as 14 points, but once the Mountaineers found their footing on defense, it became a tighter contest. Kentucky won thanks to the play of its top three scorers: Teonni Key<\/a>, Clara Strack<\/a> and Tonie Morgan<\/a>. Key led the group with 19 points and 10 rebounds — her second-highest scoring mark of the season. Strack recorded her 16th double-double of the season, and her fourth double-double in six career NCAA tournament games, with 18 points and 15 rebounds. Morgan added 15 points.<\/p>\n

Kentucky’s Sweet 16 opponent: <\/strong>(1) Texas<\/p>\n

How the Wildcats can advance to the Elite Eight:<\/strong> The Wildcats are advancing to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2016, and have a chance to make it to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2013. They will face Madison Booker<\/a> and the Longhorns in the third round of the tournament. To get past that group, the Wildcats will have to use their size to their advantage. The Wildcats have four players listed at 6-foot-4 and taller, and they average 40 rebounds per game. This could help them work past the high-powered offense of Texas.<\/p>\n\n

How Notre Dame won:<\/strong> The Irish lost four starters and two important reserves to graduation and transfers from last year’s Sweet 16 team. But they had junior guard Hannah Hidalgo<\/a> back, and she has had another fantastic season. In Columbus, Ohio, on Monday, she was the catalyst for everything, finishing with 26 points, 13 rebounds, eight steals and two assists. She also had good support, as Vanessa de Jesus<\/a> had 15 points, Cassandre Prosper<\/a> and Iyana Moore<\/a> added 13 each, and KK Bransford<\/a> chipped in 10. The Irish forced 21 turnovers and scored 25 points off them.<\/p>\n

Notre Dame’s Sweet 16 opponent:<\/strong> (2) Vanderbilt or (7) Illinois<\/p>\n

How Notre Dame can advance to the Elite Eight:<\/strong> Notre Dame is rolling and will be a challenge for any foe. But that wasn’t the case earlier this season. The Irish went 3-6 in January — after falling at Cal on Jan. 29, they were 13-8 overall and 5-5 in the ACC. Then, their season started to turn around Feb. 1 after a victory at Stanford. The Irish have lost just twice since then: 81-70 at Virginia on Feb. 8 and 65-63 to Duke on March 7 in the ACC tournament semifinals. Hidalgo has been the rock for the Irish. Prosper’s progress and the improved chemistry of transfers Moore (from Vanderbilt) and de Jesus (from Duke) have helped the Irish become perhaps the most improved team in the country since midseason. — Voepel<\/em><\/p>\n\n

How Virginia won:<\/strong> Simply put: tireless, gutsy, effective guard play. Kymora Johnson<\/a> had 28 points, and Paris Clark<\/a> added 20, plus they had a combined nine rebounds and eight assists. And another Cavalier guard, Romi Levy<\/a>, had 13 points. The Cavaliers made 9 of 27 3-pointers and were 18-of-23 from the foul line. And even though Virginia had 20 turnovers to Iowa’s 16, the Cavaliers capitalized much more on them. They got 27 points off turnovers to Iowa’s 14. Iowa led 42-24 in points in the paint. But in a tight game that went to two extra periods, there were too many times the Hawkeyes didn’t execute in clutch moments. They had the ball with an opportunity to win at the end of regulation, but Chazadi Wright<\/a> missed a turnaround jumper. They had the ball again at the end of the first overtime but missed a 3-pointer and an attempted putback. Then, Iowa sophomore standout center Ava Heiden<\/a> and senior guard Kylie Feuerbach<\/a> fouled out in the second overtime. The Hawkeyes also missed critical free throws late in the game, finishing 8-of-16 from the line. They were 5-of-29 from 3-point range. Iowa lost its best 3-point shooter, senior Taylor McCabe<\/a>, to a knee injury Jan. 25, and her absence as a perimeter threat and ball handler was felt in Monday’s loss. The Hawkeyes end the season 27-7 and lose senior forward Hannah Stuelke<\/a>, who was part of their Final Four teams in 2023 and 2024. She had 15 points, 19 rebounds and six assists in her final game, but was 1-of-6 from the line.<\/p>\n

Virginia’s Sweet 16 opponent:<\/strong> (3) TCU<\/p>\n

How Virginia can advance to the Elite Eight: <\/strong>The Cavaliers seemed to feel at home at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, winning three games there to advance to the program’s first Sweet 16 since 2000. Each game went down to the wire — Virginia beat Arizona State 57-55 in the First Four and No. 7 seed Georgia 82-73 in overtime before the marathon win over Iowa. The Cavaliers are the first team since the First Four began for the women’s tournament in 2022 to advance from that round to the Sweet 16. Johnson had a combined 73 points in the three games and will face off with TCU superstar guard Olivia Miles<\/a> in the regional final. The Cavaliers must continue their stellar guard play and defense, which will give them a chance to knock off the Horned Frogs. — Michael Voepel<\/em><\/p>\n\n

How Louisville won:<\/strong> The Cardinals lost five games at home this season, and Alabama almost made it six Monday. Louisville did just enough to hold off the Crimson Tide despite leaving the door open: The Cardinals were just 8-of-16 from the free throw line and 7-of-26 from behind the 3-point arc, while Alabama was 4-of-4 from the stripe and 12-of-26 from 3. But Louisville also controlled the boards 41-24 and was called for just 10 fouls to Alabama’s 21.<\/p>\n