For the first time since 2010, Sacramento will host games for the Women’s March Madness tournament, showcasing many of the sport’s top names in the process.

The games for the Sweet 16 will be played on Friday and Saturday at the Golden 1 Center, with many highly anticipated matchups on the schedule.

Minnesota vs. UCLA

The Sweet 16 action in Sacramento tips off with the No. 4 seed Minnesota Golden Gophers looking to upset one of women’s college basketball’s most dominant teams, the No. 1 seed UCLA Bruins.

UCLA, who haven’t lost a game since a non-conference loss to Texas in November, enter the matchup rolling after dominant performances against Cal Baptist and Oklahoma State. Led by their dominant senior center Lauren Betts, a presumptive top pick in the upcoming WNBA draft, the Bruins boast one of the nation’s most efficient offenses and a stifling defense that holds opponents to under 60 points a night.

Surrounding Betts, senior guard Kiki Rice organizes the offense, earning an AP All-America third-team nod while averaging an efficient 15.2 points and 4.5 assists. Flanking Rice, the Bruins have a pair of 3-point snipers in senior forward Gabriela Jaquez and redshirt senior guard Gianna Kneepkens, who both shoot over 40% from distance at a high volume.

Under head coach Cori Close, the Bruins are a well-oiled machine looking to avenge a Final Four loss to UConn last season.

Standing in their way is Minnesota, who are amidst their deepest March Madness run as a program since 2005. The Golden Gophers routed No. 13 seed Green Bay in the first round, and stunned Ole Miss in a cathartic comeback win.

Senior Mara Braun hit a contested step-back 3-pointer, one of her four in the contest, to tie the game at 61 with just a little over a minute to play. Redshirt senior center Sophie Hart hit what appeared to be a game-clinching layup, but Ole Miss responded with two points of their own with just three seconds on the clock.

Head coach Dawn Plitzuweit drew up a play for senior guard Amaya Battle, who drilled a contested midrange fadeaway to send the Gophers into the Sweet 16.

It’s a true “David vs. Goliath” affair in the Sacramento Regional’s first game.

Duke vs. LSU

A classic No. 2 seed against No. 3 seed matchup, the LSU Tigers are looking for their fourth straight Elite Eight appearance. The regional final is where their last two tournaments have ended, coming after their program’s first-ever national championship in 2023.

On the Duke Blue Devils’ side, they’ll be looking to build on their previous season’s tournament, where they made it to the Elite Eight. Duke also enters March Madness fresh off of their second consecutive Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament championship, a sign of good form.

With legendary head coach Kim Mulkey at the helm, the heavy favorite Tigers have adopted a new culture of consistent deep tournament runs. On the court, LSU is led by senior guard Flau’jae Johnson, who was named a member of the AP All-America third team after averaging 14.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game.

LSU has made easy work of their two opponents in the tournament so far, having scored 217 points and only allowing 105. In those games, they shot 58.2% from the field, and held their opponents to 32%.

For the Blue Devils, they’ll be looking for leadership from their two-way star, sophomore forward Toby Fournier. Fournier was also on the AP All-America third team, as well as making the All-Defensive team in the ACC. She’s widely regarded as the second-best player in the conference, behind Notre Dame junior guard Hannah Hidalgo.

The Blue Devils hardly broke a sweat in their opening two matches, opening the tournament by taking out the Charleston Cougars in a 17-point victory, then beating the Baylor Bears by 23.

The two teams have opposite playstyles, likely creating a game that exemplifies the phrase “unstoppable force meets immovable object.” Duke’s head coach, Kara Lawson, likes to make the other team uncomfortable with high pressure defense, while Mulkey’s Tigers will try to run teams out of the gym with a dynamic offense.

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Oklahoma vs. South Carolina

The second day of the Sweet 16 tips off with the No. 1 seed South Carolina taking on No. 4 seed Oklahoma, pitting legendary head coach Dawn Staley against a plucky Sooner squad looking for their first Elite Eight appearance since 2010.

This marks the highest Oklahoma has been ranked since the 2009 season, at one point holding the fifth spot on the AP Poll. They’re led by ferocious freshman guard Aaliyah Chavez, one of the best freshman scorers in women’s college basketball history, averaging 18.3 points a game.

The Sooners have no shortage of scoring, ranking fourth in the nation in points per game, but what truly sets them apart is their rebounding. As a team, they grab 32.5 defensive boards per game, leading the nation. This effort is spearheaded by senior forward Raegan Beers and junior forward Sahara Williams, who combine for 18.4 of those rebounds while also providing a scoring punch.

Oklahoma is a force to be reckoned with, and has proven that they’re up to the task of taking down one of women’s college basketball’s giants. In late January, the Sooners stunned the Gamecocks in an overtime thriller to hand South Carolina their lone SEC loss. All five of the Sooner starters scored in double digits, including 26 from Chavez.

Since that loss, Staley’s Gamecocks have went scorched-earth on their opponents, outscoring them by an average of 25.9 points a night. They’re rolling into their rematch with the Sooners red-hot, scoring triple digits in both of their first two tournament games, including an outrageous 69-point blowout of Southern University in the first round.

Sophomore forward Joyce Edwards leads a balanced offensive attack featuring five double-digit scorers. Edwards is joined in the frontcourt by Kenyan senior forward Madina Okot, the SEC’s leading rebounder. The pair anchor an elite defense, one that held opponents to under 60 points a game on the year.

Under Staley, South Carolina has made the last five Final Fours, winning championships in 2022 and 2024. A fourth ring and a third in six years would further her case as one of the game’s greatest coaches.

Virginia vs. TCU

The Cinderella story is alive and well in the capital, but the dance comes head-to-head with a face Sacramento may be familiar with No. 3 seed TCU head coach Mark Campbell ledSacramento State women’s basketball from 2021-2023, bringing the program’s sole regular season and Big Sky tournament championships and first NCAA tournament berth in school history.

What’s stopping the Horned Frogs from reaching the Elite Eight? A resilient group of Cavaliers who refuse to crack under pressure. Virginia needed a play-in game to get into the tournament, upsetting Arizona State in a 57-55 victory to advance. The Cavaliers then faced Georgia in the first round where their grit took them to a higher level, winning in overtime by a score of 82-73.

All taking place in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, the Cavaliers faced their biggest challenge yet. The game went into double overtime as they dueled against the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Star junior guard Kymora Johnson scored 28 points, scoring half of them in overtime where they punched their ticket to the Sweet 16 with an 83-75 victory. Averaging 19.5 points per game, Johnson will be the biggest thorn in the Horned Frogs’ side, and shutting her down on defense will be essential in taking control of the game.

Graduate guard Olivia Miles also averages 19.4 points per game for TCU, a player the Cavaliers are going to have to keep quiet if they want to conjure an upset.

Successful guard play is at the center of where the tides will turn for the matchup. Along with Johnson and Miles facing off, TCU has the stronger defense but faces the ACC’s leading rebounding team in Virginia.

As the ticket to the Elite Eight hangs in the air, the fight to snag it begins at center court on Saturday at 4:30 p.m.