Women’s Bracketology: Here’s why Texas replaces USC as the final 1-seed

Women’s Bracketology: 2025 NCAA tournament

By Charlie Creme Updated: 1/3/2025 at 11:00 a.m. ET

The arrival of 2025 brings the shift to conference play and the beginning of the sprint to March. Bracketology now moves to twice-weekly updates, with new projections every Tuesday and Friday. Automatic bids now total 31 as we continue to count down to Selection Sunday on March 16.

Bracket Watch

Texas survived a grueling road battle at Oklahoma on Thursday as SEC play opened, giving the Longhorns a 5-1 record in Quad 1 and 2 games. With the win, Texas moves to a No. 1 seed, supplanting USC for the final spot on the top line. While the Trojans are 6-1 in Quad 1 and 2 games, including a win at UConn, one thing on Texas’ résumé can’t be overlooked: The Longhorns are No. 1 in the NET rankings. That’s typically not the end-all, be-all decision-maker in these situations. But since Bracketology began in 2004, every team that was No. 1 in the NET (or in the RPI, its predecessor) has been a No. 1 seed. Committee after committee has placed the top-rated team on the top line. So, at least for this week as the Longhorns sit atop the NET perch, Texas is the fourth and final No. 1 seed.

On the Bubble

68-Team Bracket

Region 1 Spokane

Los Angeles
Nashville
Manhattan
Baton Rouge

Region 4 Spokane

Austin
Fort Worth
Norman
Los Angeles

Region 2 Birmingham

Columbia
Atlanta
Durham
College Park

Region 3 Birmingham

South Bend
Knoxville
Columbus
Storrs

Conference Breakdown

Photo illo by ESPN Illustration, additional photos courtesy of Getty Images, Associated Press, Imagn, Icon Sportswire, EPA/Shutterstock

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