The bracket is set. The First Four is underway. And on Friday, the first round of the 2026 Women’s NCAA Tournament officially tips off.

With 16 games on Friday and another 16 on Saturday, it can be hard to figure out where to put your attention. Here are eight best first-round games you don’t want to miss.

8. No. 5 Kentucky vs. No. 12 James Madison 

Saturday, 2:30 p.m., ESPNU

This match-up is notable mainly for narrative reasons. Kentucky coach Kenny Brooks played for James Madison and then coached there from 1998 to 2016, first as a men’s assistant, but most notably as the head coach of the women’s team starting in 2003. Brooks led the Dukes to four CAA regular-season championships, five conference tournament championships and five NCAA Tournament appearances and is in the James Madison Athletics Hall of Fame.

This is the Dukes’ best season since Brooks left for Virginia Tech in 2016, but Kentucky is a tough draw for sure. Pay attention to the battle in the post — JMU ranks in the top 15 nationally in both rebounds and rebounding margin, thanks in big part to Ashanti Barnes. But the Wildcats have 6-foot-5 center Clara Strack, who averages 17.1 points and 10 rebounds a game.

7. No. 8 Oklahoma State vs. No. 9 Princeton 

Saturday, 7:30 p.m., ESPN2

You never know quite what to expect from this Oklahoma State team. Case in point: In late February, the Cowgirls fell 72-40 to West Virginia and then beat Iowa State 88-77. The Cowgirls impressively finished fourth in the competitive Big 12 and are searching for their first NCAA Tournament win in the Jacie Hoyt era.

Princeton went 26-3 this season and won the Ivy League championship to make its fifth straight NCAA Tournament appearance. The Tigers haven’t won a game in the Big Dance since upsetting NC State in 2023, but this year’s squad is ranked No. 23 in the nation and looks primed to get a win for the mid-majors.

Women’s March Madness bracket predictions 2026: NCAA Tournament expert picks

Lindsay Gibbs

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6. No. 6 Notre Dame vs. No. 11 Fairfield 

Saturday, 2 p.m., ESPN

I’ll be honest: this game could easily be a blowout. Notre Dame finished the season strong and has one of the most electric players in the country, Hannah Hidalgo. But I’m including it because the Irish have also been inconsistent during this rebuilding year and Fairfield coach Carly Thibault-DuDonis has turned the Stags into a MAAC powerhouse in her four seasons at the helm.

The Stags are on an 11-game winning streak heading into their third straight NCAA Tournament, and a No. 11 seed is their highest since 1988. Plus, Fairfield leads the nation in 3-pointers made with 11.4 per game. It’s doubtful the Stags will be able to stop Hidalgo, but if they get hot from beyond the arc, they just might be able to keep up with her.

5. No. 6 Baylor vs. No. 11 Nebraska 

Friday, 2 p.m., ESPN

Speaking of being due, in 2025, No. 11 seeds went 0-4 in the first round for the first time since 2017. I wouldn’t expect that to happen again this year. One No. 11 seed to watch out for is Nebraska, which won its First Four game 75-56 against Richmond on Wednesday night. The Huskers shook off their nerves early and came out after halftime on fire, going on a 17-0 run and winning the third quarter 27-6. Britt Prince was particularly impressive, with 22 points, five assists and three boards.

None of the Huskers played more than 30 minutes on Wednesday, so they should be plenty fresh when facing Baylor on Friday. The Bears lost four of their last seven games, and even though all of those losses came to NCAA Tournament teams, it’s concerning how much they have struggled offensively down the stretch, scoring just 53 points in their two most recent games.

On paper, the sensational Taliah Scott should be able to lead the Bears to the second round. But Nebraska has already proved that it came to Durham to give its all. 

4. No. 5 Ole Miss vs. No. 12 Gonzaga 

Saturday, 3:30 pm ET, ESPN2

This is a pretty lopsided game seed-wise, but that’s because Gonzaga has one of the main X-factors that helps teams get upsets in March: 3-point shooting. Gonzaga has the second-best 3-point percentage in the nation behind UConn, led by Allie Turner, who shoots 46.7% from outside. 

Ole Miss can beat the best teams in the game — it upset No. 2 seed Vanderbilt twice this season and only lost to No. 1 seed Texas by three points. But the Rebels are inconsistent — they lost to three teams that didn’t make the NCAA Tournament in Kansas State, Florida and Texas A&M.

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Isabel Gonzalez

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Last year, No. 12 seeds went 0-4 for the second straight season after going 2-2 in 2022 and 2023, so one might say the No. 12s are due for a win. If nothing else, it’s worth it to tune in and watch Ole Miss’s Cotie McMahon compete on the biggest stage.

3. No. 8 Iowa State vs. No. 9 Syracuse 

Saturday, 5:30 p.m., ESPN2

These teams have had very different journeys this season. Iowa State opened the season ranked No. 14 and spent the first 10 weeks ranked in the AP top 25 before going on a five-game losing streak while grappling with an injury to forward Addy Brown. Syracuse, meanwhile, bounced back from a 12-18 season last year to return to the Big Dance thanks in large part to ACC Freshman of the Year Uche Izoje, a 21-year-old center from Nigeria.

Izoje will have her hands full on Saturday with Audi Crooks, the junior center who is second in the nation in scoring at 25.5 points per game. Crooks scored 40 points in the NCAA Tournament as a freshman, and with another big game could join Caitlin Clark and Candace Wiggins as the only players with multiple 40-point games in the NCAA Tournament.

2. No. 8 Clemson vs. No. 9 USC 

Saturday, 3:30 p.m., ESPN2

This has been an expected down year for USC with superstar JuJu Watkins sidelined with an ACL tear, but the Trojans are still a tournament team thanks to freshman phenom Jazzy Davidson, who is leading the team in points (17.6), rebounds (5.7), assists (4.2), steals (2.0) and blocks (2.0) per game.

Clemson, meanwhile, is one of the best stories in college basketball this year. With a top 10 recruiting class joining the program this summer, coach Shawn Poppie has the Tigers back in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2019 and the second time since 2002. Clemson notched impressive wins over four of the other eight ACC teams that qualified for the NCAA Tournament, including conference champions Duke.

While the future is bright for both programs, both want to prove that they belong now. 

1. No. 7 NC State vs. No. 10 Tennessee

Friday, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN

When the Wolfpack and Lady Vols faced off in the very first game of the season at the Ro Greensboro Invitational, both teams were ranked in the top 10 and had dreams of conference championships and deep NCAA Tournament runs. Now, one of them will be going home winless in March.

NC State won that November game 80-77, but that would be its only win over a ranked team all season. Despite standout seasons from Zoe Brooks and Khamil Pierre, both All-ACC first team selections, this young Wolfpack squad spent the season marred by a lack of chemistry and leadership. 

Tennessee (16-13) is the only team to appear in every NCAA Tournament, but it enters this edition on a seven-game losing streak, the longest by the Lady Vols in the NCAA Tournament era. With just 16 wins, they tie the fewest wins by any at-large team in the past 40 years, excluding the shortened 2020-21 season. And as bad as all of that sounds, Tennessee’s last month has felt even worse, leaving many wondering about the future of coach Kim Caldwell.

I know, I know, I’m doing a really good job selling this one! But still, this one tops the must-watch list because that Nov. 4 game was a thriller, and I expect this one to be, too. Brooks vs. Tennessee’s press is worth the price of admission alone, and because of Tennessee’s recent troubles and storied legacy in the spot, the stakes feel incredibly high. And Tennessee still has tons of talent — Talaysia Cooper and Janiah Barker can go toe-to-toe with the best in the nation.

Mick Price, the Cranbourne-based handler, reveals he’ll sense more strain tracking Hot Digity Boom in Adelaide than with his Group 1 charges in Sydney or Melbourne.

Ownership in Hot Digity Boom is shared by Price’s partner Shona and daughters Kelly and Stephanie, as the filly prepares for the Charlie Hoile Handicap (1400m) at Morphettville Parks this Saturday.

Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr’s yard encounters a full slate, with Guest House entered in the Golden Slipper, Reserve Bank in The Galaxy in Sydney, and Charm Stone in Caulfield’s Group 1 William Reid Stakes.

The stable sends three to Adelaide: Hot Digity Boom, alongside first-starter The Speed Machine in the Sportsbet Fast Form Handicap (1000m), and Bring Forth in the Sportsbet Race Replays Handicap (2294m).

Last appearance saw Hot Digity Boom fifth behind Astral Flame in Flemington’s Benchmark 84 fillies and mares race on February 28; the 1400m return suits after her Cranbourne win at the distance.

“Hot Digity Boom, we’ll be doing our best for the girls, and family harmony,” Price said.

“She’s consistent but doesn’t win too often, so hopefully she can win again on Saturday.”

Bring Forth, another horse in which Price invests, is primed for the extra ground third-up this preparation.

He ran second most recently over 1800m at Sandown.

“Bring Forth is now third-up and is looking for the trip,” Price said.

“His two runs back have been good, and it was a good solid effort last time.

The rail is out nine metres, and it is on the Parks track, but I reckon we’ll ride Bring Forth with a bit of a smother.”

Kicking off in Adelaide is The Speed Machine, a two-year-old out of Blue Diamond Stakes second-place finisher Hanseatic.

“The Speed Machine has had two trials for two wins.

He’s a sharp little horse and I think he will be competitive in the first.”

Check racing betting markets on the best sites for the Charlie Hoile Handicap.

The Minnesota Vikings re-upped with quarterback Carson Wentz on Thursday, and according to one of the team’s former linebackers, Ben Leber, a beloved member of the Vikings community, Wentz is in line to start as the QB1 in 2026 — not Kyler Murray.

Leber’s depth-chart idea turns a quiet signing into a real debate.

Most onlookers expect Wentz to end up with the QB3 job, not the QB1 title.

Leber’s QB Take Puts Carson Wentz Front and Center

Leber brings the heat on VikingsTwitter.

Leber: Wentz is the Vikings’ QB1

Minnesota added Wentz, and most fans didn’t bat an eye, as the veteran did a serviceable job holding down the fort during J.J. McCarthy’s absence (high ankle sprain) last September and October. And Wentz played so well — evidently — that Leber envisions a starter’s job in 2026.

He tweeted after the Wentz addition, “I believe there will be a true QB competition. So as of right now I would guess the depth chart would be: Wentz, Murray, McCarthy. May the best man win.”

Here’s the full tweet:

A Record-Scratch Moment

Most Twitter (X) users read Leber’s comments a few times to confirm Leber’s account was real and not a parody. That happens.

But it was not parody, and Leber meant what he tweeted. Wentz met with the New York Jets one week ago to explore a relationship with Aaron Glenn’s team, where he could possibly start or serve as the QB2 behind the newly acquired Geno Smith. In the end, Wentz and the Jets did not reach an agreement, and Wentz came back to Minnesota.

Wentz must believe he can win the QB2 job over McCarthy. Or — if Leber is correct, against all odds, fans might be watching a Murray v. Wentz battle at training camp in Eagan.

SI.com‘s Jonathan Harrison on Leber’s bold take: “That would be shocking for numerous reasons. First off, with other options still available to him, Murray decided to sign with the Vikings after his release from Arizona. Presumably, that would mean he was told by the Vikings’ coaching staff he would be the starter or have a good shot at winning the ‘competition.’ There is no definitive answer, and there likely won’t be one until we see the snap distributions at training camp.”

“When pressed at a press conference following the Murray signing, O’Connell said he doesn’t have to name a starter now. Minnesota is a team that views itself as a contender. If it’s true that Wentz would have kept the job had he stayed healthy, his return likely signals that McCarthy really isn’t in the competition at all.”

The Wentz Numbers a Season Ago

With Wentz, Murray, and McCarthy perhaps duking it out via Battle Royale — per Leber — for the starting quarterback spot this summer, let’s take another look at how Wentz played in 2025.

The offense hummed more steadily with Wentz calling the shots. Minnesota scored over 20 points in four of the five games he started, even crushing the Cincinnati Bengals by 38 points. McCarthy, on the other hand, only hit that 20-point mark four times in ten starts, and his performance was all over the place week to week.

Out of 40 quarterbacks with at least 200 dropbacks, Wentz was 25th in EPA per play, while McCarthy was way down at 37th — usually where you find rookies or guys who are still figuring things out. This difference was super clear on those long drives where you need to be patient.

Why the difference? It mostly comes down to style. Wentz liked to make quick decisions and throw short passes, which kept the offense moving and reduced mistakes, even though the offensive line wasn’t always reliable. Plus, the run game didn’t help much, since Aaron Jones only played in one of those five games. McCarthy, though, preferred to throw the ball deep and take some risks, which led to some big plays but wasn’t as consistent.

Wentz completed 65.1% of his passes for 1,216 yards, with six touchdowns and five interceptions. McCarthy had more of those exciting, long plays, but his execution wasn’t as steady from drive to drive. Generally speaking, Wentz ran a smoother offensive operation, even if his performance was mediocre.

McCarthy on Notice?

Let’s be frank: McCarthy has experienced an absolutely dreadful offseason. The offseason from hell, in fact.

1. The guy who drafted him, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, got fired on January 30th. If the Vikings owners ever needed something to scapegoat the McCarthy draft pick, well, they already have it by canning the man who nominated McCarthy as the franchise quarterback.
2. The Vikings signed Murray, who has a better resume than McCarthy per efficiency by leaps and bounds. When Minnesota signed Murray one week ago, McCarthy was demoted with the snap of two fingers. Not good news for the guy lined up as the franchise quarterback in 2024.
3. One week later, Minnesota signed competition in Wentz for McCarthy’s QB2 job. It’s like a nightmare for a young passer in the middle of his development.

McCarthy strutted into the summer of 2025 with the QB1 logo on his chest. Now, he must fight to avoid a QB3 fate.

Crimson Desert on PC allows players to pick between controller or mouse and keyboard as the primary input schemes. That said, which is the better option? The answer honestly depends on user preferences, but in this case, the controller is more preferable. This is even though it might seem counterintuitive at first glance.

Here’s all you need to know about using a controller versus a keyboard in Crimson Desert on PC. Read on to know more.

Also Read: Best beginner’s tips and tricks for Crimson Desert

Why controller is better than mouse and keyboard for Crimson Desert on PC

Keyboard & mouse is the staple combo for PC players, largely due to its versatility, thanks to offering several buttons to map controls down to. Crimson Desert is also a complex game, mechanically speaking. As such, several inputs requiring double button presses on the controller are simplified to a single input on keyboard, such as grab. As such, at first glance, it may seem like the keyboard is the way to go.

However, the controller is simply a lot more user-friendly in the long run. This is not just due to better ergonomics, but also because this is a third-person action game. For example, the action combos are easier to input on a controller due to the buttons being easier to reach in the heat of combat.

This is better than them being separated on PC, as Punch/Kick on keyboard, but Light/Heavy Attack being tied to the mouse, which can be jarring in action. Furthermore, since developer Pearl Abyss has to fit a complex control scheme on a relatively limited set of buttons, the controller scheme has also been better thought out.

The downside here is that players will have to contend with some finicky inputs, especially when trying to press two buttons to perform Grab versus one on the keyboard. Thankfully, Crimson Desert is a massive game, so there will be enough time to get used to these somewhat unorthodox inputs over time.

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