Conference tournament season is in full swing for NCAA women’s college basketball teams across the country, and Friday’s slate reminded us why this is the best time of the year for the sport. Several of the nation’s top-ranked teams were in action throughout the day, including No. 2 UCLA, No. 3 South Carolina, No. 4 Texas and No. 5 Vanderbilt.
(Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
These teams were successful for the most part, but there was one major slip-up that certainly served as the surprise of the day. On top of that, we also got a statement from No. 7 LSU against No. 6 Oklahoma, plus an entertaining top-20 battle between No. 11 Ohio State and No. 19 Minnesota. Let’s dive into the action.
No. 2 UCLA def. Washington, 78-60
Washington gave UCLA an early scare, holding the Lady Bruins to just six points in the first quarter en route to a nine-point lead to start the second. UCLA returned the favor immediately, outscoring the Huskies 21-9 in the second quarter before running away with the game in the second half. Lauren Betts did Lauren Betts things, tallying 26 points and eight rebounds while shooting 13-of-20 from the field. Avery Howell led Washington with 18 points, while Sayvia Sellers tallied a game-high eight assists for the Huskies.
Lauren-Betts.mp4 pic.twitter.com/Q2ajVw88nK
— Shabazz (@ShowCaseShabazz) March 6, 2026
No. 3 South Carolina def. No. 17 Kentucky, 87-64
It wouldn’t have been crazy to expect a competitive game between these two ranked SEC foes, especially considering South Carolina narrowly survived with a 60-56 win in Lexington on Sunday. Wrong. Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks looked the way they usually do in March, controlling the game from start to finish en route to a 23-point win. Joyce Edwards led all scorers with 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting, while Madina Okot tallied a game-high 13 rebounds. Amelia Hasset paced Kentucky with 15 points, shooting a perfect 5-of-5 from 3-point range.
No. 6 LSU def. No. 7 Oklahoma, 112-78
The most anticipated game of the afternoon ended up being the biggest statement, as Kim Mulkey’s sixth-ranked LSU Tigers wiped the floor with an upstart Oklahoma team after doing the same in the regular season. MiLaysia Fulwiley led the charge with 22 points off the bench, making 7-of-18 field goal attempts while also racking up eight assists. Flau’jae Johnson added 21 points for the Bayou Bengals, making 8-of-15 attempts from the field and 4-of-7 from beyond the arc. Star freshman Aaliyah Chavez led Oklahoma with 20 points on 6-of-16 shooting.
No. 24 Ole Miss def. No. 5 Vanderbilt, 89-78
The biggest shock of the day also came from the SEC Tournament, as Latasha Lattimore, Cotie McMahon and the Ole Miss Rebels dismantled No. 5 Vanderbilt in an 11-point win that was far more decisive than the final score indicated. Ole Miss led 25-6 after a quarter and led by 32 at halftime (49-17), making Vanderbilt’s 61-point second half moot. Lattimore was lights out for Ole Miss, scoring 28 points off the bench on a remarkable 12-of-13 from the field, while McMahon added 27 points in the win.
Latasha Lattimore tonight
• 28 points
• 8 rebounds
• 3 assists
• 12/13 FG pic.twitter.com/WUOyV2VNQY
— Women’s Hoops Network (@WomensHoops_USA) March 7, 2026
No. 11 Ohio State def. No. 19 Minnesota, 60-55
In one of the more entertaining contests of the day, 11th-ranked Ohio State avenged a 13-point loss it suffered to Minnesota last month, thanks to 17 points apiece from Elsa Lemmilä and Jaloni Cambridge. Lemmilä also added a team-high 11 rebounds, while Cambridge added a team-high six assists. Grace Grocholski led Minnesota with 18 points, while Sophie Hart tallied a game-high 19 rebounds.
NCAAW conference tournaments will resume on Saturday, Mar. 7. Saturday’s slate will include Big East, ACC, Big Ten, Ivy, and Big 12 matchups.
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