The regional semifinals have arrived. The Sweet 16 of the 2025 NCAA tournament has tipped off, and by Friday night, four teams will be one step closer to Tampa, Florida.
All four No. 1 seeds have advanced this far, and two will take the court Friday as defending champion South Carolina and UCLA, the No. 1 overall seed, seek a spot in the Elite Eight. The Bruins will face Ole Miss, one of three 5-seeds to reach the Sweet 16, in the final game of the night.
We’re tracking every game as the march to the Final Four continues. Here’s your guide — complete with analysis from on-site reporters in Birmingham, Alabama, and Spokane, Washington — to Friday’s games as half of the Elite Eight is set. And be sure to check out ESPN’s ranking of the top 25 players still competing in March Madness.
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Final: LSU 80, NC State 73
How LSU won: In a game with huge momentum swings, LSU threw the final punch. After the Tigers fell behind by 5 with 4:29 left to play, Mikaylah Williams and Sa’Myah Smith took over, scoring LSU’s final 16 points to take the lead for good. Williams had a slow start shooting-wise (4-for-15 from the field) but ended the game making four of her final five attempts. She also made her presence felt in other ways as LSU’s primary facilitator, finishing with 6 assists. In all, she scored or assisted on 30 points. Smith, who has been working her way back from a November 2023 knee injury, has been in great form this March, recording her second-straight 20-point, 10-rebound game — and providing the Tigers with a huge boost to their frontcourt depth as they seek to return to the Final Four.
But LSU wouldn’t have been in position to win without a stellar outing from Aneesah Morrow, who became the first player with at least 30 points and 15 rebounds in a Sweet 16 game or later since Stanford’s Nneka Ogwumike in the 2010 Final Four. Over half her scoring came from second-chance points (16), and she nearly had as many offensive rebounds (nine) as NC State registered as a team (10).
And while the Wolfpack guards had their moments, the Tigers were able to hold stars Aziaha James and Saniya Rivers to a combined 6-for-21 from the field. Zoe Brooks and Zam Jones did all they could to keep up, but NC State fell flat down the stretch, failing to score in the final two minutes.
LSU’s keys to the Elite Eight: With Morrow making a difference early and Williams and Smith serving as closers late, LSU was able to withstand a quiet performance from Flau’Jae Johnson (1-for-8 from the field, 3 points), who didn’t play up to her usual level and took a hard fall toward the end of the game. LSU is 16-0 this season when Johnson (who was averaging 18.8 PPG coming into the Sweet 16) scores at least 20 points. She is 29-1 over her career when she hits that mark, the third-best record by an SEC player over the last 25 seasons.
Still, the Tigers are headed to their 11th Elite Eight appearance and third straight under Kim Mulkey. Players come and go — Angel Reese and Hailey Van Lith from last year’s star-studded squad have since moved on to new endeavors. But more often than not, Mulkey manages to find a way. — Alexa Philippou
Final: South Carolina 71, Maryland 67
How South Carolina won: When South Carolina needed a playmaker, MiLaysia Fulwiley stepped up. She hit a huge bucket to cut Maryland’s lead and followed with an assist to give South Carolina a 46-45 advantage late in the third quarter. She also hit a one-legged fadeaway to close the quarter. When South Carolina needed a bucket, Fulwiley delivered. Her 23 points are an NCAA tournament career high. She had help, but South Carolina pulled out this win because big-time players make big-time plays in big-time games.
South Carolina’s keys to the Elite Eight: South Carolina will likely be in a similar struggle against Duke on Sunday: a gritty, low-scoring, slug fest — that’s how Duke will try to play it. The two teams faced off in the SEC/ACC challenge in December, with South Carolina winning 81-70. South Carolina had 17 turnovers against Maryland. The Blue Devils will try to put South Carolina in similar positions and squeeze the life out of the Gamecocks’ offense. South Carolina shot only 38.5% from the field and 26.7% from beyond the arc Friday. If the Gamecocks’ offense struggles like that against Duke, the Blue Devils will have a chance. If the Gamecocks handle Duke’s pressure, they’ll be headed to Tampa, Florida, and back to the Final Four. — Katie Barnes
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South Carolina’s late push helps avoid Maryland’s upset bid
MiLaysia Fulwiley leads all scorers with 23 points in South Carolina’s narrow win over Maryland.
Final: Duke 47, North Carolina 38
How Duke won: The Tar Heels struggled to score against the tenacious Blue Devils’ defense, shooting 28.3% from the field. UNC’s 20 first-half points were tied for the second fewest in a first half in an NCAA tournament game in program history. The 85 combined points are the lowest in the Sweet 16 round or later in NCAA tournament history. Offensively, Duke emerged with the nine-point victory through a balanced attack. Sophomore guard Oluchi Okananwa had 12 points and 12 rebounds off the bench. Ashlon Jackson was also in double figures with 10 points.
Duke’s keys to the Elite Eight: Duke will play South Carolina. The Blue Devils’ ability to control the game defensively will dictate whether they make the program’s first Final Four since 2006. But shooting 31% from the field and 20.8% from beyond the arc is unlikely to get the job done, no matter Duke’s defensive performance. In addition to their typical defensive output, the Blue Devils need to make some shots and have a standout offensive performance. — Katie Barnes
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Oluchi Okananwa beats the shot clock with 3 for Duke
Oluchi Okananwa’s pull-up 3 beats the shot clock for Duke vs. North Carolina.