March Madness live updates, scores, bracket: NC State tops Michigan State, Texas beats Illinois in women’s NCAA tournament

Live24 updates

• 

  Mon, March 24, 2025 at 12:49 PM PDT

  Looking ahead in Birmingham 3

  Birmingham 3 is officially a bracket of rematches. Both games will be played on Saturday (1 and 3:30 p.m. ET).

  No. 1 Texas vs. No. 5 Tennessee: Texas won, 80-76, in their one SEC meeting in January. The 76 points scored by Tennessee were the second-most Texas allowed all season. The most was a 80-70 loss to Notre Dame in overtime. The problem in both of those games were 3-pointers (season-high nine by Tennessee, eight by Notre Dame).

  No. 2 TCU vs. No. 3 Notre Dame: It’s redemption time for Notre Dame. The first blemish on the Fighting Irish’s season was a 76-68 loss to TCU at the Cayman Islands Classic in November. A loss to Utah followed in a week of absent defense for Notre Dame. They allowed Sedona Prince and Hailey Van Lith to score a combined 41 points. The Fighting Irish have more depth available in the frontcourt than they had at the beginning of the year while Maddy Westbeld and transfer Liza Karlen returned from injury.

• 

  Mon, March 24, 2025 at 12:47 PM PDT

  Final: Texas 65, Illinois 48

  Another 20-point game from SEC Player of the Year Madison Booker and 19 points from Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda helped power Texas. Both players also grabbed six rebounds in the 17-point win.

  The Longhorns’ defense frustrated the Illini all games. Texas forced 20 turnovers, including 10 steals, and cashed in with 23 points.

  Texas will now move on to the Sweet 16 and face No. 5 Tennessee on Saturday.

• 

  Mon, March 24, 2025 at 12:35 PM PDT

  Harmon to Booker connection paying off for Texas

  Madison Booker has 18 points. Rori Harmon leads all players with seven assists.

  Texas is up 19 with under five minutes to play.

• 

  Mon, March 24, 2025 at 12:21 PM PDT

  Texas running away versus Illinois

  Through three quarters, Texas is up over Illinois and on the verge of another Sweet 16 berth.

  Madison Booker leads all players with 18 points. Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda has 14 and Taylor Jones has added 10 points. The Longhorns have forced 18 turnovers leading to 22 points.

• 

  Mon, March 24, 2025 at 12:15 PM PDT

  Longhorns dominating everywhere

  Texas has a 30-10 points in the paint advantage; have recorded eight steals and 22-5 lead in points off turnovers.

  They are heading towards the final quarter with a 22-point lead and are looking to secure their fourth trip to the Sweet 16 in the past five seasons.

• 

  Mon, March 24, 2025 at 12:06 PM PDT

  Texas cashing in on Illinois turnovers

  Illinois’ inability to protect the ball has led to 15 total turnovers and two in the opening minutes of the third quarter. The Longhorns have taken advantage with 17 points off Illini turnovers.

  Texas’ Madison Booker leads all players with 10 points.

• 

  Mon, March 24, 2025 at 12:06 PM PDT

  Madison Booker’s favorite spot

  Madison Booker is such a fun player to watch. If she gets to that midrange pocket on the baseline, it’s game over. (And yes, she wears No. 35 for Kevin Durant.)

  Taking on point guard duties in the absence of Rori Harmon a year ago improved her court vision and decision-making. Harmon said earlier this season watching it from the sideline in turn improved her own game.

  Texas won the 1986 national championship, completing a 34-0 undefeated season under Jody Conradt. It is the only national title game berth for the Longhorns.

• 

  Mon, March 24, 2025 at 11:48 AM PDT

  Texas pulling away from Illinois at halftime

  It took the Longhorns a bit to get started, but the team certainly looks like a No. 1 seed at halftime. After keeping it close with No. 8 seed Illinois early, the Longhorns emerged to open up a 34-18 lead at the half.

  Offensively, Texas has spread the ball around. No player on the team has double-digit points entering the half. Madison Booker has had impressive moments, but only has 8 points so far.

  Defensively, however, Texas has been a force. Illinois is shooting just 30 percent from the field, including 1-for-6 from beyond the arc. The team has put the clamps on Genesis Bryant and Adalia McKenzie, holding them to a combined 0-for-7 from the field. Illinois has 13 turnovers at half.

  Behind that fantastic defense, Texas has opened up a 34-18 lead at half. Unless Illinois can breakthrough in the second half, Texas could wrap this one up shortly after the game restarts.

• 

  Mon, March 24, 2025 at 11:32 AM PDT

  Texas defense stymying Illinois

  While the Longhorns haven’t pulled away from Illinois just yet, Texas’ defense is putting it work. Illinois is shooting just 25 percent from the field with eight minutes to play in the second quarter.

  Illinois’ Genesis Bryant continues to struggle from the field. The senior is 0-for-3, though has scored 2 points on two free-throw attempts. Bryant has also been forced into two of the team’s seven turnovers thanks to Texas’ defense.

  Offensively, Texas is starting to come alive in the second quarter. Madison Booker leads the way with 8 points for the Longhorns. Taylor Jones has 6 points for Texas. The Longhorns lead the contest 23-16 with 6 minutes to go before halftime.

• 

  Mon, March 24, 2025 at 11:16 AM PDT

  Illinois-Texas locked in tight one early

  Despite being a No. 1 seed, Texas got out to a slow start vs. No. 8 Illinois on Monday. A little over midway through the first quarter, Texas barely led 10-9.

  The Longhorns missed some shots from in close to open the game, which kept Illinois hanging around. Texas has also played some suffocating defense on Illinois star Genesis Bryant, who has yet to attempt a shot. Bryant finished second on the team with 15.2 points per game entering the contest.

  With a little more luck, Texas could break this one open, especially if they can keep putting pressure on Bryant when she has the ball in her hands.

• 

  Mon, March 24, 2025 at 11:12 AM PDT

  Will we see chaos today?

  No seed ranked worse than No. 5 has reached the Sweet 16 in this tournament. No. 10 South Dakota State (vs. UConn), No. 9 Mississippi State (vs. USC), No. 8 Illinois (vs. Texas), No. 6 Iowa (vs. Oklahoma) and No. 6 West Virginia (vs. UNC) have a chance to end that this afternoon.

  Unless No. 10 South Dakota State shocks No. 2 seed UConn, it will be the third consecutive season a double-digit seed has not made the Sweet 16. In 2024, the lowest seeds were two No. 5s (Colorado, Baylor) and a No. 7 (Duke). In 2023, it was No. 8 Ole Miss and No. 9 Miami who crashed, along with No. 5 West Virginia and No. 6 Colorado. This 2025 field could look more like 2021, when the entire tournament was played at a neutral site in San Antonio. That postseason Sweet 16 field featured three 5s (which we already have now) and three No. 6 seeds.

• 

  Mon, March 24, 2025 at 10:50 AM PDT

  Final: NC State 83, Michigan State 49

  Aziaha James led all players with 26 points, while Saniya Rivers and Madison Hayes were the Wolfpack’s other big contributors with 17 points each during the blowout win over the Spartans.

  NC State as a team found success from 3-point range, going 15-for-30 from distance. James sank six, while Hayes hit five. Rivers also recorded 11 assists for her second straight double-double.

  NC State will now head to the Sweet 16 for the sixth time in seven seasons and face the winner of No. 3 LSU and No. 6 Florida State (6 p.m. ET; ESPN) on Friday.

• 

  Mon, March 24, 2025 at 10:27 AM PDT

  NC State up by 33 through three quarters

  The Wolfpack roll into the fourth quarter with a 69-36 lead over the Spartans.

  The threes have continued to rain down Raleigh with NC State now 14-for-23 from 3-point range. Aziaha James, who is 6-for-11 from distance, leads with 26 points. Madison Hayes, who has five 3-pointers herself, has 17 points. Saniya Rivers has her second straight double-double with 15 points and 10 assists.

• 

  Mon, March 24, 2025 at 10:10 AM PDT

  Shooting disparity hurting Michigan State

  NC State has doubled its lead to 50-25 and the Spartans’ shooting woes has played a big role in the deficit. Michigan State is shooting 11-for-34 from the field and 2-for-10 from 3-point range.

  Meanwhile, Aziaha James hit her fourth 3-pointer of the game early in the third quarter. As a team, the Wolfpack are 11-for-18 from 3-point range.

• 

  Mon, March 24, 2025 at 9:53 AM PDT

  Halftime: NC State 47, Michigan State 23

  The Wolfpack were dominant from 3-point range in the first half going 10-for-16 from distance. Madison Hayes led the way with five 3-pointers, while Aziaha James sank three.

  NC State shot the lights out all over the floor going 18-for-29 from the field.

  James leads all players with 17 points. Hayes is right behind her with nine points. Saniya Rivers chipped in with seven assists and two blocks.

• 

  Mon, March 24, 2025 at 9:38 AM PDT

  Madison Hayes perfect from distance

  Hayes is 4-for-4 from 3-point range with NC State holding a commanding 34-15 lead late in the second quarter.

• 

  Mon, March 24, 2025 at 9:34 AM PDT

  Saniya Rivers having a block party early on

  The 6-foot-1 senior has two blocks so far, as well as four assists and seven points for the Wolfpack.

• 

  Mon, March 24, 2025 at 9:25 AM PDT

  NC State unstoppable from three-point range

  If NC State is going to shoot like this from beyond the arc, it’s going to be a long day for Michigan St. The Wolfpack got out to an incendiary start from long range, hitting 5-of-7 three-point attempts in the first quarter of Monday’s game.

  Senior Madison Hayes led the charge, going 3-for-4 in the first quarter. She wasn’t the only member of the Wolfpack to hit from deep. Saniya Rivers and Aziaha James each added their own three-pointers to the early blowout.

  The team’s sharpshooting, combined with its excellent defensive effort, has NC State up big at the end of the first quarter. They lead the way 27-9 after the first quarter.

• 

  Mon, March 24, 2025 at 9:13 AM PDT

  NC State puts on pressure early vs. Michigan St.

  NC State got out to a hot start as the second round of the NCAA Tournament continued Monday. Senior guard Madison Hayes got the team going early, nailing both three-point attempts to give the team a 12-4 lead over Michigan St.

  Hayes entered the tournament fourth on the team with 10.8 points per game. Her speciality is her long-range shooting, as she averaged 40 percent from beyond the arc as a senior. Hayes showed off those skills early Monday, going 2-2 from the three-point line midway through the first quarter.

  With her help, NC State leads 15-7 with 5:16 to play in the quarter.