# 2021 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament

The 2021 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament was a single-elimination tournament of 64 teams to determine the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I college basketball national champion for the 2020–21 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The 39th edition of the tournament began on March 21, 2021, in sites around San Antonio, Texas, and concluded with the championship game on April 4 at the Alamodome, with the Stanford Cardinal defeating the Arizona Wildcats 54–53 to win their third NCAA title.
Due to logistical considerations surrounding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic (which resulted in the cancellation of the 2020 tournament), and mirroring a similar decision by the men's tournament, the entire tournament was played in the San Antonio area rather than at sites across the country, with some first and second round games played in nearby San Marcos and Austin. The Alamodome hosted all games from the regional semifinals onward, including the originally-awarded Final Four and championship game.
Four schools, America East champion Stony Brook, Big South champion High Point, Missouri Valley champion Bradley and Utah Valley from the WAC (California Baptist won the WAC tournament, but was ineligible for the NCAA tournament because it is in the third year of a four-year transition from Division II), made their first appearance in the tournament.
Additionally, Tennessee continued its record streak of making every edition of the tournament. Arizona made its first-ever appearance in the Final Four. UConn extended its record streak of 13 consecutive Final Four appearances. Wake Forest and Washington State made their first appearances since 1988 and 1991, respectively.

## Tournament procedure

The tournament's 64 teams consisted of the 31 conference champions (down from 32, due to the Ivy League having cancelled all winter athletics due to COVID-19), and 33 "at-large" bids extended by the Selection Committee.
This tournament was the first since 1983 in which the RPI was not used in the selection process. On May 4, 2020, the NCAA announced that it would replace the RPI with the NET (NCAA Evaluation Tool), a metric that has been used in the selection process for the men's tournament since 2019. The women's version of the NET uses input data specific to the women's game but is otherwise functionally identical to the men's version.

## Schedule and venues

On February 5, 2021, the NCAA announced that due to logistical considerations associated with the COVID-19 pandemic (which prompted the cancellation of the 2020 tournament), the entirety of the tournament would be conducted at sites in and around San Antonio and Austin (mirroring a similar decision for the men's tournament, which would similarly use venues in and around its Final Four host city of Indianapolis), rather than across the country;
First and second round (March 21–22, 23–24)
* Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas (Host: University of the Incarnate Word)
* Bill Greehey Arena, San Antonio (Hosts: University of Houston and St. Mary's University)
* Frank Erwin Center, Austin, Texas (Host: University of Texas at Austin)
* Strahan Arena, San Marcos, Texas (Host: Texas State University)
* UTSA Convocation Center, San Antonio (Host: the University of Texas at San Antonio)
Regional semifinals and finals (Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight) (March 27–30)
* Alamodome, San Antonio (Hosts: the University of the Incarnate Word and the University of Texas at San Antonio)
National semifinals and championship (final Four and championship) (April 2 and 4)
* Alamodome, San Antonio (Hosts: the University of the Incarnate Word, the University of Texas at San Antonio, and San Antonio Sports)
The Alamodome had two courts for first- and second-round games, and was converted to a single court for later rounds. Practices were held at the Alamodome and the Henry B. González Convention Center. The regions were named after famous sites in San Antonio: the Alamo, the HemisFair, the Mercado, and the River Walk.
All games were played behind closed doors (with only friends and family present) until the Sweet Sixteen at the Alamodome, which operated at 17% capacity (10,880) for the remainder of the tournament.

### Facilities inequality

Concerns over gender inequality were raised prior to the tournament, citing differences in the quality of facilities and amenities between the women's and men's tournament; among other examples, Arizona coach Adia Barnes criticized the lack of weight training equipment in the workout room (consisting of only a single tower of weights, in comparison to the larger weight room of the men's tournament). A video by Oregon forward Sedona Prince showing the aforementioned weight room drew wider attention to the disparity on social media. Other forms of disparities were noted, including differing COVID-19 testing protocols, smaller "swag bags", and different food options.
The NCAA had originally planned for the full weight room to only become available for the Sweet Sixteen round. Vice President of Women's Basketball Lynn Holzman stated that the NCAA had planned to expand the facilities in the workout room over the course of the tournament due to space constraints, but were "actively working to enhance existing resources at practice courts, including additional weight training equipment." Barnes stated that the Henry B. González Convention Center had "plenty of open areas" that could have been used, and that "it takes people like me that were pro players being a voice for things to change. There's a lot of voices out there. People care now. The fact that the NCAA responded so fast, I think that's good. That's meaningful."
In a letter obtained by tournament broadcaster ESPN on March 22, NCAA president Mark Emmert stated that "much has been resolved", but that he would investigate "exactly how we found ourselves in this situation", and "directed our leadership team and appropriate staff to assess all the services, resources, and facilities provided to both the men's and women's teams so that we have a completely clear comparison". The America East Conference and Ivy League sent a letter to Emmert, arguing that the incident "warrants a comprehensive discussion once the tournaments conclude about how we—national office staff and membership—can protect and ensure equity across all championships in the future, but especially in the sport of basketball."
The incident led to discussions surrounding other forms of inequalities between the men's and women's tournaments, including their difference in budget, no revenue bonuses awarded to schools for winning the tournament, NCAA marketing of "March Madness" having focused almost exclusively on the men's tournament (with the women's tournament having never officially used the name; and tournament branding often used generic "NCAA Women's Basketball" logos instead), and the men's tournament often being referred to as "the NCAA tournament" by media and the general public with no disambiguation. In a Sportico op-ed, America East commissioner Amy Huchthausen accused the NCAA of "restricting women’s basketball from taking advantage of an emerging market", noting that the NCAA's official sponsorships are managed by the CBS Sports/Turner Sports consortium that broadcasts the men's tournament, and that the ESPN contract to televise the women's tournament (which is bundled with those of other NCAA championships) "provides a measure of financial certainty, but it does not provide women's basketball (or any of the other sports, for that matter) an incentive to grow".
The NCAA commissioned an independent review of gender equality among all of its championships by the law firm Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP; the first phase, focusing specifically on NCAA basketball championships, was published on August 3, 2021. The review concluded that the structure of the NCAA's operations were designed to "maximize the value of and support to the Division I Men's Basketball Championship as the primary source of funding for the NCAA and its membership"; it found that the CBS/Turner sponsorship contracts require advertisers to pay for marketing rights across all of the NCAA's championships (including the men's tournament, which can be costly), and that advertisers also had to separately pay ESPN for airtime during the women's tournament's telecasts. The review included several recommendations, including that:
* The media rights for the women's Division I basketball tournament be sold separately from other NCAA championships. It was estimated that media rights to the women's tournament could be worth at least $81 million per-season (in comparison to the $34 million total of the current ESPN contract).
* The women's tournament be expanded to 68 teams, as with the men's tournament.
* The women's tournament adopt the same revenue distribution framework as the men's tournament.
* The NCAA's contracts be renegotiated to provide more opportunities for entities who wish to sponsor specific NCAA championships other than the men's basketball tournament.
* The "March Madness" branding be extended to the women's tournament.
* The men's and women's Final Four be hosted together in the same venue.
The NCAA implemented two of these recommendations—the expansion to a 68-team format, and use of the "March Madness" branding—for the 2022 tournament. The NCAA renewed its contract with ESPN in January 2024 under an eight-year contract, now valued at an average of $115 million per-season, and granting ESPN additional rights to sell sponsorships for its tournament broadcasts.

### Original 2021 NCAA tournament schedule and venues

The tournament's first two rounds were originally scheduled to be hosted by the top sixteen seeds. The following were the sites initially selected to host the later rounds of the 2021 tournament:
Regional semifinals and finals (Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight) (March 26–29)
* Times Union Center, Albany, New York (Hosts: Siena College and Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference)
* H-E-B Center at Cedar Park, Cedar Park, Texas (Host: University of Texas at Austin)
* Cintas Center, Cincinnati, Ohio (Hosts: Xavier University and Cincinnati USA Sports Commission)
* Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, Spokane, Washington (Host: University of Idaho)
National semifinals and championship (final Four and championship) (April 2 and 4)
* Alamodome, San Antonio (Hosts: the University of the Incarnate Word, the University of Texas at San Antonio, and San Antonio Sports)
This is the third time that the women's Final Four was played in San Antonio, having previously been played in the city in 2002 and 2010.

## Qualification and selection
### Automatic qualifiers

The following teams automatically qualified for the 2021 NCAA field by virtue of winning their conference's tournament.
| Conference | Team | Record | Appearance | Last bid |
| ACC | NC State | 20–2 | 26th | 2019 |
| America East | Stony Brook | 15–5 | 1st | Never |
| American | South Florida | 18–3 | 7th | 2018 |
| ASUN | Florida Gulf Coast | 26–2 | 7th | 2019 |
| Atlantic 10 | VCU | 16–10 | 2nd | 2009 |
| Big 12 | Baylor | 25–2 | 19th | 2019 |
| Big East | UConn | 24–1 | 32nd | 2019 |
| Big Sky | Idaho State | 22–3 | 4th | 2012 |
| Big South | High Point | 22–6 | 1st | Never |
| Big Ten | Maryland | 24–2 | 28th | 2019 |
| Big West | UC Davis | 13–2 | 3rd | 2019 |
| Colonial | Drexel | 14–8 | 2nd | 2009 |
| C-USA | Middle Tennessee | 17–7 | 19th | 2016 |
| Horizon | Wright State | 18–7 | 3rd | 2019 |
| Ivy League | Ivy League season canceled | Ivy League season canceled | Ivy League season canceled | Ivy League season canceled |
| MAAC | Marist | 18–3 | 11th | 2014 |
| MAC | Central Michigan | 18–8 | 6th | 2019 |
| MEAC | North Carolina A&T | 14–2 | 5th | 2018 |
| Missouri Valley | Bradley | 17–11 | 1st | Never |
| Mountain West | Wyoming | 14–9 | 2nd | 2008 |
| Northeast | Mount St. Mary's | 17–6 | 3rd | 1995 |
| Ohio Valley | Belmont | 20–5 | 6th | 2019 |
| Pac-12 | Stanford | 25–2 | 34th | 2019 |
| Patriot | Lehigh | 10–5 | 4th | 2010 |
| SEC | South Carolina | 22–4 | 17th | 2019 |
| Southern | Mercer | 19–6 | 3rd | 2019 |
| Southland | Stephen F. Austin | 24–2 | 17th | 2006 |
| SWAC | Jackson State | 18–5 | 5th | 2008 |
| Summit League | South Dakota | 19–5 | 3rd | 2019 |
| Sun Belt | Troy | 22–5 | 4th | 2017 |
| West Coast | Gonzaga | 23–3 | 12th | 2019 |
| WAC | Utah Valley | 13–6 | 1st | Never |
* 1 2 California Baptist won the WAC tournament, but was ineligible for the NCAA Tournament due to its transition from Division II and instead played in the WNIT. Utah Valley received the WAC's bid by finishing in second place behind California Baptist in the regular season.

### Tournament seeds

Alamo regional – Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas :
| Seed | School | Conference | Record | NET | Berth type |
| 1 | Stanford | Pac-12 | 25–2 | 1 | Automatic |
| 2 | Louisville | ACC | 23–3 | 6 | At-Large |
| 3 | Georgia | SEC | 20–6 | 13 | At-Large |
| 4 | Arkansas | SEC | 19–8 | 17 | At-Large |
| 5 | Missouri State | Missouri Valley | 21–2 | 20 | At-Large |
| 6 | Oregon | Pac-12 | 13–8 | 10 | At-Large |
| 7 | Northwestern | Big Ten | 15–8 | 31 | At-Large |
| 8 | Oklahoma State | Big 12 | 18–8 | 27 | At-Large |
| 9 | Wake Forest | ACC | 12–12 | 47 | At-Large |
| 10 | UCF | American | 16–4 | 38 | At-Large |
| 11 | South Dakota | Summit | 19–5 | 32 | Automatic |
| 12 | UC Davis | Big West | 13–2 | 71 | Automatic |
| 13 | Wright State | Horizon | 18–7 | 80 | Automatic |
| 14 | Drexel | Colonial | 14–8 | 106 | Automatic |
| 15 | Marist | MAAC | 18–3 | 103 | Automatic |
| 16 | Utah Valley | WAC | 13–6 | 216 | Automatic |
HemisFair regional – Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas :
| Seed | School | Conference | Record | NET | Berth type |
| 1 | South Carolina | SEC | 22–4 | 4 | Automatic |
| 2 | Maryland | Big Ten | 24–2 | 5 | Automatic |
| 3 | UCLA | Pac-12 | 16–5 | 8 | At-Large |
| 4 | West Virginia | Big 12 | 21–6 | 24 | At-Large |
| 5 | Georgia Tech | ACC | 15–8 | 30 | At-Large |
| 6 | Texas | Big 12 | 18–9 | 29 | At-Large |
| 7 | Alabama | SEC | 16–9 | 33 | At-Large |
| 8 | Oregon State | Pac-12 | 11–7 | 36 | At-Large |
| 9 | Florida State | ACC | 10–8 | 48 | At-Large |
| 10 | North Carolina | ACC | 13–10 | 35 | At-Large |
| 11 | Bradley | Missouri Valley | 17–11 | 79 | Automatic |
| 12 | Stephen F. Austin | Southland | 24–2 | 19 | Automatic |
| 13 | Lehigh | Patriot | 10–5 | 75 | Automatic |
| 14 | Wyoming | Mountain West | 14–9 | 99 | Automatic |
| 15 | Mount St. Mary's | Northeast | 17–6 | 114 | Automatic |
| 16 | Mercer | Southern | 19–6 | 146 | Automatic |
Mercado regional – Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas :
| Seed | School | Conference | Record | NET | Berth type |
| 1 | NC State | ACC | 20–2 | 7 | Automatic |
| 2 | Texas A&M | SEC | 23–2 | 11 | At-Large |
| 3 | Arizona | Pac-12 | 16–5 | 15 | At-Large |
| 4 | Indiana | Big Ten | 18–5 | 9 | At-Large |
| 5 | Gonzaga | WCC | 23–3 | 16 | Automatic |
| 6 | Rutgers | Big Ten | 14–4 | 12 | At-Large |
| 7 | Iowa State | Big 12 | 16–10 | 26 | At-Large |
| 8 | South Florida | American | 18–3 | 25 | Automatic |
| 9 | Washington State | Pac-12 | 12–11 | 45 | At-Large |
| 10 | Michigan State | Big Ten | 15–8 | 40 | At-Large |
| 11 | BYU | WCC | 18–5 | 50 | At-Large |
| 12 | Belmont | Ohio Valley | 20–5 | 63 | Automatic |
| 13 | VCU | Atlantic 10 | 16–10 | 105 | Automatic |
| 14 | Stony Brook | America East | 15–5 | 100 | Automatic |
| 15 | Troy | Sun Belt | 22–5 | 115 | Automatic |
| 16 | North Carolina A&T | MEAC | 14–2 | 123 | Automatic |
River Walk regional – Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas :
| Seed | School | Conference | Record | NET | Berth type |
| 1 | UConn | Big East | 24–1 | 2 | Automatic |
| 2 | Baylor | Big 12 | 25–2 | 3 | Automatic |
| 3 | Tennessee | SEC | 16–7 | 14 | At-Large |
| 4 | Kentucky | SEC | 17–8 | 18 | At-Large |
| 5 | Iowa | Big Ten | 18–9 | 23 | At-Large |
| 6 | Michigan | Big Ten | 14–5 | 22 | At-Large |
| 7 | Virginia Tech | ACC | 14–9 | 28 | At-Large |
| 8 | Syracuse | ACC | 14–8 | 43 | At-Large |
| 9 | South Dakota State | Summit | 21–3 | 46 | At-Large |
| 10 | Marquette | Big East | 19–6 | 34 | At-Large |
| 11 | Florida Gulf Coast | ASUN | 26–2 | 41 | Automatic |
| 12 | Central Michigan | MAC | 18–8 | 90 | Automatic |
| 13 | Idaho State | Big Sky | 22–3 | 84 | Automatic |
| 14 | Middle Tennessee | C-USA | 17–7 | 107 | Automatic |
| 15 | Jackson State | SWAC | 18–5 | 111 | Automatic |
| 16 | High Point | Big South | 22–6 | 180 | Automatic |

## Tournament records

* Arizona's Aari McDonald made 22 three-pointers in the tournament, tying the record for the most ever made in an NCAA tournament, set by Kia Nurse in 2017.
* NC State's Kai Crutchfield hit 10 of 11 three point field-goal attempts, getting 90.9% of her attempts, setting the record for best three point field-goal percentage in a tournament.

## Bracket

All times are listed as Central Daylight Time (UTC−5) * – Denotes overtime period

### Alamo regional – San Antonio, Texas

| First round Round of 64 March 21–22 | First round Round of 64 March 21–22 | First round Round of 64 March 21–22 | | | Second round Round of 32 March 23–24 | Second round Round of 32 March 23–24 | Second round Round of 32 March 23–24 | Regional semifinals Sweet Sixteen March 28 | Regional semifinals Sweet Sixteen March 28 | Regional semifinals Sweet Sixteen March 28 | | Regional final Elite Eight March 30 | Regional final Elite Eight March 30 | Regional final Elite Eight March 30 |
| 1 | Stanford | 87 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | Utah Valley | 44 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | Utah Valley | 44 | | | 1 | Stanford | 73 | | | | | | | |
| Alamodome (March 21) Bill Greehey Arena (March 21) | Alamodome (March 21) Bill Greehey Arena (March 21) | Alamodome (March 21) Bill Greehey Arena (March 21) | | | 1 | Stanford | 73 | | | | | | | |
| Alamodome (March 21) Bill Greehey Arena (March 21) | Alamodome (March 21) Bill Greehey Arena (March 21) | Alamodome (March 21) Bill Greehey Arena (March 21) | | | 8 | Oklahoma State | 62 | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Oklahoma State | 84 | | | 8 | Oklahoma State | 62 | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Wake Forest | 61 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Wake Forest | 61 | | | | | | 1 | Stanford | 89 | | | | |
| Convocation Center (March 23) Convocation Center (March 24) | Convocation Center (March 23) Convocation Center (March 24) | Convocation Center (March 23) Convocation Center (March 24) | Convocation Center (March 23) Convocation Center (March 24) | Convocation Center (March 23) Convocation Center (March 24) | Convocation Center (March 23) Convocation Center (March 24) | Convocation Center (March 23) Convocation Center (March 24) | Convocation Center (March 23) Convocation Center (March 24) | 1 | Stanford | 89 | | | | |
| Convocation Center (March 23) Convocation Center (March 24) | Convocation Center (March 23) Convocation Center (March 24) | Convocation Center (March 23) Convocation Center (March 24) | Convocation Center (March 23) Convocation Center (March 24) | Convocation Center (March 23) Convocation Center (March 24) | Convocation Center (March 23) Convocation Center (March 24) | Convocation Center (March 23) Convocation Center (March 24) | Convocation Center (March 23) Convocation Center (March 24) | 5 | Missouri State | 62 | | | | |
| 5 | Missouri State | 70 | | | | | | | | | 5 | Missouri State | 62 | | | | |
| 12 | UC Davis | 51 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | UC Davis | 51 | | | 5 | Missouri State | 64 | | | | | | | |
| Bill Greehey Arena (March 22) Frank Erwin Center (March 22) | Bill Greehey Arena (March 22) Frank Erwin Center (March 22) | Bill Greehey Arena (March 22) Frank Erwin Center (March 22) | | | 5 | Missouri State | 64 | | | | | | | |
| Bill Greehey Arena (March 22) Frank Erwin Center (March 22) | Bill Greehey Arena (March 22) Frank Erwin Center (March 22) | Bill Greehey Arena (March 22) Frank Erwin Center (March 22) | | | 13 | Wright State | 39 | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Arkansas | 62 | | | 13 | Wright State | 39 | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Wright State | 66 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Wright State | 66 | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Stanford | 78 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Louisville | 63 |
| 6 | Oregon | 67 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Louisville | 63 |
| 11 | South Dakota | 47 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | South Dakota | 47 | | | 6 | Oregon | 57 | | | | | | | |
| Alamodome (March 22) Bill Greehey Arena (March 22) | Alamodome (March 22) Bill Greehey Arena (March 22) | Alamodome (March 22) Bill Greehey Arena (March 22) | | | 6 | Oregon | 57 | | | | | | | |
| Alamodome (March 22) Bill Greehey Arena (March 22) | Alamodome (March 22) Bill Greehey Arena (March 22) | Alamodome (March 22) Bill Greehey Arena (March 22) | | | 3 | Georgia | 50 | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Georgia | 67 | | | 3 | Georgia | 50 | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Drexel | 53 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Drexel | 53 | | | | | | 6 | Oregon | 42 | | | | |
| Alamodome (March 24) Alamodome (March 24) | Alamodome (March 24) Alamodome (March 24) | Alamodome (March 24) Alamodome (March 24) | Alamodome (March 24) Alamodome (March 24) | Alamodome (March 24) Alamodome (March 24) | Alamodome (March 24) Alamodome (March 24) | Alamodome (March 24) Alamodome (March 24) | Alamodome (March 24) Alamodome (March 24) | 6 | Oregon | 42 | | | | |
| Alamodome (March 24) Alamodome (March 24) | Alamodome (March 24) Alamodome (March 24) | Alamodome (March 24) Alamodome (March 24) | Alamodome (March 24) Alamodome (March 24) | Alamodome (March 24) Alamodome (March 24) | Alamodome (March 24) Alamodome (March 24) | Alamodome (March 24) Alamodome (March 24) | Alamodome (March 24) Alamodome (March 24) | 2 | Louisville | 60 | | | | |
| 7 | Northwestern | 62 | | | | | | | | | 2 | Louisville | 60 | | | | |
| 10 | UCF | 51 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | UCF | 51 | | | 7 | Northwestern | 53 | | | | | | | |
| Bill Greehey Arena (March 22) Alamodome (March 22) | Bill Greehey Arena (March 22) Alamodome (March 22) | Bill Greehey Arena (March 22) Alamodome (March 22) | | | 7 | Northwestern | 53 | | | | | | | |
| Bill Greehey Arena (March 22) Alamodome (March 22) | Bill Greehey Arena (March 22) Alamodome (March 22) | Bill Greehey Arena (March 22) Alamodome (March 22) | | | 2 | Louisville | 62 | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Louisville | 74 | | | 2 | Louisville | 62 | | | | | | | |
| 15 | Marist | 43 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
* – Denotes overtime period

#### Alamo regional final

* ESPN
* March 30 8:00pm
#2 Louisville Cardinals 63, #1 Stanford Cardinal 78 :
| Scoring by quarter: 21–13, 17–13, 12–22, 13–30 |||
| Pts: D. Evans, 24 Rebs: M. Robinson, 8 Asts: D. Evans, K. Smith, M. Robinson, 3 | Pts: Le. Hull, 21 Rebs: H. Jones, 10 Asts: K. Williams, 5 |
* Alamodome – San Antonio, Texas Attendance: 1,463 Referees: Katie Lukanich, Michael Price, Cheryl Flores

### HemisFair regional – San Antonio, Texas

| First round Round of 64 March 21–22 | First round Round of 64 March 21–22 | First round Round of 64 March 21–22 | | | Second round Round of 32 March 23–24 | Second round Round of 32 March 23–24 | Second round Round of 32 March 23–24 | Regional semifinals Sweet Sixteen March 28 | Regional semifinals Sweet Sixteen March 28 | Regional semifinals Sweet Sixteen March 28 | | Regional final Elite Eight March 30 | Regional final Elite Eight March 30 | Regional final Elite Eight March 30 |
| 1 | South Carolina | 79 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | Mercer | 53 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | Mercer | 53 | | | 1 | South Carolina | 59 | | | | | | | |
| Alamodome (March 21) Strahan Arena (March 21) | Alamodome (March 21) Strahan Arena (March 21) | Alamodome (March 21) Strahan Arena (March 21) | | | 1 | South Carolina | 59 | | | | | | | |
| Alamodome (March 21) Strahan Arena (March 21) | Alamodome (March 21) Strahan Arena (March 21) | Alamodome (March 21) Strahan Arena (March 21) | | | 8 | Oregon State | 42 | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Oregon State | 83 | | | 8 | Oregon State | 42 | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Florida State | 59 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Florida State | 59 | | | | | | 1 | South Carolina | 76 | | | | |
| Alamodome (March 23) Convocation Center (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Convocation Center (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Convocation Center (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Convocation Center (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Convocation Center (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Convocation Center (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Convocation Center (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Convocation Center (March 23) | 1 | South Carolina | 76 | | | | |
| Alamodome (March 23) Convocation Center (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Convocation Center (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Convocation Center (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Convocation Center (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Convocation Center (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Convocation Center (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Convocation Center (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Convocation Center (March 23) | 5 | Georgia Tech | 65 | | | | |
| 5 | Georgia Tech | 54* | | | | | | | | | 5 | Georgia Tech | 65 | | | | |
| 12 | Stephen F. Austin | 52 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Stephen F. Austin | 52 | | | 5 | Georgia Tech | 73 | | | | | | | |
| Bill Greehey Arena (March 21) Bill Greehey Arena (March 21) | Bill Greehey Arena (March 21) Bill Greehey Arena (March 21) | Bill Greehey Arena (March 21) Bill Greehey Arena (March 21) | | | 5 | Georgia Tech | 73 | | | | | | | |
| Bill Greehey Arena (March 21) Bill Greehey Arena (March 21) | Bill Greehey Arena (March 21) Bill Greehey Arena (March 21) | Bill Greehey Arena (March 21) Bill Greehey Arena (March 21) | | | 4 | West Virginia | 56 | | | | | | | |
| 4 | West Virginia | 77 | | | 4 | West Virginia | 56 | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Lehigh | 53 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Lehigh | 53 | | | | | | | | | | 1 | South Carolina | 62 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | Texas | 34 |
| 6 | Texas | 81 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | Texas | 34 |
| 11 | Bradley | 62 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | Bradley | 62 | | | 6 | Texas | 71 | | | | | | | |
| Strahan Arena (March 22) Frank Erwin Center (March 22) | Strahan Arena (March 22) Frank Erwin Center (March 22) | Strahan Arena (March 22) Frank Erwin Center (March 22) | | | 6 | Texas | 71 | | | | | | | |
| Strahan Arena (March 22) Frank Erwin Center (March 22) | Strahan Arena (March 22) Frank Erwin Center (March 22) | Strahan Arena (March 22) Frank Erwin Center (March 22) | | | 3 | UCLA | 62 | | | | | | | |
| 3 | UCLA | 69 | | | 3 | UCLA | 62 | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Wyoming | 48 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Wyoming | 48 | | | | | | 6 | Texas | 64 | | | | |
| Alamodome (March 24) Bill Greehey Arena (March 24) | Alamodome (March 24) Bill Greehey Arena (March 24) | Alamodome (March 24) Bill Greehey Arena (March 24) | Alamodome (March 24) Bill Greehey Arena (March 24) | Alamodome (March 24) Bill Greehey Arena (March 24) | Alamodome (March 24) Bill Greehey Arena (March 24) | Alamodome (March 24) Bill Greehey Arena (March 24) | Alamodome (March 24) Bill Greehey Arena (March 24) | 6 | Texas | 64 | | | | |
| Alamodome (March 24) Bill Greehey Arena (March 24) | Alamodome (March 24) Bill Greehey Arena (March 24) | Alamodome (March 24) Bill Greehey Arena (March 24) | Alamodome (March 24) Bill Greehey Arena (March 24) | Alamodome (March 24) Bill Greehey Arena (March 24) | Alamodome (March 24) Bill Greehey Arena (March 24) | Alamodome (March 24) Bill Greehey Arena (March 24) | Alamodome (March 24) Bill Greehey Arena (March 24) | 2 | Maryland | 61 | | | | |
| 7 | Alabama | 80 | | | | | | | | | 2 | Maryland | 61 | | | | |
| 10 | North Carolina | 71 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | North Carolina | 71 | | | 7 | Alabama | 64 | | | | | | | |
| Alamodome (March 22) Alamodome (March 22) | Alamodome (March 22) Alamodome (March 22) | Alamodome (March 22) Alamodome (March 22) | | | 7 | Alabama | 64 | | | | | | | |
| Alamodome (March 22) Alamodome (March 22) | Alamodome (March 22) Alamodome (March 22) | Alamodome (March 22) Alamodome (March 22) | | | 2 | Maryland | 100 | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Maryland | 98 | | | 2 | Maryland | 100 | | | | | | | |
| 15 | Mount St. Mary's | 45 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
* – Denotes overtime period

#### HemisFair regional final

* ESPN
* March 30 6:00pm
#6 Texas Longhorns 34, #1 South Carolina Gamecocks 62 :
| Scoring by quarter: 7–18, 15–19, 12–15, 0–10 |||
| Pts: A. Warren, 13 Rebs: C. Taylor, L. Ebo, 7 Asts: J. Allen-Taylor, 3 | Pts: Z. Cooke, 16 Rebs: A. Boston, B. Beal, L. Amihere, V. Saxton, 8 Asts: D. Henderson, 7 |
* Alamodome – San Antonio, Texas Attendance: 0 Referees: Joseph Vaszily, Infini Robinson, Pualani Spurlock

### Mercado regional – San Antonio, Texas

| First round Round of 64 March 21–22 | First round Round of 64 March 21–22 | First round Round of 64 March 21–22 | | | Second round Round of 32 March 23–24 | Second round Round of 32 March 23–24 | Second round Round of 32 March 23–24 | Regional semifinals Sweet Sixteen March 27 | Regional semifinals Sweet Sixteen March 27 | Regional semifinals Sweet Sixteen March 27 | | Regional final Elite Eight March 29 | Regional final Elite Eight March 29 | Regional final Elite Eight March 29 |
| 1 | NC State | 79 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | North Carolina A&T | 58 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | North Carolina A&T | 58 | | | 1 | NC State | 79 | | | | | | | |
| Strahan Arena (March 21) Frank Erwin Center (March 21) | Strahan Arena (March 21) Frank Erwin Center (March 21) | Strahan Arena (March 21) Frank Erwin Center (March 21) | | | 1 | NC State | 79 | | | | | | | |
| Strahan Arena (March 21) Frank Erwin Center (March 21) | Strahan Arena (March 21) Frank Erwin Center (March 21) | Strahan Arena (March 21) Frank Erwin Center (March 21) | | | 8 | South Florida | 67 | | | | | | | |
| 8 | South Florida | 57 | | | 8 | South Florida | 67 | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Washington State | 53 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Washington State | 53 | | | | | | 1 | NC State | 70 | | | | |
| Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 24) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 24) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 24) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 24) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 24) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 24) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 24) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 24) | 1 | NC State | 70 | | | | |
| Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 24) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 24) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 24) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 24) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 24) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 24) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 24) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 24) | 4 | Indiana | 73 | | | | |
| 5 | Gonzaga | 59 | | | | | | | | | 4 | Indiana | 73 | | | | |
| 12 | Belmont | 64 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Belmont | 64 | | | 12 | Belmont | 48 | | | | | | | |
| Strahan Arena (March 22) Convocation Center (March 22) | Strahan Arena (March 22) Convocation Center (March 22) | Strahan Arena (March 22) Convocation Center (March 22) | | | 12 | Belmont | 48 | | | | | | | |
| Strahan Arena (March 22) Convocation Center (March 22) | Strahan Arena (March 22) Convocation Center (March 22) | Strahan Arena (March 22) Convocation Center (March 22) | | | 4 | Indiana | 70 | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Indiana | 63 | | | 4 | Indiana | 70 | | | | | | | |
| 13 | VCU | 32 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | VCU | 32 | | | | | | | | | | 4 | Indiana | 53 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Arizona | 66 |
| 6 | Rutgers | 66 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Arizona | 66 |
| 11 | BYU | 69 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | BYU | 69 | | | 11 | BYU | 46 | | | | | | | |
| Strahan Arena (March 22) Alamodome (March 22) | Strahan Arena (March 22) Alamodome (March 22) | Strahan Arena (March 22) Alamodome (March 22) | | | 11 | BYU | 46 | | | | | | | |
| Strahan Arena (March 22) Alamodome (March 22) | Strahan Arena (March 22) Alamodome (March 22) | Strahan Arena (March 22) Alamodome (March 22) | | | 3 | Arizona | 52 | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Arizona | 79 | | | 3 | Arizona | 52 | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Stony Brook | 44 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Stony Brook | 44 | | | | | | 3 | Arizona | 74 | | | | |
| Convocation Center (March 24) Alamodome (March 24) | Convocation Center (March 24) Alamodome (March 24) | Convocation Center (March 24) Alamodome (March 24) | Convocation Center (March 24) Alamodome (March 24) | Convocation Center (March 24) Alamodome (March 24) | Convocation Center (March 24) Alamodome (March 24) | Convocation Center (March 24) Alamodome (March 24) | Convocation Center (March 24) Alamodome (March 24) | 3 | Arizona | 74 | | | | |
| Convocation Center (March 24) Alamodome (March 24) | Convocation Center (March 24) Alamodome (March 24) | Convocation Center (March 24) Alamodome (March 24) | Convocation Center (March 24) Alamodome (March 24) | Convocation Center (March 24) Alamodome (March 24) | Convocation Center (March 24) Alamodome (March 24) | Convocation Center (March 24) Alamodome (March 24) | Convocation Center (March 24) Alamodome (March 24) | 2 | Texas A&M | 59 | | | | |
| 7 | Iowa State | 79 | | | | | | | | | 2 | Texas A&M | 59 | | | | |
| 10 | Michigan State | 75 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | Michigan State | 75 | | | 7 | Iowa State | 82 | | | | | | | |
| Alamodome (March 22) Frank Erwin Center (March 22) | Alamodome (March 22) Frank Erwin Center (March 22) | Alamodome (March 22) Frank Erwin Center (March 22) | | | 7 | Iowa State | 82 | | | | | | | |
| Alamodome (March 22) Frank Erwin Center (March 22) | Alamodome (March 22) Frank Erwin Center (March 22) | Alamodome (March 22) Frank Erwin Center (March 22) | | | 2 | Texas A&M | 84* | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Texas A&M | 84 | | | 2 | Texas A&M | 84* | | | | | | | |
| 15 | Troy | 80 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
* – Denotes overtime period

#### Mercado regional final

* ESPN
* March 29 8:00pm
#4 Indiana Hoosiers 53, #3 Arizona Wildcats 66 :
| Scoring by quarter: 11–14, 12–13, 21–19, 9–20 |||
| Pts: M. Holmes, 20 Rebs: A. Gulbe, 9 Asts: G. Berger, 4 | Pts: A. McDonald, 33 Rebs: A. McDonald, 11 Asts: A. McDonald, 4 |
* Alamodome – San Antonio, Texas Attendance: 0 Referees: Felicia Grinter, Tiara Cruse, Tiffany Bird

### River Walk regional – San Antonio, Texas

| First round Round of 64 March 21 | First round Round of 64 March 21 | First round Round of 64 March 21 | | | Second round Round of 32 March 23 | Second round Round of 32 March 23 | Second round Round of 32 March 23 | Regional semifinals Sweet Sixteen March 27 | Regional semifinals Sweet Sixteen March 27 | Regional semifinals Sweet Sixteen March 27 | | Regional final Elite Eight March 29 | Regional final Elite Eight March 29 | Regional final Elite Eight March 29 |
| 1 | UConn | 102 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | High Point | 59 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | High Point | 59 | | | 1 | UConn | 83 | | | | | | | |
| Alamodome (March 21) Frank Erwin Center (March 21) | Alamodome (March 21) Frank Erwin Center (March 21) | Alamodome (March 21) Frank Erwin Center (March 21) | | | 1 | UConn | 83 | | | | | | | |
| Alamodome (March 21) Frank Erwin Center (March 21) | Alamodome (March 21) Frank Erwin Center (March 21) | Alamodome (March 21) Frank Erwin Center (March 21) | | | 8 | Syracuse | 47 | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Syracuse | 72 | | | 8 | Syracuse | 47 | | | | | | | |
| 9 | South Dakota State | 55 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | South Dakota State | 55 | | | | | | 1 | UConn | 92 | | | | |
| Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 23) | 1 | UConn | 92 | | | | |
| Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 23) | 5 | Iowa | 72 | | | | |
| 5 | Iowa | 87 | | | | | | | | | 5 | Iowa | 72 | | | | |
| 12 | Central Michigan | 72 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Central Michigan | 72 | | | 5 | Iowa | 86 | | | | | | | |
| Alamodome (March 21) Alamodome (March 21) | Alamodome (March 21) Alamodome (March 21) | Alamodome (March 21) Alamodome (March 21) | | | 5 | Iowa | 86 | | | | | | | |
| Alamodome (March 21) Alamodome (March 21) | Alamodome (March 21) Alamodome (March 21) | Alamodome (March 21) Alamodome (March 21) | | | 4 | Kentucky | 72 | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Kentucky | 71 | | | 4 | Kentucky | 72 | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Idaho State | 63 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Idaho State | 63 | | | | | | | | | | 1 | UConn | 69 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Baylor | 67 |
| 6 | Michigan | 87 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Baylor | 67 |
| 11 | Florida Gulf Coast | 66 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | Florida Gulf Coast | 66 | | | 6 | Michigan | 70 | | | | | | | |
| Convocation Center (March 21) Frank Erwin Center (March 21) | Convocation Center (March 21) Frank Erwin Center (March 21) | Convocation Center (March 21) Frank Erwin Center (March 21) | | | 6 | Michigan | 70 | | | | | | | |
| Convocation Center (March 21) Frank Erwin Center (March 21) | Convocation Center (March 21) Frank Erwin Center (March 21) | Convocation Center (March 21) Frank Erwin Center (March 21) | | | 3 | Tennessee | 55 | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Tennessee | 87 | | | 3 | Tennessee | 55 | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Middle Tennessee | 62 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Middle Tennessee | 62 | | | | | | 6 | Michigan | 75 | | | | |
| Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 23) | 6 | Michigan | 75 | | | | |
| Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 23) | Alamodome (March 23) Bill Greehey Arena (March 23) | 2 | Baylor | 78* | | | | |
| 7 | Virginia Tech | 70 | | | | | | | | | 2 | Baylor | 78* | | | | |
| 10 | Marquette | 63 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | Marquette | 63 | | | 7 | Virginia Tech | 48 | | | | | | | |
| Strahan Arena (March 21) Alamodome (March 21) | Strahan Arena (March 21) Alamodome (March 21) | Strahan Arena (March 21) Alamodome (March 21) | | | 7 | Virginia Tech | 48 | | | | | | | |
| Strahan Arena (March 21) Alamodome (March 21) | Strahan Arena (March 21) Alamodome (March 21) | Strahan Arena (March 21) Alamodome (March 21) | | | 2 | Baylor | 90 | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Baylor | 101 | | | 2 | Baylor | 90 | | | | | | | |
| 15 | Jackson State | 52 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
* – Denotes overtime period

#### River Walk regional final

* ESPN
* March 29 6:00pm
#2 Baylor Lady Bears 67, #1 UConn Huskies 69 :
| Scoring by quarter: 24–26, 15–11, 16–16, 12–16 |||
| Pts: D. Carrington, 22 Rebs: N. Smith, 13 Asts: N. Smith, M. Ursin, D. Carrington, 3 | Pts: P. Bueckers, 28 Rebs: O. Nelson-Ododa, 8 Asts: O. Nelson-Ododa, 4 |
* Alamodome – San Antonio, Texas Attendance: 3,377 Referees: Lisa Jones, Brian Hall, Karen Preato

## Final Four

During the Final Four round, Stanford, the winner of the Alamo Regional defeated South Carolina, the winner of the HemisFair Regional. Arizona, the winner of the Mercado Regional defeated UConn, the winner of the River Walk Regional. In the championship game, Stanford defeated Arizona by a score of 54–53 to take the 2021 title.

### Alamodome – San Antonio, Texas

| National semifinals Final Four April 2 | National semifinals Final Four April 2 | National semifinals Final Four April 2 | National championship game April 4 | National championship game April 4 | National championship game April 4 |
| A1 | Stanford | 66 | | | |
| H1 | South Carolina | 65 | | | |
| H1 | South Carolina | 65 | A1 | Stanford | 54 |
| | | | M3 | Arizona | 53 |
| M3 | Arizona | 69 | M3 | Arizona | 53 |
| RW1 | UConn | 59 | | | |

#### National semifinals

* ESPN
* April 2 5:00 pm
A1 Stanford Cardinal 66, H1 South Carolina Gamecocks 65 :
| Scoring by quarter: 15–15, 16–10, 21–24, 14–16 |||
| Pts: H. Jones, 24 Rebs: Le. Hull, 13 Asts: Le. Hull, 4 | Pts: Z. Cooke, 25 Rebs: A. Boston, 16 Asts: D. Henderson, 3 |
* Alamodome – San Antonio, Texas Attendance: 0 Referees: Eric Brewton, Brenda Pantoja, Gina Cross
* ESPN
* April 2 8:30 pm
M3 Arizona Wildcats 69, RW1 UConn Huskies 59 :
| Scoring by quarter: 16–10, 16–12, 16–17, 21–20 |||
| Pts: A. McDonald, 26 Rebs: H. Pueyo, 8 Asts: B. Yeaney, 4 | Pts: C. Williams, 20 Rebs: A. Edwards, 7 Asts: P. Bueckers, 4 |
* Alamodome – San Antonio, Texas Attendance: 4,793 Referees: Chuck Gonzalez, Dee Kantner, Pualani Spurlock-Welsh

#### National championship

* ESPN
* April 4 5:00 pm
A1 Stanford Cardinal 54, M3 Arizona Wildcats 53 :
| Scoring by quarter: 16–8, 15–16, 12–16, 11–13 |||
| Pts: H. Jones, 17 Rebs: Le. Hull, 10 Asts: A. Prechtel, A. Wilson, K. Williams, 3 | Pts: A. McDonald, 22 Rebs: S. Thomas, S. Pellington, 7 Asts: A. McDonald, T. Baptiste, 2 |
* Alamodome – San Antonio, Texas Attendance: 4,604 Referees: Cheryl Flores, Maj Forsberg, Felicia Grinter

#### Final Four all-tournament team

* Haley Jones (MOP), Stanford
* Lexie Hull, Stanford
* Aari McDonald, Arizona
* Zia Cooke, South Carolina
* Paige Bueckers, UConn

## Record by conference

| Conference | Bids | Record | Win % | R64 | R32 | S16 | E8 | F4 | CG | NC |
| Pac-12 | 6 | 15–5 | .750 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Big East | 2 | 4–2 | .667 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | – |
| SEC | 7 | 10–7 | .588 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | – | – |
| ACC | 8 | 9–8 | .529 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 1 | – | – | – |
| Big 12 | 5 | 9–5 | .643 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 | – | – | – |
| Big Ten | 7 | 10–7 | .588 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 1 | – | – | – |
| Missouri Valley | 2 | 2–2 | .500 | 2 | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – |
| WCC | 2 | 1–2 | .333 | 2 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – |
| American | 2 | 1–2 | .333 | 2 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Horizon | 1 | 1–1 | .500 | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ohio Valley | 1 | 1–1 | .500 | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Summit | 2 | 0–2 | .000 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| MAC | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Southland | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| C-USA | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| SWAC | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| MEAC | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Atlantic 10 | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Mountain West | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | 1 | – | – | – | – | — | – |
| America East | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Atlantic Sun | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Big Sky | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Big South | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Big West | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Colonial | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| MAAC | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Patriot | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Southern | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| WAC | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Sun Belt | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Northeast | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
* The R64, R32, S16, E8, F4, CG, and NC columns indicate how many teams from each conference were in the round of 64 (first round), round of 32 (second round), Sweet 16, Elite Eight, Final Four, championship game, and national champion, respectively.
* The American, America East, Atlantic 10, Atlantic Sun, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Conference USA, Colonial, Horizon, MAAC, MEAC, Mountain West, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, Southland, Sun Belt, SWAC, and WAC conferences each had one representative that was eliminated in the first round.

## Media coverage
### Television

ESPN served as broadcaster of the tournament, as part of its multi-year deal to broadcast NCAA national championships. Following a similar broadcast arrangement to the men's tournament under the CBS/Turner consortium, ESPN announced that all games in the tournament would be televised nationally in their entirety by either ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, or, for the first time, ABC (marking the first women's tournament to include coverage on broadcast television since 1995), rather than use a mix of regional broadcasts, streaming, and "whiparound" feeds.
Kerry Callahan became the first woman to serve as producer for ESPN's coverage of the Women's Final Four.

#### Studio host and analysts

* Maria Taylor (Host) (First, Second rounds, Regionals, Final Four, and National championship game)
* Kelsey Riggs (Host) (first round)
* Andy Landers (Analyst) (First, Second rounds, Regionals, Final Four, and National championship game)
* Rebecca Lobo (Analyst) (first and second rounds)
* Carolyn Peck (Analyst) (Regionals, Final Four, and National championship game)
* Andraya Carter (Analyst) (first round)
* Monica McNutt (Analyst) (first round)

#### Broadcast assignments
### Radio

Westwood One has exclusive radio rights to the entire tournament. Teams participating in the Elite Eight, Final Four, and Championship were allowed to have their own local broadcasts, but they were not allowed to stream those broadcasts online.
Regional finals
* Ted Emrich (Monday), Patrick Kinas (Tuesday), and Krista Blunk – Alamodome
* Roxy Bernstein and Kristen Kozlowski – Alamodome
Final Four and Championship
* Ryan Radtke and Debbie Antonelli – Alamodome