March Madness: Best women's First Round games to watch

The March Madness Tournament is here, bringing with it the First Round of college basketball games filled with matchups that could make for surprising upsets.

By Paris McGee Jr.

Cleveland, Ohio - Will the college basketball world see shocking upsets in the First Round of March Madness?

March Madness is here, bringing with it the First Round of games filled with thrilling matchups that could produce some surprising upsets.
March Madness is here, bringing with it the First Round of games filled with thrilling matchups that could produce some surprising upsets.  © EAKIN HOWARD / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP

Basketball fans, are you ready?

March Madness is upon us, with the First Round of games scheduled for Friday and Saturday.

On the women's side, there's no shortage of excitement, especially with the unbeaten South Carolina leading the pack as favorites.

While South Carolina is the team to beat, several others have garnered attention, including defending champions LSU, and Iowa, UConn, UCLA, USC, and Ohio State.

These teams boast star athletes capable of winning the national title and are poised to create upsets, especially since many are in the same regional bracket.

The bracket has thrown up some surprising matchups. LSU, Iowa, and UCLA are all in the same group, while UConn, USC, and Ohio State find themselves in another challenging region together.

The stage is set for an exhilarating March Madness Tournament this season! Here are the women's First Round games you can't miss.

Best First Round March Madness games to watch opening weekend

The No. 1 Iowa Hawkeyes (pictured) will face the winner of Holy Cross and UT Martin in the First Round of the March Madness Tournament.
The No. 1 Iowa Hawkeyes (pictured) will face the winner of Holy Cross and UT Martin in the First Round of the March Madness Tournament.  © MATTHEW HOLST / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP FILE SIZE/PIXELS/DPI

As the First Four games kick off on Tuesday and Wednesday to determine the teams advancing to the official First Round, here are the most exciting First Round matchups to watch this opening weekend:

Albany 1 Region

  • Game: No. 8 North Carolina vs. No. 9 Michigan
  • When: Friday, March 22,11:30 AM ET
  • Channel: ESPN2
  • Game: No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 16 Sacred Heart/Presbyterian
  • When: Friday, March 22, 2 PM ET
  • Channel: ESPN

Albany 2 Region

  • Game: No. 8 West Virginia vs. No. 9 Princeton
  • When: Saturday, March 23, 5:30 PM ET
  • Channel: ESPN2
  • Game: No. 1 Iowa vs. No. 16 Holy Cross/UT Martin
  • When: Saturday, March 23, 3 PM ET
  • Channel: ABC

Portland 3 Region

  • Game: No. 1 Southern California vs. No. 16 A&M-Corpus Christi
  • When: Saturday, March 23, 4:30 PM ET
  • Channel: ESPN
  • Game: No. 8 Kansas vs. No. 9 Michigan
  • When: Saturday, March 23, 2 PM ET
  • Channel: ESPNews

Portland 4 region

  • Game: No. 1 Texas vs. No. 16 Drexel
  • When: Friday, March 22, 3 PM ET
  • Channel: ESPNU
  • Game: No. 7 Iowa St. vs. No. 10 Maryland
  • When: Friday, March 22, 7:30 PM
  • Channel: ESPN2

Which games are you most excited for?

Cover photo: EAKIN HOWARD / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP

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