Advertisement

March Madness coming to Cleveland: Looking ahead to NCAA Women's Basketball Final Four

Akron Beacon Journal
·4 min read

Seven weeks from today, March Madness arrives in Cleveland with the NCAA Women's Final Four getting underway at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. In a month, we'll get our official picture of who the favorites will be to arrive in Cleveland when the brackets are announced for the NCAA Tournament.

Until then, expect more highlights from Caitlin Clark and JuJu Watkins, more dominance from South Carolina and more surprises from around the country in what should be an interesting stretch run to the women's college basketball regular season.

Here's what you need to know about the Women's Final Four coming to Cleveland.

When is March Madness Selection Sunday for women's college basketball?

Iowa's Caitlin Clark takes the ball down the court during a game against Nebraska Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Iowa's Caitlin Clark takes the ball down the court during a game against Nebraska Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

The women's field of 68 teams for the NCAA tournament is revealed at 8 p.m. ET Sunday, March 17 live on ESPN.

When are the women's basketball Final Four games in Cleveland?

Feb 1, 2024; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes forward Cotie McMahon (32) celebrates a shot with guard Jacy Sheldon (4) during the second half of the NCAA women’s basketball game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Value City Arena. Ohio State won 87-49.
Feb 1, 2024; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes forward Cotie McMahon (32) celebrates a shot with guard Jacy Sheldon (4) during the second half of the NCAA women’s basketball game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Value City Arena. Ohio State won 87-49.

Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, home of the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers, will be the site of the 2024 Women's Final Four in Cleveland on April 5 and 7. The national semifinals are Friday, April 5. Two days later is the title game. Cleveland becomes the first Ohio city to host the women's Final Four twice.

Where to eat, park: Heading to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse or other downtown Cleveland venue?

When does March Madness start?

Here's a look at the key dates for the NCAA women's basketball tournament.

  • First Four: Wednesday, March 20 and Thursday, March 21

  • First round: Friday, March 22 and Saturday, March 23, top 16 seeds host

  • Second round: Sunday, March 24 and Monday, March 25, top 16 seeds host

  • Sweet 16: Thursday, March 29 and Friday, March 30, in Albany, New York, and Portland, Oregon

  • Elite Eight: Sunday, March 31 and Monday, April 1, in Albany, New York, and Portland, Oregon

  • Final Four: Friday, April 5, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland

  • National championship: Sunday, April 7, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland

Will Caitlin Clark be in March Madness?

Iowa senior star Caitlin Clark, who became the NCAA women's basketball career scoring leader Thursday, almost certainly will be in the NCAA Tournament. Will Iowa and Clark reach the Final Four? That will be the big question throughout March as she tries to lead her team to a second straight trip to the Final Four. Iowa — ranked as high as No. 2 this season — will be one of several threats to make a run at the title. More on that follows next.

More on Caitlin Clark: Iowa record-setting star is transformative, just like Michael Jordan once was

Who are projected as the four No. 1 seeds of March Madness women's tournament?

Feb 4, 2024; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks center Kamilla Cardoso (10) dribbles around Ole Miss Rebels center Rita Igbokwe (32) in the first half at Colonial Life Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 4, 2024; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks center Kamilla Cardoso (10) dribbles around Ole Miss Rebels center Rita Igbokwe (32) in the first half at Colonial Life Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

Unbeaten and top-ranked South Carolina has played like a clear No. 1 seed throughout the season. After that, things change almost day-to-day with the other nine teams in the latest USA TODAY Sports women’s basketball coaches poll all owning three or four losses.

Ohio State, ranked No. 2, looks like a No. 1 seed based on its recent surge, having won 12 straight. Iowa, with Caitlin Clark, obviously is in the picture. The winner of the loaded Pac-12, where Stanford, Colorado, UCLA and USC are all ranked in the top 10, likely gets a No. 1.

The NCAA women's basketball selection committee did its first reveal Thursday, Feb. 15 of the top seeds, if the tournament were to begin that day. South Carolina, Stanford, Ohio State and Colorado were the four one seeds. Iowa, a this point, was projected as a No. 2 seed, along with UCLA, N.C. State and Texas.

Who won March Madness women's tournament last year?

LSU coach Kim Mulkey talks with forward Angel Reese during last season's NCAA title game against Iowa.
LSU coach Kim Mulkey talks with forward Angel Reese during last season's NCAA title game against Iowa.

The LSU Tigers defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes 102-85 in Dallas. South Carolina and Virginia Teach were the other two Final Four teams a year ago.

When did Cleveland last host a Final Four, who won?

The 2007 Women's Final Four was played in the same arena in Cleveland when it was known as Quicken Loans Arena. Tennessee — under the direction of the legendary coach Pat Summitt and featuring star player Candace Parker — won the title by defeating Rutgers 59-46. It was the seventh of Summitt's eight total NCAA championships.

When was the last time a March Madness Final Four was played in Ohio?

Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw and Notre Dame’s Arike Ogunbowale celebrate after the Notre Dame vs. Mississippi State NCAA Women’s Tournament National Championship game Sunday, April 1, inside Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. Tribune Photo/MICHAEL CATERINA
Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw and Notre Dame’s Arike Ogunbowale celebrate after the Notre Dame vs. Mississippi State NCAA Women’s Tournament National Championship game Sunday, April 1, inside Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. Tribune Photo/MICHAEL CATERINA

Columbus hosted the Women's Final Four in 2018 when Notre Dame, coached by Naismith Hall of Famer Muffet McGraw, won the title game 61-58 over Mississippi State. Notre Dame featured four future WNBA players in its starting five, including Arike Ogunbowale, who hit the game-winning 3-pointer to win the title.

Tennessee's Chamique Holdsclaw (23) and Kellie Jolly (14) embrace after they defeated Old Dominion 68-59 to win the NCAA Division I Women's Final Four Tournament Sunday, March 30, 1997, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)
Tennessee's Chamique Holdsclaw (23) and Kellie Jolly (14) embrace after they defeated Old Dominion 68-59 to win the NCAA Division I Women's Final Four Tournament Sunday, March 30, 1997, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)

Cincinnati was the first Ohio city to host a Women's Final Four when Summitt guided Tennessee to the title there in 1997. That was the first time Summitt and the Lady Vols won back-to-back national championships, as they overcame a 10-loss season led by Chamique Holdsclaw, who was then a sophomore.

The Women's Final Four will return to Ohio again soon. Columbus will host for the second time when the games come to Nationwide Arena in 2027.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: March Madness 2024: Key dates for Women's Final Four in Cleveland