March Madness bracket 2025: AI picks every women's Sweet 16 game
With two rounds now out of the way, the women's NCAA Tournament is kicking into high gear. Only 16 teams remain and the best of the best are one or two games away from duking it out.
Will the USC Trojans be able to continue their success without star JuJu Watkins? After all, they're only one win away from a potential matchup against Paige Bueckers and the UConn Huskies. Is USC good enough to survive such tough matchups back-to-back-to-back?
That's what we're looking at today. At the start of March Madness, USA Today asked the Microsoft Copilot AI chatbot to predict both the men's and women's tournaments, but now that we're two rounds deep, some factors may have changed. Here's what the AI is predicting now.
March Madness predictions 2025: AI simulation of every women's Sweet 16 game
Regional 4 - Spokane
- USC 75, Kansas State 62
Copilot has the Trojans winning this game by way of their "balanced offense and strong defense." Copilot could not look past the Trojans' incredible scoring margin of 22.4, giving them the edge in a dominant 13-point fashion. Even without JuJu Watkins, AI still very much like the depth that USC offers.
- UConn 82, Oklahoma 70
Copilot likes UConn in this matchup, thanks in large part to Paige Bueckers. It writes, "Bueckers' recent performance against South Dakota State, where she scored 34 points, highlights her ability to lead the team." While Copilot does like Oklahoma's scorers as well, particularly Raegan Beers and Payton Verhulst, it does not think they will be enough to overcome Bueckers.
Regional 3 - Birmingham
- Tennessee 75, Texas 68
We got an upset! Copilot believes Texas doesn't have what it takes to win in high-leverage situations, pointing particularly to their 19-point loss to South Carolina in the SEC Tournament. It writes, "Texas has had several games where they struggled offensively in the first quarter. For example, they scored only 16 points in the first half against South Carolina, which was the fewest in a half by an AP No. 1 team in a decade."
- Notre Dame 78, TCU 70
It's two upsets in the same region. Copilot likes Notre Dame thanks to their recent success, pointing at Notre Dame's massive 21-point win over Michigan as the biggest reason to have faith in their momentum.
Region 2 - Birmingham
- South Carolina 80, Maryland 68
Copilot writes, "Maryland has shown some defensive weaknesses, allowing 62.3 points per game. In high-stakes games, they have struggled to contain top-tier offenses. Their recent loss to Alabama exposed some vulnerabilities in their defense."
- North Carolina 72, Duke 68
Copilot likes North Carolina in a very close game for one critical reason: free throws. Duke ranks 208th in the nation with a 68.2% free throw percentage. In close games, those missed opportunities could become the reason Duke is eliminated.
Region 1 - Spokane
- UCLA 74, Ole Miss 66
Copilot likes UCLA in a narrow eight-point victory here. It writes, "While Ole Miss has a strong defense, they have struggled with turnovers in some games. Against a team like UCLA, which capitalizes on opponents' mistakes, this could be a significant disadvantage."
- LSU 70, NC State 65
The AI likes LSU in this matchup for an unexpected reason, Kim Mulkey. While the bot has normally taken a look at stats to determine a winner, Copilot likes the leadership Mulkey brings, writing "Under the leadership of Coach Kim Mulkey, LSU has become a powerhouse in women's basketball. Mulkey's experience and strategic acumen have led the Tigers to multiple NCAA Tournament appearances and deep runs. Her ability to motivate and guide the team in high-pressure situations is invaluable."