Duke Holds No. 1 Seed as ACC Women's Basketball Tournament Begins

Louisville, UNC among top contenders as conference tournament tips off in Georgia

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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The 2026 ACC women's basketball tournament is set to tip off this week in Duluth, Georgia, with Duke holding the No. 1 seed after winning the regular season title. However, the Blue Devils are far from a lock to claim the tournament championship, as North Carolina, Louisville, and Notre Dame are all strong contenders. The tournament features a competitive field, with several teams having suffered late-season upsets that have set the stage for an exciting postseason.

Why it matters

The ACC is one of the premier women's basketball conferences in the country, and the tournament title carries significant weight in terms of NCAA Tournament seeding and momentum heading into the Big Dance. With several top teams in the mix, the tournament should provide high-stakes, competitive basketball that will have major implications for the national landscape.

The details

Duke secured the regular season title with a 21-8 record, but suffered a pair of late-season losses that have opened the door for other contenders. North Carolina went 14-4 in league play and won 12 of its last 13 games, while Louisville finished second in the conference despite a couple of bad losses. Notre Dame, led by the nation's third-leading scorer Hannah Hidalgo, is also a dangerous team entering the tournament.

  • The ACC women's basketball tournament runs from March 4-8, 2026.
  • The championship game is scheduled for Sunday, March 8 at 1 p.m. ET.

The players

Duke

The Blue Devils won the ACC regular season title with a 21-8 record, earning the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament.

North Carolina

The Tar Heels went 14-4 in ACC play and won 12 of their last 13 games to earn the No. 3 seed in the tournament.

Louisville

The Cardinals finished second in the ACC standings but suffered a couple of bad losses late in the season, earning the No. 2 seed.

Notre Dame

Led by the nation's third-leading scorer Hannah Hidalgo, the Fighting Irish went 20-9 on the year and are entering the tournament as a dangerous unseeded team.

Hannah Hidalgo

The Notre Dame guard averaged 25.2 points and 6.3 rebounds per game this season, the third-best scoring output nationally.

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What’s next

The ACC women's basketball tournament will continue with the quarterfinals on Friday, March 6, where the top seeds will face off against the winners of the second-round matchups.

The takeaway

The 2026 ACC women's basketball tournament features a highly competitive field, with several teams capable of making a run to the championship. While Duke holds the No. 1 seed, the tournament is wide open, setting the stage for an exciting and unpredictable postseason in one of the nation's premier conferences.