Iowa State Women's Basketball Earns No. 8 Seed in March Madness

Cyclones to Face No. 9 Syracuse Orange in Opening Round

Mar. 16, 2026 at 1:24am

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The Iowa State Cyclones women's basketball team has earned a No. 8 seed in the 2026 NCAA March Madness tournament. They will face the No. 9 seeded Syracuse Orange in the opening round, set to take place in Storrs, Connecticut. This marks the 24th tournament appearance for the Cyclones, who hold an all-time March Madness record of 23-23.

Why it matters

The Cyclones and Orange have met twice before in the NCAA tournament, with Syracuse holding a 2-0 advantage in the all-time series. This matchup will showcase two teams with strong regular season records looking to advance deep into the tournament.

The details

Iowa State (22-9, 10-8 Big 12) is coming off a quarterfinal loss to Arizona State in the Big 12 conference tournament, while Syracuse (23-8, 12-6 ACC) defeated California before falling to Louisville in the ACC tournament quarterfinals. The Cyclones average 82.3 points per game and shoot 47.9% from the field, while the Orange average 74.5 points and shoot 42.4%.

  • The Iowa State vs. Syracuse matchup will take place on Saturday in Storrs, Connecticut.
  • The 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament begins on March 20, 2026.

The players

Iowa State Cyclones

The women's basketball team from Iowa State University, a member of the Big 12 Conference.

Syracuse Orange

The women's basketball team from Syracuse University, a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

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What they’re saying

“We're excited for the opportunity to compete in the NCAA Tournament again. Syracuse is a tough opponent, but we're ready to give it our all.”

— Bill Fennelly, Head Coach, Iowa State Cyclones

“March Madness is always a special time of year, and we're looking forward to the challenge of facing Iowa State. It should be a great game.”

— Quentin Hillsman, Head Coach, Syracuse Orange

What’s next

The winner of the Iowa State-Syracuse matchup will advance to face the winner of the No. 1 seed vs. No. 16 seed game in the next round of the NCAA Tournament.

The takeaway

This first-round matchup between the Cyclones and Orange features two teams with strong regular season records and tournament pedigrees, setting the stage for an exciting start to the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament.