Oregon Ducks Women's Basketball Favored Over Virginia Tech in March Madness Opener

No. 8 Oregon set to take on No. 9 Virginia Tech in first round of NCAA Tournament

Mar. 16, 2026 at 12:56pm

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The Oregon Ducks women's basketball team, sitting at 22-12 overall and 8-10 in Big Ten play, is set to face off against the Virginia Tech Hokies in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. According to betting odds, Oregon is favored by 4.5 points over Virginia Tech, making it one of the tighter matchups in the opening round.

Why it matters

This game represents an intriguing first-round matchup between two teams that had solid regular seasons and are looking to make a deep run in the tournament. The winner will likely face a tough test in the second round, potentially against No. 1 seed Texas or No. 16 seed Missouri State/Stephen F. Austin.

The details

Oregon, led by head coach Kelly Graves, is making its 19th NCAA Tournament appearance and 7th in the last 9 years. The Ducks are led by forward Mia Jacobs and guard Katie Fiso, who averages a team-high 15.3 points per game. Virginia Tech, coached by Megan Duffy, is making its first tournament appearance under Duffy's leadership. The Hokies are paced by guard Carleigh Wenzel and forward Carys Baker, who both average over 14 points per game.

  • The Oregon Ducks and Virginia Tech Hokies will face off in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday, March 21, 2026.

The players

Kelly Graves

Head coach of the Oregon Ducks women's basketball team, leading the program to its 19th NCAA Tournament appearance.

Mia Jacobs

Forward for the Oregon Ducks, a key contributor to the team's success this season.

Katie Fiso

Guard for the Oregon Ducks, leading the team in scoring with 15.3 points per game.

Megan Duffy

Head coach of the Virginia Tech Hokies women's basketball team, making her first NCAA Tournament appearance with the program.

Carleigh Wenzel

Guard for the Virginia Tech Hokies, averaging 15.3 points per game.

Carys Baker

Forward for the Virginia Tech Hokies, contributing over 14 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.

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What they’re saying

“We must be ready for a tough battle against Virginia Tech. They have a talented roster and are making their first tournament appearance under Coach Duffy.”

— Kelly Graves, Head Coach, Oregon Ducks

“This is an exciting opportunity for our program to showcase what we can do on the national stage. We're looking forward to the challenge against Oregon.”

— Megan Duffy, Head Coach, Virginia Tech Hokies

What’s next

The winner of the Oregon-Virginia Tech matchup will face the winner of the Texas-Missouri State/Stephen F. Austin game in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

The takeaway

This first-round clash between the No. 8 Oregon Ducks and No. 9 Virginia Tech Hokies represents an intriguing battle between two teams looking to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. The close betting odds suggest this could be one of the more competitive games in the opening round.