Key keywords: Women's March Madness 2026, 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament, UConn vs UNC 2026, Notre Dame upsets Vanderbilt, March Madness 2026 live scores, Women's March Madness live updates, 2026 Women's Sweet 16, NCAA women's hoops 2026 The 2026 edition of the NCAA Women's March Madness Sweet 16 round delivered one of the most shocking upsets of the tournament so far on Thursday, as 7-seed Notre Dame knocked off 2-seed Vanderbilt 78-72 to punch its ticket to the Elite Eight. The Fighting Irish trailed by as many as 11 points in the first half, but a 22-8 run in the third quarter flipped the momentum entirely, with junior guard Mia Carter leading the charge with a career-high 28 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists. Carter hit two contested 3-pointers in the final 90 seconds of play to seal the win, while Vanderbilt's All-American guard Allie Johnson, who finished with 22 points on the night, missed five consecutive field goal attempts in the closing minutes to end the Commodores' title hopes. Elsewhere on the Sweet 16 bracket, the highly anticipated matchup between 1-seed UConn and 4-seed UNC is underway as of press time, with the Huskies holding a 56-49 lead with 3:42 remaining in the third quarter. UConn freshman standout Lila Reed has already notched 21 points and 3 steals, shooting 7-for-9 from beyond the arc to carry the Huskies' offense after a slow start that saw UNC jump out to a 7-point lead in the second quarter. UNC senior forward Kayla Moore leads the Tar Heels with 18 points and 7 rebounds, as her team looks to mount a late comeback to upset the perennial powerhouse Huskies. Earlier in the day, 1-seed South Carolina secured its spot in the Elite Eight with a dominant 82-65 win over 5-seed Oregon State, with sophomore center Sasha James posting a 24-point, 12-rebound double-double to extend the Gamecocks' undefeated season to 36 wins. NCAA officials reported that viewership for the 2026 Women's March Madness is up 32% year-over-year as of the Sweet 16 round, marking the highest viewership numbers in the history of the women's tournament. Fans can access real-time scores, full game replays, and highlight clips across the NCAA's official digital platforms, as well as major sports streaming services, as the tournament progresses toward the Final Four in Cleveland next weekend. The winner of the UConn-UNC matchup will face Notre Dame in the Elite Eight this Saturday, with a spot in the Final Four on the line.