Virginia’s Women’s College Basketball Teams in The 2025 NCAA Tournament (3-18-2025)
By: Joe Dillard Jr.
Headline Photo Credit: Darrell Owens-LMS Network
The state of Virginia is loaded with Women’s teams dancing into March and we pay homage to the programs stepping into the tournament with hopes of making a splash. Again, pound for pound this state is competing with the nation when it comes to basketball and successful seasons, teams, players, coaches, and program runs. We look at the field and see how teams are fair against the first-round opponents.
Richmond 27-6 (17-1)…(8) Richmond vs (9) Georgia Tech
Maggie Doogan (Jr) leads the team in points and rebounding will be a hard matchup as she can work inside and out with her game and has helped with Rachel Ullstrom (Jr) who averages 15.5 points per game along with shooting above 40 percent from the arc. They will have to pack their defense and make sure they have that as the most important phase if they look to advance. Winners of the A-10 regular season, the resume was strong enough to earn a higher seed and would be considered the best team in the state to advance. They took on Texas at home earlier in the season and looked the part but lost by 11. The game will be on March 21 at 7:30 pm so tune in Virginia!
Prediction- Richmond 74- Georgia Tech 69
George Mason 27-5 (16-4)…(6) Florida State vs (11) George Mason
Zahirah Walton (RS So) averaging 15.1 points per game and Kennedy Harris (So) out of Hampton, Virginia putting up 13.9per game have shown they can carry the load and take over if they need to with both having multiple games with 25 points or more. Paula Suarez (Sr) although from Spain seems to be the Swiss army knife that George Mason needs as she can pass it, rebound it, and is a great third option for an offense that is very efficient. Getting swept by Saint Joseph’s University and avenging the loss in the title game showed the character of this team as that record is no fluke. The loss to Maryland by 10 makes you wonder if Norfolk State gave George Mason a call about that matchup but ultimately shows Mason can compete with the best of them. The game will be on March 22 at 7:45 pm so tune in Virginia!
Prediction George Mason 66- Florida State 64
Norfolk State 30-4 (14-0) …(4) Maryland vs (13) Norfolk State
Larry Vickers has been the rock to this program and has run through the MEAC over the past three seasons as this is the third consecutive appearance for the Lady Spartans they are led by all-world guard Diamond Johnson who is a Boo Williams product and came back to familiar grounds leads this group with 19.0 points per game and an amazing 6.1 rebounds per game and 3.6 steals per game. Did I mention she was only 5’5? Well, she is along with not being afraid of the moment. Vickers has shown a unique way of constructing a roster being heavy with sophomores and seniors. The previous three seasons proved that he knows what he is doing and what the Lady Spartans are capable of. The game will be on March 22 at 4 pm so tune in to Virginia!
Prediction Norfolk State 72- Maryland 68
Liberty 26-6 (16-2)… (4) Kentucky vs (13) Liberty
A balanced attack led by 6’6 center Bella Smuda (Sr) they share the ball so well you really can not match up against them specifically and will have to guard all five players. C-USA tournament champions and look to lean on those big-time matchups earlier in the season versus Duke, Tennessee, and Arkansas. I’m sure they are familiar with Kenny Brooks and Georgia Amoore but will need to isolate her with Smuda having a productive game. They have what it takes and will need to have a complete game from a team that has 11 players with over 10 minutes per game. If they can produce when their number Is called, then we might have some fireworks. The game will be on March 21 at noon so tune in to Virginia!
Prediction Kentucky 76- Liberty 79 (OT)
William and Mary 15-18 (8-10) (16) High Point vs (16) William and Mary
What Erin Dickerson has been able to accomplish might not get national recognition, however, the state should know this is William and Mary’s first tournament appearance and with a record under .500. The ability to keep this team locked in for the CAA conference tournament speaks volumes to what might be possible in Williamsburg, Virginia. Hopefully, this will give her a longer list of recruits and players to see what the program is capable of. They will have a great chance to gain a tournament win by having them play in the round against fellow 16-seed High Point. The game will be on March 20 at 9 pm so tune in to Virginia!
Prediction William and Mary 58- High Point 56
