Technologies

March Madness 2023: Women’s NCAA Tournament Schedule, First Four, Bracket, How to Watch and Stream

The women’s college basketball tournament starts Wednesday with a pair of First Four games on ESPN.

If you’re unfamiliar with Caitlin Clark, it’s time to get acquainted. The sensational Iowa point guard is third in the nation in points and first in assists and has led the Hawkeyes to a No. 2 seed in the women’s NCAA basketball tournament. The biggest obstacle standing in Clark’s way is Aliyah Boston and South Carolina. Boston is the reigning Naismith Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, and the Gamecocks are the defending champions. They have yet to lose a game this year.

The women’s March Madness bracket is set with South Carolina, Indiana, Stanford and Virginia Tech as the top seeds in each region. The tournament gets underway on Wednesday with 68 teams in the field and will crown a champion on April 2.

Here’s everything you need to know to watch the women’s NCAA tournament on ABC and a host of ESPN channels without cable (and here’s how to watch the men’s tournament).

Iowa's Caitlin Clark — Iowa’s Caitlin Clark is one of the most exciting players in college basketball.

David Berding/Getty Images

When does the women’s NCAA tournament start?

The women’s March Madness tournament tips off on Wednesday with two play-in games followed by two more play-in games Thursday night. After these First Four games, the field of 68 is trimmed to a more mathematically manageable 64 and the tournament begins in earnest on Friday, March 17, with a full slate of games.

What is the NCAAW tournament schedule?

Here’s the schedule, round by round:

First Four: March 15-16
First round: March 17-18
Second round: March 19-20
Sweet 16: March 24-25
Elite Eight: March 26-27
Final Four: March 31
Women’s NCAA championship game: April 2

Which teams are in the First Four?

Wednesday, March 15:

(11) Mississippi State vs. (11) Illinois at 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. PT); winner plays (6) Creighton
(16) Sacred Heart vs. (16) Southern at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT); winner plays (1) Stanford

Thursday, March 16

(11) St. John’s vs. (11) Purdue at 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. PT); winner plays (6) North Carolina
(16) Monmouth vs. (16) Tennessee Tech at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT); winner plays (1) Indiana

How can I watch the women’s tournament?

The tournament will be shown on ABC and a variety of ESPN channels: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews and ESPNU.

Can I stream March Madness for free?

Go to the NCAA’s March Madness Live site or use its March Madness Live app and you’ll be able to watch games for free. You can watch March Madness Live on iOS and Android devices along with Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV and Xbox One. The app also supports AirPlay and Chromecast.

As with most things that are free, there’s a catch. Without proving you’re a pay-TV subscriber, you get only a three-hour preview, after which point you’ll need to log in to continue watching.

What are my other streaming options?

You can use a live TV streaming service to watch the women’s NCAA basketball tournament. All five of the major live TV streaming services offer the channels needed to watch every game, but keep in mind that not every service carries every local network, so check each one using the links below to make sure it carries ABC in your area.

Sarah Tew/CNET

YouTube TV

Carries ABC and ESPN channels for $65 a month

YouTube TV costs $65 a month and includes ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews and ESPNU. Plug in your ZIP code on its welcome page to see which local networks are available in your area. Read our YouTube TV review.

See at YouTube TV

Hulu

Hulu with Live TV

Carries ABC and ESPN channels for $70 a month

Hulu with Live TV costs $70 a month and includes ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews and ESPNU. Click the «View channels in your area» link on its welcome page to see which local channels are offered in your ZIP code. Read our Hulu with Live TV review.

See at Hulu with Live TV

Sling/CNET

Sling TV

Carries ABC and ESPN channels for $70 a month

Sling TV’s $55-a-month Orange and Blue plan includes ABC, ESPN and ESPN2. Keep in mind, however, that Sling offers ABC carries ABC only in a handful of areas. With the $15-a-month Sports Extra add-on, you can also watch the games on ESPNews and ESPNU. Read our Sling TV review.

See at Sling TV

Fubo TV

FuboTV

Carries ABC and ESPN channels for $83 a month

FuboTV’s basic plan costs $75 a month and includes ABC, ESPN and ESPN2. The Fubo Extra add-on costs an additional $8 a month and includes ESPNews and ESPNU. Click here to see which local channels you get. Read our FuboTV review.

See at FuboTV

Directv stream

DirecTV Stream

Carries ABC and ESPN channels for $99 a month

DirecTV Stream’s basic $75-a-month plan includes ABC, ESPN and ESPN2, but you’ll need the $99-a-month plan to also get ESPNews and ESPNU. You can use its channel lookup tool to see which local channels are available where you live. Read our DirecTV Stream review.

See at DirecTV Stream

All of the live TV streaming services above offer free trials, allow you to cancel anytime and require a solid internet connection. Looking for more information? Check out our live-TV streaming services guide.

Technologies

iPhone 17 Preorders Spike and Overall Phone Sales Aren’t Slowing Down Despite Tariffs

Global smartphone shipments saw a notable increase in the third quarter of 2025. Plus, preorders for Apple’s new iPhone 17 beat out the iPhone 16.

Despite tariffs and market uncertainty, global smartphone shipments increased 2.6% in the third quarter of 2025, compared to the same time last year, according to the International Data Corporation. Additionally, preorders for the iPhone 17, which launched last month, outpaced last year’s iPhone 16.

These increased sales include premium phones like the latest iPhones and Samsung foldables, suggesting yet again that pricier phones still sell in periods of economic strain. It’s a remarkable achievement, says IDC senior research director Nabila Popal, citing shrewd financing options as the reason people keep buying these high-end phones, which cost anywhere from $800 to nearly $2,000.

«[Phone makers] have mastered the art of innovation not only in hardware and software to entice upgrades but also in removing purchase friction. They have flawlessly combined cutting-edge devices with innovative financing models and aggressive trade-in programs that make the upgrading decision a ‘no-brainer’ for consumers,» Popal said in an IDC press release.

Apple sold 58.6 million iPhones this quarter, an increase of 2.9% over the same period in 2024, with more preorders for the iPhone 17 series than its predecessor. But Samsung wasn’t far behind, with its Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 selling better than all of the company’s prior foldables. The company still reigns atop the phone market with 61.4 million phones sold, representing 19% of the market in the third quarter of this year — an increase of 6.3% from the same period last year. Meanwhile, Apple lands slightly behind Samsung with 18.2% market share this quarter.

The other phone makers trailing Apple and Samsung are, in order: Xiaomi, with 13.5% of the market; Transsion, with 9%; and Vivo with 8.9%. The remaining companies in the phones industry, from Chinese stalwarts like Oppo and Honor to Motorola and Google, make up the remaining 31.4% of the market for the quarter. All told, 322.7 million phones were sold, up from 314.6 million in the third quarter of 2024, according to IDC.

IDC’s findings for the third quarter continue the small but steady growth of phone sales over the year, including a modest 1% increase in the preceding three months — which includes the April deadline when President Donald Trump unveiled sweeping tariffs. In the second quarter, IDC cited midrange devices like Samsung’s Galaxy A36 and other phones that started incorporating AI. But even persistent tariffs haven’t slowed down people’s appetites for pricier phones in the third quarter.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Tuesday, Oct. 14

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Oct. 14.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s Mini Crossword has an odd vertical shape, with an extra Across clue, and only four Down clues. The clues are not terribly difficult, but one or two could be tricky. Read on if you need the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.