
Unforgettable Moments: The Women’s NCAA Tournament Runs That Shocked the Nation and Redefined Greatness
March Madness has seen its fair share of heroes, but when it comes to the women’s NCAA Tournament since 2012, only a select few have risen above the rest and truly left a mark that echoes through the ages. Ever wonder what sets these performances apart? Is it sheer scoring prowess, clutch moments, or all-around dominance? This deep dive, powered by game-level WAR metrics, peels back the curtain on the standout games and tournaments that defined nearly a decade and a half of intense competition. From buzzer-beaters to relentless efficiency, these are the warriors who didn’t just play the game—they transformed it. Ready to relive these epic moments and see who carved their names into March Madness lore? LEARN MORE.
A lot of players have made their mark during March Madness. But these are the best of the best in the women’s NCAA Tournament since 2012.
Itâs been another exciting tournament in womenâs college basketball, and we ended the season with the best teams advancing to the Final Four.
South Carolina, UConn, Texas and UCLA were the top four teams in TRACR entering the tournament, and they’re playing in Tampa, Florida.
Another elite team, USC, was in the mix â and is fourth today â but it had the incredibly unfortunate injury to JuJu Watkins that surely aided UConn in their Elite Eight matchup.
Weâve seen elite players put on a show all tournament, but how do these performances compare to ones in the recent past?
Using game-level WAR, we can determine which players have had the best games and tournaments since 2012. Hereâs who left the biggest imprint on March Madness.
Best Tournament Games by WAR Since 2012
1. Morgan William, Mississippi State vs. Baylor, March 26, 2017 (0.60 WAR)
This isnât the Morgan William game most people will remember. The game after this, she hit a buzzer-beater to end UConnâs 111-game win streak and send Mississippi State to the championship game.
That game of Williamâs is ranked seventh on this list, but her game against Baylor stands on top. Itâs easy to see why when you look at her stat line.
This list isnât all about scoring, but when you score as efficiently as William did, itâs easy to see why WAR ranks this game first. William completely dismantled a strong Baylor defense, scoring 41 points, dishing out seven assists and not turning the ball over at all in Mississippi Stateâs 94-85 win.
No other player has even had 35 points in a tournament game without committing a turnover, and William had 41. She was 6 of 8 on 3-pointers; Baylor hit five 3s as a team. It was complete domination and worthy of the top spot on this list.
2. Jakia Brown-Turner, NC State vs. UConn, March 28, 2022 (0.59 WAR)
North Carolina State came close to ending UConnâs streak of 14 straight Final Four appearances but ultimately fell short in 91-87 loss in double overtime.
The game getting to double overtime allowed Jakia Brown-Turner to accumulate a ton of value as she played 47 minutes. She didnât have an efficient shooting night, shooting 6 of 14 and scoring 20 points, but Brown-Turnerâs imprints were all over this game.
In fact, the game wouldnât have gotten to double overtime without her. Brown-Turner hit a corner 3 with under a second remaining in the first OT to knot the game.
Brown-Turner added eight rebounds, five assists and hit all six of her free throws. She contributed in all facets of games against an elite team while tallying a lot of minutes, which also contributed to her WAR.
3. Breanna Stewart, UConn vs. Maryland, April 5, 2015 (0.57 WAR)
Breanna Stewart is one of the best college basketball players ever, so it stands to reason sheâd make the list.
UConn was a dominating force in 2015 and dismantled Maryland 81-58 in a national semifinal. Stewart led the way with 25 points on 7-of-13 shooting and stuffed the stat sheet with eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and four blocks.
Stewartâs game is ranked so highly because of the instrumental role she played in complete domination over a good Maryland team that finished the season 34-3. Morgan Tuck, Moriah Jefferson and Stewart combined for 63 points, five more than the entire Maryland squad.
The game was a stark reminder just how dominant UConn was during the Stewie era.
4. Jackie Young, Notre Dame vs. UConn, March 30, 2018 (0.56 WAR)
The Notre Dame and UConn clash in the national semifinal in 2018 was one of the best tournament games ever. UConn played six players in the game and all were still playing in the WNBA this past season. Notre Dame countered with three future WNBA stars of their own in Jackie Young, Arike Ogunbowale and Marina Mabrey.
Even with all that talent on the court, Young looked like the best player. She scored 32 points on 10-of-15 shooting and added 11 rebounds. The Huskies featured some of the best defenders in recent memory in Collier and Williams, but it didnât matter, no one could stop Young.
Youngâs game almost wasnât enough. In overtime, Young hit three of her four free-throw attempts to give Notre Dame an 89-84 lead. But UConn went on a quick 5-0 run to tie the game at 89.
So Notre Dame would look for another player to have a heroic moment…
5. Arike Ogunbowale, Notre Dame vs. UConn, March 30, 2018 (0.56 WAR)
Itâs pretty remarkable that the fourth- and fifth-best tournament games in WAR since 2012 came from two players on the same team in the same game, but itâs fitting the two Irish stars who led the team to one of the biggest wins in team history are next to each other.
Ogunbowale wasnât as efficient as Young, but she hit a ton of big shots on the way to 27 points, including the biggest shot of the game. On Notre Dameâs last possession of overtime, Ogunbowale isolated and hit a step-back jumper to give the Irish a 91-89 victory.
The shot helped Ogunbowale cement her reputation as a big shot maker, one that has followed her to the WNBA. It took two Herculean individual efforts for Notre Dame to down UConn, and WAR recognizes just how special those two performances were.
Best of 2025: Gabriela Jaquez, UCLA vs. LSU, March 30, 2025 (0.50 WAR)
Gabriela Jaquez can sometimes get lost in the shuffle when discussing UCLAâs brilliance, with Lauren Betts leading the way and Kiki Rice setting the table on offense. But Jaquez is a weapon for the Bruins, and that was on display against LSU.
Jaquez picked a good time to become a sharpshooter. She hit a career-high four 3-pointers and finished with 18 points in UCLAâs 72-65 win over LSU.
In a game in which the Bruins shot just 38.2% from the field, Jaquezâs efficiency was crucial. She shot 5 of 7 overall, while the rest of the team shot 16 of 48.

Best Tournaments by WAR since 2012
1. Caitlin Clark, 2024 Iowa (2.46 WAR)
Caitlin Clarkâs sensational 2024 run tops this list, and thatâs no surprise. She scored 51 more points and had 17 more assists than anyone else in that tournament. She averaged 30.0 points and led Iowa to the championship game while shouldering an enormous offensive burden.
Itâs hard to live up to the hype Clark put on herself after her incredible tournament run the previous year and her sensational regular season, but Clark found a new gear in the tournament. It was a great last act of one of the greatest college careers ever.
2. Breanna Stewart, 2016 UConn (2.40 WAR)
Speaking of the greatest college careers ever, Stewartâs final tournament run in 2016 is the only one that got close to Clarkâs. Stewart won four straight NCAA championships and three straight AP National Player of the Year Awards, and the run she made in 2016 was her best.
She didnât score as much as Clark, averaging 20.5 points, but her shooting splits were .566/.478/.893 for the tournament and she was a menace on defense. Itâs hard to have a more perfect college career than Stewart did, and her 2016 tournament performance was the crown jewel of that career.
3. Caitlin Clark, 2023 Iowa (2.33 WAR)
Clark had the most WAR in a tournament in 2024, but she actually averaged more points per game the year before.
In the 2023 run, Clark averaged 31.8 points while lapping the field in total points (63 more than any other player) and assists (33 more). Her defense was the difference-maker in 2024, but Clarkâs 2023 run had the most offensive WAR since 2012.
4. Aari McDonald, 2021 Arizona (2.27 WAR)
Finally, a name that might be somewhat surprising!
Of course, McDonald had an excellent college career herself as a two-time second-team All-American. But she wasnât the National Player of the Year like Stewart and Clark. The tournament was when she really shone in 2020-21.
McDonald scored at least 20 points in five of her six tournament games. Her best scoring effort was a 33-point game against Indiana in the Elite Eight. McDonald struggled shooting in the championship game against Stanford, but she put together an impressive resume to get No. 3 seed Arizona all the way to the final.
5. Breanna Stewart, 2015 UConn (2.25 WAR)
After our brief non-Stewart or Clark interlude, weâre back.
UConnâs 2014-15 season didnât feature much stress, as the team lost to Stanford in overtime in its second game, then won every game the rest of the season by double digits (yes, really). The closest game came in the championship when UConn beat Notre Dame 63-53.
Stewartâs run was a mixture of big-scoring efforts and dominant defense depending on what was needed. She shot 53.9% from the field for the tournament and had multiple blocks in every game.
Best of 2025: SaâMyah Smith, LSU (1.22 WAR)
SaâMyah Smith narrowly edged out her teammate Aneesah Morrow for WAR in this tournament and sheâll likely be passed by someone on one of the four teams still playing this weekend. But for now, she sits at the top of the leaderboard.

Smithâs efficiency stands out, as she shot a combined 17 of 22 from the field against Florida State and NC State. Overall, she shot 56.5% for the tournament and averaged 13.8 points and 10.3 rebounds. She also had nine steals in the Tigers’ four games.
Smith might not be the name youâd expect at the top of this leaderboard, but her strong play was a big reason LSU made a run to the Elite Eight.
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The post Players With the Best Women’s NCAA Tournament Runs in Recent History appeared first on Opta Analyst.
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