This year marks the 30th anniversary of North Carolina winning the women’s NCAA Basketball Tournament, with the Tar Heels claiming their first – and only – title on a 3-point shot from Charlotte Smith at the buzzer.
That title also marks the only one won by a team from the state since the NCAA started a women’s tournament in 1982. In recent years, the state has been well represented in the brackets. However, no team from North Carolina has made the women’s Final Four since the Tar Heels reached the national semifinals in 2007.
With Selection Sunday less than a month away, our team at BetCarolina.com dove into past tournaments to uncover how women’s teams from North Carolina-based schools have fared in March Madness odds.
Historical Data for NC Teams in Final Four
MORE: College Basketball Betting Trends
Past Decade of Tournament Performance for NC Women
North Carolina Well Represented
As you can see, some teams from North Carolina have earned high seeds in recent years. That’s especially true for N.C. State, which has earned two No. 1 seeds since 2021. However, the best the Wolfpack has fared was a finish in the Elite Eight in 2022, when N.C. State lost to UConn.
The Wolfpack’s performance bucks historical trends. According to the NCAA, there have been 164 No. 1 seeds in women’s tournament history, and 92 of those have reached the Final Four, and 85% of all women’s Final Fours (35 of 41) have had at least two top seeds make the semifinals.
North Carolina, N.C. State and Duke all rank among the top teams to reach the tournament. The Tar Heels’ 30 appearances are tied for sixth all-time, while the Wolfpack are tied for ninth all-time with Notre Dame and LSU at 28. The Blue Devils are in a six-way tie for 17th, having reached the tourney 25 times.
Last season, four in-state teams made the big dance—Duke, North Carolina, N.C. State and East Carolina; none advanced past the second round.
This year, ESPN Bracketologist Charlie Crème predicts four teams will make it, with High Point expected to join the Blue Devils, Tar Heels, and Wolfpack. N.C. State currently is projected to earn the best seed among North Carolina schools, with a No. 2 seed.
At FanDuel and soon-to-be FanDuel North Carolina, the Wolfpack have the best odds of any North Carolina team to win this year’s title. With +3000 odds, meaning a $100 winning bet would return $3,100, they have the ninth shortest odds of any team on the futures board. Both UNC and Duke have odds of +50000.
DraftKings offers N.C. State at +2800, Duke odds at +20000, and the Tar Heels odds at +30000. Expect DraftKings North Carolina to feature these odds as well.
Online sports betting will be in North Carolina before you know it. Operators will be able to launch their apps starting on March 11, six days before Selection Sunday. Visit BetCarolina.com to get the latest news on gaming, as well as the best North Carolina sportsbook promo codes available.
