Pac-12 Conference women's basketball tournament

Pac-12 Conference women's basketball tournament
Name	Pac-12 Conference women's basketball tournament
Founded	2002
Conference	Pac-12 Conference
Teams	12
Venues	MGM Grand Garden Arena (2013–2016), KeyArena (2017–2019), Michelob Ultra Arena (2020–2022), MGM Grand Garden Arena (2023), MGM Grand Garden Arena (2024)
Most champs	Stanford (15)
Current champ	USC (2024)
Tv	Pac-12 Network, ESPN

Pac-12 Conference women's basketball tournament is the annual postseason competition to determine the conference champion in women's basketball. First held in 2002, the event has been dominated by the Stanford Cardinal, who have won over half of the titles. The tournament champion receives the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament.

History

The tournament was established in 2002, reviving a postseason event that had been absent since the Pacific-10 Conference discontinued its women's tournament after the 1990 edition. The inaugural champion was the Arizona State Sun Devils, who defeated the Stanford Cardinal in the final. For its first decade, the event was primarily held at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California, with other early venues including the Staples Center in Los Angeles and the Galen Center. The tournament's modern era began in 2013 with a move to Las Vegas, initially at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, which significantly increased attendance and visibility. This move coincided with the conference's rebranding from the Pacific-10 Conference to the Pac-12 Conference following the additions of the Colorado Buffaloes and Utah Utes.

Format

The tournament features a 12-team single-elimination bracket, with the top four seeds receiving a first-round bye. Seeding is determined by the final regular-season conference standings. Games are played on consecutive days, typically from Wednesday through Sunday, culminating in the championship game. This format has been consistent since the 2012 tournament, when the Pac-12 Conference expanded to its current membership. In the event of a tie in the standings, the conference employs a series of tie-breaking procedures, including head-to-head records and records against the top teams in the conference.

Champions

The Stanford Cardinal have been the most successful program, winning 15 championships, including a record streak of five consecutive titles from 2019 to 2023 under coach Tara VanDerveer. Other multiple-time champions include the Oregon State Beavers and the USC Trojans. The 2024 championship was won by USC, led by freshman sensation JuJu Watkins, who defeated the Stanford Cardinal in the final. The UCLA Bruins, Arizona Wildcats, and Washington Huskies have also claimed titles.

Records and statistics

Stanford holds numerous tournament records, including most championships (15), most championship game appearances (18), and most wins. Individual scoring records are held by players like Kelsey Plum of the Washington Huskies and Sabrina Ionescu of the Oregon Ducks. The highest-attended championship game was in 2019 at KeyArena in Seattle, featuring Oregon and Stanford. The tournament has frequently sent multiple teams to the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament, with the champion often earning a high seed.

Venues

The tournament has been held in several locations, with a significant shift to Las Vegas venues beginning in 2013. Primary venues have included the MGM Grand Garden Arena (2013–2016, 2023, 2024), KeyArena in Seattle (2017–2019), and the Michelob Ultra Arena at Mandalay Bay (2020–2022). Early tournaments were held in California, at the HP Pavilion in San Jose and the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The move to Las Vegas was orchestrated by then-commissioner Larry Scott to centralize the event and mirror the success of the Pac-12 Conference men's basketball tournament.

Media coverage

Television rights have been held by the Pac-12 Network and ESPN. The early rounds are typically broadcast on the Pac-12 Network, while the championship game has often aired on ESPN or ESPN2. Notable broadcasters have included Mary Murphy and Ros Gold-Onwude. The partnership with ESPN has increased national exposure for the conference, particularly during the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament selection show. Radio coverage is provided by the Pac-12 Network and local affiliate stations for participating schools like the Arizona Wildcats and UCLA Bruins.

Category:Pac-12 Conference Category:NCAA women's basketball tournaments Category:College basketball competitions in the United States