Sacramento Hosts Sweet 16, Brings $10M Economic Boost

Sacramento just proved it's a major-league basketball city, hosting the NCAA Women's Sweet 16 and Elite 8 tournament and welcoming players, coaches, and fans who fell in love with California's capital.

Golden 1 Center lit up March 27-30 as eight powerhouse teams battled for Final Four spots. UCLA, Oklahoma, Minnesota, TCU, LSU, South Carolina, Virginia, and Duke brought their best game to Sacramento's downtown arena.

The tournament delivered unforgettable moments, including Duke's Ashlon Jackson sinking a buzzer-beating three-pointer to edge LSU 87-85. Fans jumped to their feet as Jackson's shot swished through the net, sending the Blue Devils to the Elite 8.

Sacramento State and Visit Sacramento hosted the event, booking about 13,000 extra hotel rooms and generating an estimated $10 million in revenue for local businesses. For four days, downtown Sacramento buzzed with college basketball energy.

The Ripple Effect

TCU Athletic Director Mike Buddie experienced Sacramento for the first time and couldn't stop raving about the city. "The walkability has been really kind of eye-opening in a really good way," Buddie said from Tom's Watch Bar across from Golden 1 Center.

His team stayed at the Hyatt Regency, and players explored the Capitol and Old Sacramento between games. The tournament showcased Sacramento as more than just a host city—it became a destination worth remembering.

Duke head coach Kara Lawson brought special meaning to the event as a former Sacramento Monarchs star who won the WNBA championship with the team in 2005. "I love this city so much," Lawson said at her press conference, thanking fans who still remember her playing days.

PA announcer Jaime Coffee made history too, working her first Golden 1 Center event before heading to her sixth consecutive Final Four. Coffee became the first woman to announce an NBA game back in 2014 and continues breaking barriers.

UCLA's fans traveled strong, and star center Lauren Betts led the Bruins past Minnesota and Duke to reach the Final Four. "It just still felt like a home court advantage," said UCLA guard Angela Dugalic about the Sacramento crowd.

The Bruins went on to Phoenix where they stunned top-seeded South Carolina 79-51 to claim UCLA's first-ever NCAA women's basketball championship. Sacramento played its part in launching that historic run, proving once again why it deserves to be called one of the great basketball towns in America.