UConn’s 14-year Final 4 streak ends with Sweet 16 loss to Ohio State

UConn’s record streak of reaching 14 consecutive Final Fours ended when the third-seeded Ohio State beat the No. 2 Huskies 73-61 on Saturday in the NCAA Women’s Tournament Sweet 16.

Cotie McMahon scored 23 points and the Buckeyes (28-7) forced UConn (31-6) to 25 turnovers, ending the Huskies’ season before the national semifinals for the first time since 2008. UConn had no not been eliminated this early since 2006. .

The Buckeyes have ended their own Elite Eight drought. Ohio State had not made a regional final since 1993. The Buckeyes then lost in the title game that year.

They will face Virginia Tech on Monday night in the Seattle Region 3 Finals with a trip to Dallas on the line.

Canada’s Aaliyah Edwards was limited to four points and seven rebounds in the loss.

“We picked the worst day to do the things we’ve struggled with all year,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said in a sideline interview during the game.

Amoore powers Virginia Tech over Tennessee

Georgia Amoore scored a career-high 29 points and top-seeded Virginia Tech qualified for the first time in school history with a 73-64 win over Tennessee.

The Hokies (30-4) won their 14th straight game overall.

Amoore attempted 19 3-point shots in the Hokies’ second-round win but only fired 14 this time around.

Jordan Horston led Tennessee (25-12) with 17 points.

South Carolina earns 41st straight win

Kamilla Cardoso had 10 points as defending national champion South Carolina put on her final crushing defensive and rebounding performance to beat UCLA 59-43 on Saturday in the Sweet 16.

Aaliyah Boston had eight points, 14 rebounds and two blocks for the Gamecocks (35-0), the tournament seed and headliner in Greenville Area 1. It was Carolina’s 41st straight win du Sud, securing the program’s sixth trip to the Elite Eight under Dawn Staley.

Canadian Laeticia Amihere had four points for South Carolina.

The Gamecocks will play their fifth trip to the Final Four in Monday’s regional final against second-seeded Maryland.

Charisma Osborne scored 14 points to lead the Bruins’ fourth seed (27-10) UCLA, which was in the Sweet 16 for the eighth time and first since 2019.

Maryland moves to Elite 8 for the 1st time in 8 years

Diamond Miller scored 14 of his 18 points over the final two quarters to lead second-seeded Maryland over depleted Notre Dame 76-59 and reach the Elite Eight for the first time in eight years.

Shyanne Sellers also had 18 points for the Terps (28-6), who used a third-quarter flurry to put away the third-seeded Fighting Irish (27-6).

Sonia Citron led the Fighting Irish with 14 points – their only double-digit scorer – while Canadian Cassandre Prosper finished with eight points and six rebounds. Notre Dame was once again without leading scorer Olivia Miles, who suffered a knee injury during the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament.