Huskies advance
Connecticut machine moves inevitably forward by crushing Oregon
Everything Connecticut lost to graduation made another Final Four even more special for coach Geno Auriemma and his Huskies.
Napheesa Collier scored 28 points and Gabby Williams had 25 as the Huskies advanced to the national semifinals for the 10th consecutive year with a 90-52 victory against Oregon in the Bridgeport Region in Connecticut.
“There were a lot of question marks going into the season and maybe they didn’t have any in their own minds,” Auriemma said. “They seemed to answer every single one of those questions. They deserve to be in the Final Four. They earned it.”
The Huskies’ 111th consecutive victory moved Auriemma past Pat Summitt for the most NCAA tournament wins. Auriemma now has 113 and counting.
Next up for top-seeded Connecticut (36-0) is Mississippi State Friday night in Dallas. It is just two wins away from a fifth consecutive title and 12th overall.
“It means a whole lot, especially with this group because no one thought we’d be here and we worked so hard this year,” said Collier, who earned most outstanding player of the region.
The Huskies jumped all over 10th-seeded Oregon (2314), stopping its impressive run through the tournament. Leading 6-4, Connecticut scored 17 consecutive points. Saniya Chong got the game-changing burst started with consecutive 3-pointers. Nearly four minutes later she capped the burst with a layup that made it 23-4.
“They’ve owned the whole month of March, they weren’t just along for the ride,” Auriemma said.
“It’s theirs and that’s a huge step. That’s a big step to go from riding in the backseat on a trip you’re going to, to all of a sudden you’re in charge of driving the bus you’re responsible for getting us there.”
With Breanna Stewart, Morgan Tuck and Moriah Jefferson gone to the WNBA, Connecticut has a new trio leading the way.
Collier and fellow sophomore Katie Lou Samuelson were honored as AP AllAmericans Monday, with Williams, a junior, making the second team.
Oregon upset seventhseeded Temple, No. 2 Duke and No. 3 Maryland to get to the Elite Eight for the first time in program history.
“I just think all of it is part of the process,” Graves said. “A run like this will make it easier to motivate our team in the offseason. Our goal is to host the first and second round and not to make two trips across the country.”
Stockton region
South Carolina 71, Florida State 64: Kaela Davis scored 23 points and A'ja Wilson and Tyasha Harris added 16 each as South Carolina (31-4) held off a wild comeback by Florida State (28-7) to win the region and advance to the Final Four.