NCAA women: UConn extends win streak to 110 with an 86-71 victory over UCLA in the Sweet 16.
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. - Napheesa Collier had 27 points and 14 rebounds to help UConn beat UCLA 86-71 on Saturday, putting the Huskies in the Bridgeport Regional final.
The victory was the 110th straight for the No. 1 Huskies, who will face 10thseeded Oregon on Monday night. The Ducks pulled off another upset, shocking Maryland to advance to their first Elite Eight.
Buoyed by the success of their Pac-12 partner, the fourth-seed Bruins jumped out a 9-2 lead over UConn (35-0) before the Huskies scored 17 of the next 19 points. The seven-point deficit matched the Huskies’ largest this season.
The Huskies led by nine after one quarter and 17 at the half.
The victory tied Geno Auriemma with Pat Summitt for most NCAA Tournament victories. The two Hall of Fame coaches have 112 tournament victories.
Jordin Canada had 20 points and 11 assists for UCLA (25-9).
The Bruins cut into a 19-point deficit in the third quarter, making it 62-50 with seven straight points late in the period. Monique Billings sandwiched two baskets around a Kari Korver 3-pointer.
But Collier and Saniya Chong combined to score the next 11 points for UConn during an 11-4 burst to put the game away.
Other Bridgeport Regional
No. 10 Oregon 77, No. 3 Maryland
Sabrina Ionescu led five Oregon 63: players in double figures with 21 points and the 10th-seeded Ducks continued their improbable run through the NCAA Tournament with an upset win over third-seeded Maryland.
Fellow freshman Ruthy Hebard added 16 points for the Ducks (23-13), who beat second-seeded Duke in the second round and advance to the first regional final in program history.
Brionna Jones and Shatori WalkerKimbrough each had 16 points for Maryland, which finishes the season at 32-3.
The Maryland offense, which averages more than 90 points a game to lead the nation, was held to its lowest point total this season
Stockton Regional
No. 3 Florida State 66, No. 2 Oregon Ivey Slaughter started swiping State 53: to help Florida State discover its best defense from all angles, and the third-seeded Seminoles erased a daunting deficit and ran right into the Stockton Regional final.
Slick-handed Slaughter had a careerhigh nine steals, a school record in the NCAA Tournament. Florida State had 16 steals total, and Slaughter also contributed 11 points and eight rebounds. Slaughter made 1 of 2 free throws with
3:41 left before Sydney Wiese missed yet another 3-point try on the other end during a tough day from deep, and Slaughter scored again to help extend her special senior season.
ACC Player of the Year Shakayla Thomas notched her third straight double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. No. 1 South Carolina 100, No. 12
Quinnipiac 58: Kaela Davis, A’ja Wilson and top-seeded South Carolina overpowered tournament surprise Quinnipiac from the opening tip, scoring the first 16 points and advancing to the Stockton Regional final.
Davis scored 28 with five 3-pointers, Wilson added 24 and South Carolina’s athleticism and smothering, swarming defense was just too much for Quinnipiac on the Sweet 16 stage.
The Bobcats started out 0 for 10 and took more than seven minutes to score as they struggled to get shots off, let alone establish their typically prolific perimeter game.
South Carolina (30-4) won its eighth in a row, putting coach Dawn Staley’s team in the Elite Eight for the second time in three years.
— Associated Press