Xavier Roger
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The two remaining No. 1 seeds – South Carolina and Virginia Tech – will take the court Saturday as the women’s NCAA Tournament continues with the final Sweet 16 matchups. Elite Eight spots are up for grabs.
The last four games in the regional semifinals start with No. 3 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 Maryland at 11:30 a.m. ET (ESPN), followed by No. 4 UCLA vs. No. 1 South Carolina.
Aliyah Boston and the Gamecocks are hunting their second straight national championship and have a slight hometown advantage on their side – the Greenville Regional is less than two hours away from their campus.
The rest of the evening features No. 3 Ohio State vs. No. 2 Connecticut and No. 1 Virginia Tech vs. No. 4 Tennessee, which hasn’t made it to the Elite Eight since 2016.
Follow along for live updates throughout the rest of the day:
Follow the madness: Latest Women’s NCAA Tournament College Basketball Scores and Schedules
Notre Dame uses efficient second quarter to take halftime lead over Maryland
Notre Dame overcame early turnovers and put together an 11-0 run in the second quarter to take a 32-31 lead in the Greenville Regional 1 Sweet 16 matchup against Maryland.
The Irish turned it over eight times in the first quarter but used their size to gain offensive rebounds to get second-chance opportunities. Maryland was held without a point for six minutes in the second quarter and had turnover issues of their own in allowing the Irish to take the lead.
Sonia Citron has eight points and Maddy Westbeld added seven points, four rebounds and three fouls for Notre Dame, who shot 52 percent in the first half.
Abby Meyers leads Maryland with nine points and Brinae Alexander has eight points off the bench.
– Scooby Axson
How to watch, stream women’s Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament games?
The Sweet 16 for the NCAA women’s basketball tournament tips off Saturday with action at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina, and Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle:
►No. 3 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 Maryland
Time/TV: Saturday, 11:30 a.m. ET, ESPN
►No. 4 UCLA vs. No. 1 South Carolina
Time/TV: Saturday, 2:00 p.m. ET, ESPN
►No. 3 Ohio State vs. No. 2 UConn
Time/TV: Saturday, 4:00 p.m. ET, ABC
►No. 1 Virginia Tech vs. No. 4 Tennessee
Time/TV: Saturday, 6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Watchability rankings: Virginia Tech wants to be what Tennessee was
This is only the second trip to the Sweet 16, and first since 1999, for Virginia Tech, who is trying to establish themselves as one of the nation’s top programs. Winning the ACC tournament and getting a No. 1 seed helped, but if they want to keep themselves in the conversation next season and the season after that, the Hokies need to keep winning.
The Elite Eight used to be such a given for Tennessee it was practically a part of its schedule. But the Lady Vols haven’t gotten that far since 2016. This is really the first team that’s looked to have the potential of the Tennessee teams of old, and its performances in the first two rounds reminded people why they were a trendy Final Four pick in the preseason.
– Nancy Armour, Lindsay Schnell
Twelve women head coaches advanced to the Sweet 16, the most since 2015, when 13 women head coaches took their teams that deep (three of them are the same: South Carolina’s Dawn Staley, Maryland’s Brenda Freese and Iowa’s Lisa Bluder). Only once in tournament history have all 16 teams been coached by women — the first year, in 1982.
Three of the 12 are Black women — Staley, Ole Miss’ Yolette McPhee-McCuin and Notre Dame’s Niele Ivey — a number that resonates in a sport with 44% Black athletes.
“It’s important just because I have aspirations of wanting to coach,” said Tennessee’s Jordan Walker, a senior guard. “To be able to see Dawn Staley and Coach Yo in those positions it’s just like, wow, little Black girls, they can do it, too. It’s really inspiring. It makes you want to push harder, because the foot is in the doo. With three (Black women) in the Sweet 16 right now, what can it be later down the line?”
– Lindsay Schnell
While Aliyah Boston is easily the most important piece of the Gamecocks roster, she’s not the biggest issue for opposing teams. It’s her teammates.
Boston, along with the rest of the starting five led South Carolina to the overall No. 1 seed and the presumptive favorite to repeat as national champions. Most in women’s basketball — including South Carolina’s Sweet 16 opponent, fourth-seeded UCLA — would love to have even one of the Gamecocks starters on their roster. But they’d also be thrilled to get a reserve.
– Lindsay Schnell
Recap: Caitlin Clark powers No. 2 Iowa into Elite Eight over No. 6 Colorado
SEATTLE — Another day, another 30-point game from Caitlin Clark.
Iowa’s junior guard, scored 31 and dished eight assists Friday as the second-seeded Hawkeyes advanced to the Elite Eight with an 87-77 win over sixth-seeded Colorado at Climate Pledge Arena.
Colorado had plenty of opportunities to cut into Iowa’s lead but couldn’t capitalize. The Buffs outrebounded Iowa 40-32, and grabbed 21 offensive boards, but they could only turn those into 15 second-chance points (Iowa, meanwhile, scored 11 second-chance points of its own).
– Lindsay Schnell
Recap: No. 3 LSU wins thriller over No. 2 Utah
The game was neck and neck the whole way, but the No. 3 LSU Tigers came out victorious Friday over the No.2 Utah Utes, 66-63. Utah had a chance to take the lead with four seconds left in the game after going on a 7-0 run, but Jenna Johnson missed both of her free throws. LSU’s Alexis Morris sealed the deal and sent the Tigers to their first Elite Eight since 2008 with her own pair of free throws.
– Victoria Hernandez
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