PORTLAND, Ore. — Paige Backers, who was a spectator a year ago, scored 28 points to lead UW to an 80-73 win over Southern California and a return to the Final Four in the women’s NCAA Tournament on Monday night. is what happened.
The Buccaneers defeated All-American standout freshman JuJu Watkins and made a decisive run in the final five minutes to advance third-seeded UW (33-5) to its 23rd national semifinal, the most of any school. Ta.
Leading 65-64, the Huskies scored 11 straight points, including seven points from Buccaneers and a 3-point play from Aliyah Edwards, and finally defeated the top-seeded Trojans (29-6).
Edwards finished with 24 points, and this Final Four trip will rank as one of the most unlikely in coach Geno Auriemma’s 39-year tenure.
Hit by injuries and down to just eight healthy players, including the loss of two starters, the Huskies fought through minutes, fouls and fatigue to reach the district finals, a year after their 14-consecutive Final Four appearance ended. won the championship.
When Bueckers’ winning streak ended last year, he was sidelined with a serious knee injury. She was determined to get the Huskies back to that stage, and she accomplished that by making 11 of 23 shots, with 10 rebounds and six assists.
UW will face Caitlin Clark and Iowa in the national semifinals on Friday.
A day after the NCAA belatedly realized that the 3-point line at one end of the court at the Moda Center was 9 inches shorter than the other, the Trojans and Huskies announced that although the incorrect line was still visible, the corrected floor played the final match. His position in Cleveland is in jeopardy.
And despite the shaky ending, the Huskies were celebrating in the end. University missed six free throws in the final moments, cutting the 12-point deficit to five points.
Watkins finished her freshman year with 29 points, but in college the routine double teams and constant switching of defenders made it difficult for her to see cleanly at the rim.
Watkins needed about 15 minutes to pass former San Diego State star Tina Hutchinson for eight points, the most by a freshman in NCAA history.
Midway through the second quarter, Watkins set a record with a 3-pointer at the top of the key.
