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No.6 Texas held back Maryland No.2’s most scoring offense in an instant classic to complete the Sweet 16 action in the 2021 NCAA Women’s Tournament.
The Terrapins straddled the motto “all gas, no brakes” during a season in which they averaged 91.2 points per game. They won big en route to a No.2 seed and hadn’t played a close game since January. All gas.
The Longhorns, in their debut season under head coach Vic Schaefer, are the opposite. They apply the brakes hard and often, instead, only make a few more baskets than their opponent. Texas are in the top quarter of Division I teams in rebounding and, especially important against Maryland, contain the 3-point shot. They also know how to slow down the game, keeping opponents out of a lot of possessions.
Texas toppled Maryland, 64-61, in what could be the tournament’s biggest upset, even after No.4 Indiana defeated No.1 NC State. This Maryland team looked even more dangerous once the tournament started and the Longhorns keeping them close seemed unlikely for most.
Still, the Longhorns’ defense clearly frustrated the late Terrapins and got four defensive rebounds in the last minute. Lauren Ebo’s flight to just under the minute that led to the establishment of Kyra Lambert was the difference Maryland couldn’t get back from.
“Each of us, one through five, had a few saves and we got the job done tonight,” likely first draft pick Charlie Collier told ESPN’s Holly Rowe.
He sets up an Elite Eight game with South Carolina No.1 and another showdown between Schaefer and Dawn Staley. Schaefer has spent the past eight seasons at Mississippi State, a consistent SEC contender alongside the Staley Gamecocks. Collier will face second-year runner-up Aliyah Boston and Naismith.
This game takes place Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Louisville: Dana Evans back in shape
Dana Evans is back.
The Louisville senior did not have her best tournament. Evans, two-time ACC USA Player of the Year and Naismith Award finalist, entered the Cardinals’ No.2-ranked Sweet 16 encounter with No.6 Oregon after scoring just 11 of 33 goals. in the field. It was even more disappointing with a 3-point range, where it hadn’t connected more than 28% since mid-February.
Whatever the rooting interest, you want to see the best players playing their best in March. So watching Evans struggle on the shots she usually hits with ease was tough in the first two rounds. His teammates mobilized to help them progress. And against the Ducks, Evans came back to life.
She tied a career-high 29 points and had three of her eight 3-point attempts. Evans was hitting them from the logo.
And crush it in transition with the astute help of Mykasa Robinson.
Louisville has playmakers beyond Evans, but the Cardinals wouldn’t go far without their top player in his best form. The Cardinals advanced, 60-42, coupled with major injuries to the Oregon stars. Their next enemy is Stanford, the No. 1 seed in the overall standings, a task that will take whatever offense Louisville can muster.
The two play in the 9 p.m. ET time slot on ESPN Tuesday.
Stanford, South Carolina 3 point ride, depth
It was an “anything you can do, I can do better” afternoon for seed # 1 on the left side of the rack.
South Carolina doubled their 3-point average in an eight game against the Missouri State No.5, which was helpful as Aliyah Boston lacked his typical production. It was the most effective field game (56.4%) for the Gamecocks since the season opener.
“Our offense carried us today with our ability to hit layups and stretch the floor and hit a few 3s,” said South Carolina coach Dawn Staley. “I hope it continues to improve. You have some great programs here that can put a lot of points on the scoreboard. “
The No. 1 seed in the Stanford overall standings followed in the afternoon’s second game of the day with 15 points to 3 points. He tied a season high and marks the third straight tournament game at least 13 from distance. The Cardinal was 46.5% from the ground.
Sometimes the shots are not going to fall from the outside. The biggest thing every No.1 showed on Sunday was depth. The Gamecocks reached the tournament behind Boston at the bottom and the backcourt duo of Zia Cooke and Destanni Henderson. Cooke was in gear behind the bow, but it was Victaria Sexton and Laeticia Amihere who really stepped in. Amihere had 15 of 21 points off the bench.
“The bench is a big part of who we are,” Amihere said. “Being able to go deep inside our bench will be very important, especially on the straight right now.”
Stanford’s top scorer was Hannah Jump from the bench. She scored 17 goals 6 for 9 in total, including 5 for 7 on 3 points. Ashten Pretchel had a record 10 rebounds off the bench. There is no star power shortage for Stanford and if someone has a game out or struggling, there are plenty of substitutions.
Elite Eight program, TV, time
No.1 UConn (27-1) vs. No.2 Baylor (28-2)
Monday, 7 p.m. ET on ESPN
UConn vs. Iowa has always been meant to be a shootout. Now UConn vs Baylor will be the opposite.
The Elite Eight match will feature some of the best defensive teams in the country. Baylor is first in field goal defense (31.7) and fourth in opponent’s points per attempt at goal (0.83). UConn is the swap of that, ranking fourth in field goal percentage defense (33.3) and first in points per attempt (0.81).
“You are looking at two programs that value defense,” Baylor head coach Kim Mulkey said after the Sweet 16. “I think Baylor and UConn are in the top three in the nation in defense in goalscoring percentage over The pitch. Then you watch the rebound. That might explain to you why both programs are respected across the country.
“So, yeah, it could be a lousy game. When I say lousy, it could be a low score, it could be turnovers. Some people mean boring. It might not be 80’s and 90’s. I don’t. don’t know. “
She added that she will not be coaching UConn’s Geno Auriemma, so the Bears players have to compete and beat the Huskies. Auriemma said on Sunday he believes the Bears should have been a No.1 seed and they were “physically intimidating.”
UConn is climbing high after three big wins, including a team effort against the Iowa No.5 and Caitlin Clark on Saturday. Baylor wipes his eyebrows after narrowly avoiding the upset Michigan No.6 in an overtime game hours later. It’s the game everyone wanted to see in January and hoped it would happen now in March.
This is only the second time they have met in the tournament. The very first meeting of the program took place during the Final Four 2010 at the Alamodome. UConn, then led by Maya Moore and Tina Charles, defeated the Bears led by Brittney Griner, 70-50, and won the title.
No.3 Arizona (19-5) vs. No.4 Indiana (21-5)
Monday, 9 p.m. ET on ESPN
Neither Arizona nor Indiana have ever made it this far, guaranteeing a Final Four first team. This is the first time since 1997 that two newcomers have met in the Elite Eight. These are two programs with stories of legendary men that have developed in recent years. Indiana won the WNIT in 2018 and Arizona won it in 2019.
The Hoosiers are one of the best in Division I on offense, averaging 75.3 points per game and 45.7% shooting primarily from 2 points. The Wildcats are one of the best defensively, allowing 55.2 points per game and keeping opponents 39.1% inside the arc.
Each has a senior transfer leading the way. All-America point guard Aari McDonald accumulated 31 points in one of the best games of her career against Texas A&M. She’s also a problem on the defensive side, and locked the Sweet 16’s berth with late flights against BYU. McDonald was transferred from Washington where she was the first year of 2017 at Pac-12.
“There is no other player who has impacted their team more than Aari has impacted Arizona,” said head coach Adia Barnes, who took Arizona to their last Sweet 16 in 2005. , after the victory.
McDonald’s averaged 22.7 points in the tournament on 59.2 percent of the floor. She hit six of 12 3-pointers in the Sweet 16 and will likely be a first-round pick in the WNBA Draft next month. She is complimented by Sam Thomas and Cate Reese.
Indiana is led by point guard Ali Patberg, a native of Indiana who chose to play for Notre Dame after high school. She transferred to Indiana after two seasons there, the first of which was injured in the ACL.
Patberg averages 15.7 points on 51% of shots. She has been consistent with Mackenzie Holmes and Grace Berger.
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