Mar 29, 2022 - Sports
Women's NCAA Final Four: UConn extends streak
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UConn is in the women's Final Four for the 14th consecutive time, and the Huskies will be joined in Minneapolis by three No. 1 seeds: South Carolina, Stanford and Louisville.
ICYMI: UConn beat NC State, 91-87 (2OT), in an instant classic on Monday that featured 13 lead changes, nine ties, a buzzer-beater and a game-high 27 points from reigning National POY Paige Bueckers.
- "I said win or go home and I'm still going home," said Minnesota native Bueckers, who scored 23 of her 27 points in the second half and overtime just over a month after returning from knee surgery.
- 84% of the crowd in Bridgeport, Connecticut, was cheering for the Huskies, per Vivid Seats, a brutal draw for the top-seeded Wolfpack. Is NC State cursed?
Elsewhere: Louisville beat Michigan, 62-50, behind 22 points from Hailey Van Lith, her fourth straight 20-point game. The Cardinals held the Wolverines scoreless for the final 5:40 to make their fourth Final Four.
Notes:
- 15 long years: The last time UConn missed the Final Four (March 2007) was a few months before the first iPhone was released.
- Winners winning: The three winningest D-I coaches have all reached the Final Four: Duke's Mike Krzyzewski (1,202 wins), Stanford's Tara VanDerveer (1,157) and UConn's Geno Auriemma (1,148).
- Social media stars: Bueckers (973,000 Instagram followers) and Van Lith (696,000) are two of the most-followed athletes in college sports, and both are now able to cash in on their fame.
- Singular vs. plural: If Louisville beats South Carolina (Fri. 7pm ET, ESPN) and Stanford beats UConn (Fri. 9pm, ESPN), the national championship will be the Cardinals vs. the Cardinal.
