The 2025 NCAA Women’s Tournament continues Monday with the ultimate slate of second-round motion.
[Read more: 2025 Women’s March Madness Schedule: Dates, locations, channels, how to watch]
On Sunday, eight teams moved on to the Sweet 16, together with No. 1 seeds UCLA and South Carolina. The opposite half of the sphere is being set on Monday. Up to now, No. 1 seed Texas skated into the following spherical, whereas No. 3 LSU is headed to its third Candy 16 in a row. No. 3 seed North Carolina additionally knocked off No. 6 seed West Virginia to arrange a rubber match with Duke within the Candy 16.
Within the recreation of the event thus far, No. 4 seed Maryland got here again from a 17-point deficit to beat No. 5 seed Alabama in a double-overtime thriller.
Listed here are all the highest moments from Day 2 of the Spherical of 32:
Alyssa Ustby scored 16 of her 21 factors after halftime to assist North Carolina beat West Virginia 58-47 on Monday night time within the second spherical of the ladies’s NCAA Event.
The fifth-year senior’s large night time included 10 third-quarter factors for the third-seeded Tar Heels (29-7), who reached the Candy 16 for the primary time since 2022. North Carolina will face Duke in a regional semifinal in Birmingham, Alabama — the primary assembly between the rivals within the ladies’s March Insanity bracket. The Atlantic Coast Convention rivals cut up their regular-season conferences.
Lexi Donarski and Reniya Kelly every scored 11 factors for UNC, which shot simply 37.9% however locked down defensively whereas scoring 23 factors off turnovers.
Jordan Harrison scored 10 factors to guide the sixth-seeded Mountaineers (25-8), who fell quick of their newest try to make the Candy 16 for the primary time for the reason that event’s growth to 64 groups in 1994.
West Virginia shot simply 24.1% for the sport, together with 1-for-14 within the last quarter. That in the end ended West Virginia’s probability to push again because the Tar Heels began to stretch out a result in finish the third quarter, starting with a 9-0 run.
Kelly struck with a tying jumper close to the suitable elbow, adopted by Indya Nivar pushing a rebound in transition to arrange Donarski for a right-wing 3 on the catch that put UNC forward for good.
Ustby adopted by driving on sagging defender Jordan Thomas for a reverse layup, then obtained to the road for 2 free throws that capped the run and pushed UNC to a 42-35 lead with 1:38 left within the third.
West Virginia by no means obtained nearer than 5 once more, with none of its photographs discovering the online as the sport hung within the steadiness and Ustby staying on the assault — at one level drawing three fouls on one possession early within the fourth.
West Virginia missed its first 11 photographs of the fourth quarter earlier than Sydney Shaw hit a 3-pointer with 37.8 seconds left.
LSU cruises previous Florida State to advance to 3rd straight Candy 16
Mikaylah Williams scored 28 factors and Aneesah Morrow added 26 factors and 11 rebounds, main Flau’Jae Johnson and LSU to a runaway 101-71 victory over Florida State within the second spherical.
Sa’Myah Smith had a season-high 20 factors and 12 rebounds for LSU (30-5), which blew open what had been a 50-49 recreation at halftime by outscoring the Seminoles 31-6 within the third quarter.
Johnson, who performed simply seven minutes within the first half after apparently aggravating a proper shin damage, returned to start out the second half and stirred the house crowd right into a frenzy with a sequence of electrifying performs.
She started by dribbling throughout the paint in transition and hitting a right-handed hook off the glass whereas being fouled — a three-point play that gave LSU a 59-51 lead.
Quickly after got here her layup on a driving right-handed scoop, after which a driving, no-look, underhanded flip to Morrow within the paint for a simple layup.
After that, Johnson blocked O’Mariah Gordon‘s perimeter shot, drew a foul on the opposite finish and hit two free throws to make it 78-55.
She scored 9 of her 13 factors within the interval and her vitality was contagious. Williams scored 12 throughout the quarter whereas the third-seeded Tigers suffocated a Seminoles offense that had led the nation in scoring this season with 87.4 factors per recreation.
Ta’Niya Latson scored a game-high 30 factors, however simply seven after halftime. Makayla Timpson scored 14 factors and grabbed 9 rebounds for the sixth-seeded Seminoles (24-9).
LSU advances to the third spherical of the NCAA Event for a 3rd straight season, a streak that started throughout its 2023 nationwide title run. Final season, the Tigers superior to the Elite 8 earlier than shedding to Iowa.
Maryland phases comeback, then outlasts Alabama in a 2OT immediate basic
Sarah Te-Biasu made a tying 3-pointer late within the fourth quarter, then scored eight of her 26 factors within the second time beyond regulation to assist fourth-seeded Maryland outlast fifth-seeded Alabama 111-108 on Monday.
The Terrapins (25-7) advance to play top-seeded South Carolina within the Candy 16, however to get there they needed to overcome a career-high 45 factors by Alabama’s Sarah Ashlee Barker — and a 17-point Crimson Tide lead within the third quarter.
After Te-Biasu pressured the primary time beyond regulation along with her 3-pointer, Barker was fouled capturing a 3 with 0.7 seconds left in OT. She calmly swished all three attempts to tie it at 96 and ship the sport to a second further session.
It was absolutely the sport of the event thus far, and the one time in 4 second-round matchups {that a} No. 4 seed was in a position to make the most of dwelling court docket and beat the No. 5 seed. There has by no means been a Candy 16 within the ladies’s NCAA Event with out at the very least one No. 4 seed.
It virtually occurred this yr, however with Maryland up three, Diana Collins missed a 3-pointer for the Crimson Tide (24-9). The ball went out of bounds to Alabama with 1.8 seconds left, however Te-Biasu broke up the inbound cross — which was headed in Barker’s course — to seal the sport.
Solely three gamers in event historical past have scored extra factors than Barker’s 45: Drake’s Lorri Bauman had 50 towards Maryland in a 1982 regional last, Texas Tech’s Sheryl Swoopes scored 47 within the 1993 title recreation towards Ohio State, and Stanford’s Jayne Appel had 46 in a 2009 regional last towards Iowa State.
After coming alive offensively within the fourth, the Terps lastly tied it at 80 on two free throws by Shyanne Sellers with 1:01 to play. Barker put Alabama again forward with a 3-pointer with 38.6 seconds left, after which Barker blocked a 3 by Kaylene Smikle on the different finish.
However the Terps got here up with the ball, and Te-Biasu’s 3 tied it with 12 seconds left. Karly Weathers missed a midrange shot for Alabama, and the Crimson Tide needed to go to time beyond regulation with two of their prime gamers — Zaay Green and Aaliyah Nye — having already fouled out.
Vann scored 17 factors, Payton Verhulst added 16 and No. 3 seed Oklahoma cruised into the Candy 16 of the ladies’s NCAA Event, dispatching No. 6 seed Iowa on Monday, 96-62.
Raegan Beers had 11 factors, 13 rebounds and 4 blocks in simply 18 minutes for the Sooners.
Oklahoma coach Jennie Baranczyk beat her alma mater and superior previous the second spherical for the primary time in her 4 years with the Sooners. Oklahoma (27-7) will play UConn or South Dakota State on Saturday in Spokane, Washington.
Caitlin Clark had led Iowa to the earlier two nationwide championship video games earlier than she turned the No. 1 general choose in final yr’s WNBA Draft. With out her, the Hawkeyes shot 36.4% from the sphere. Lucy Olsen scored 20 factors and Kylie Feuerbach added 14 for Iowa (23-11).
Iowa ran out to a 10-4 lead, however the Sooners closed the primary quarter on a 16-1 run. The Sooners led 38-27 at halftime, regardless of Beers sitting out many of the half with two fouls.
Oklahoma, which went 2-for-17 on 3-pointers within the first half, hit three in a 55-second span early within the second half to go up 49-32. The Sooners pushed the result in 68-43 by the tip of the third quarter.
No. 1 seed Texas handles No. 8 seed Illinois to advance to Candy 16
Madison Booker scored 20 factors and No. 1-seed Texas used a smothering protection to earn a 65-48 victory over No. 8 Illinois on Monday, sending the Longhorns to the Candy 16 for the fourth time within the final 5 seasons.
Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda added 19 factors for Texas (33-3), which is able to meet SEC rival No. 5 Tennessee (24-9) in Birmingham, Alabama, on Saturday.
Texas outscored Illinois 18-6 within the second quarter, then broke the sport open initially of the third when the Longhorns stretched the result in 24 after steals by Booker and Rori Harmon led to fast baskets.
Texas’ relentless ball stress harassed Illinois (22-10) all the recreation, and the Longhorns scored 23 factors off 20 Illini turnovers.
Mwenentanda had began 12 of the Longhorns’ earlier 14 video games however was on the bench for tipoff once more as Texas inserted freshman guard Jordan Lee in her place. She responded by scoring a profession excessive in factors on 7-of-10 capturing and likewise grabbed six rebounds.
No. 2 seed NC State‘s 3-point splurge caps rout of No. 7 seed Michigan State
Aziaha James scored 26 factors and second-seeded NC State made an NCAA Event program-record 15 photographs from 3-point vary in an 83-49 victory over seventh-seeded Michigan State within the ladies’s second spherical on Monday.
James linked for six 3s and Madison Hayes, who had 17 factors, drilled 5 3-pointers. Saniya Rivers added 17 factors and 11 assists and Zamareya Jones had 12 factors for the Wolfpack (28-6).
NC State will meet both Florida State or LSU in a Candy 16 matchup on Friday in Spokane, Washington. The Wolfpack can be within the Candy 16 for the sixth time in coach Wes Moore’s 12 seasons.
NC State started 5-for-6 on 3-pointers and 10-for-13 general from the sphere to guide 25-9. The Wolfpack reached a season-high for 3-point baskets with 12 lower than 5 minutes into the third quarter and saved going.
James and Hayes, each seniors of their last dwelling recreation, mixed for 32 factors because the Wolfpack constructed a 47-23 halftime lead on the best way to their 18th dwelling win and not using a loss this season.
The Wolfpack’s 5 first-quarter 3s matched their most in any quarter this season. Then they did it once more within the second quarter. NC State has received 20 consecutive dwelling NCAA Event video games. The Wolfpack hasn’t misplaced within the event in Raleigh in 42 years.
Reporting by The Related Press.
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