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USA Today
27-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
How South Carolina women's basketball started preparing for Sweet 16: 'Rest and recover'
How South Carolina women's basketball started preparing for Sweet 16: 'Rest and recover' Show Caption Hide Caption Are we underestimating Dawn Staley and South Carolina this year? USA Today's Mackenzie Salmon and Meghan Hall talk about how this women's South Carolina team is slightly overlooked as we approach March Madness. Sports Seriously COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina women's basketball coach Dawn Staley told her team after its second-round March Madness win over Indiana on Sunday that it's hard to make the Sweet 16 just twice in a row. 'She said that and we were like 'Really? It's hard to make it to the Sweet 16?'' junior guard Raven Johnson said. Now that the Gamecocks have made it for an 11th consecutive time, it's easy to see why they would think it's easy. Watch women's March Madness on Fubo (free trial) They are in the Birmingham Regional and face No. 4 Maryland on Friday. Even though they planned to take just one day off, the Gamecocks are so experienced with the march through March Madness that they know taking care of their mind and bodies is of the utmost importance. 'We've got to rest and recover,' senior guard Te-Hina Paopao said. 'It's going to be a long stretch for us, so we've just got to be prepared, be disciplined and get ready for our next game.' Staley has taken her own approach to preparing for each round of March, prioritizing whatever she and the players feel they will get the most out of — whether that be film, conditioning or rest. 'I think we did one drill (Saturday) where we just went up and down,' she said about the Gamecocks' practice the day before Sunday's game. 'It was at the very beginning. It's a conditioning drill we do every day before a game, and then everything was just half court.' Five players to watch during March Madness USA Today's Meghan Hall breaks down five players in the WNCAA March Madness Tournament we need to be paying more attention to. Sports Seriously Before they headed to Birmingham, though, the Gamecocks' players also still had to balance being student-athletes in one of the busiest months in sports. 'We're really just focused on recovery and our classes,' senior center Sakima Walker said. Andy Mathis and Anna Williams are students in the University of Georgia's Sports Media Certificate program.
USA Today
25-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Maryland-Alabama women's basketball score, highlights: Terrapins win in 2OT thriller
Maryland-Alabama women's basketball score, highlights: Terrapins win in 2OT thriller Show Caption Hide Caption Five players to watch during March Madness USA Today's Meghan Hall breaks down five players in the WNCAA March Madness Tournament we need to be paying more attention to. Sports Seriously The fourth-seeded Maryland Terrapins are moving on to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2023 after defeating No. 5-seeded Alabama Crimson Tide 111-108 in double overtime on Monday. Maryland had a 10-point lead in the first half, but the Terrapins quickly found themselves trailing by as many as 17 points in the third quarter following a barrage of threes from the Crimson Tide. Maryland tied the matchup 80-80 with 1:01 remaining in regulation. Alabama's Sarah Ashlee Barker hit a three to retake the lead, but Maryland's Sarah Te-Biasu answered back to tie it up and send the game to overtime. Barker was clutch in overtime and knocked down three straight free throws after being fouled on a three-point attempt with 1 second remaining to send the game to double overtime, but the Crimson Tide came up short. Despite Barker scoring a career-high 45 points, tying the fourth most points scored in the women's NCAA tournament history, Maryland was able to outlast Alabama in double overtime. Maryland's Shyanne Sellers scored 18 of her 28 points in the second half to lead the Terrapins in scoring. Kaylene Smikle added 24 points and seven rebounds. Maryland will advance to face the defending champion South Carolina Gamecocks in the Sweet Sixteen. South Carolina is the No. 1 seed in the Birmingham 2 region. The combined total score of 219 points is the second-most points scored in the history of the tournament. SARA ASHLEE BARKER: Meet Alabama women's basketball senior star In the most intense and thrilling basketball game of the women's NCAA Tournament so far, the No. 4 seed Maryland Terrapins survived four quarters and two overtimes on their home court in College Park, Maryland to reach the Sweet 16. Maryland put four players in double figures in the 111-108 victory: Sellers, Smikle, Te-Biasu and Allie Kubek. Alabama's Sarah Ashlee Barker had a game for the ages with 45 points and eight rebounds. We are headed to double overtime! Maryland's Saylor Poffenbarger had the opportunity to ice the game at the free throw line. Poffenbarger went to the line with the opportunity to put the Terrapins up by two possessions with six seconds remaining in the game. Poffenbarger hit one of two free throws to give Maryland a 96-93 advantage. Alabama's Sarah Ashlee Barker attempted a three in the closing seconds of overtime to tie up the game, but she was fouled on the attempt by Poffenbarger. Barker knocked down all three free throws to send the game to double overtime. Barker has a career-high 39 points and seven rebounds. Abalama's Aaliyah Nye and Zaay Green are both fouled out, while Barker has four fouls. Maryland's Kaylene Smikle is fouled out, while Shyanne Sellers has four. Maryland's Sarah Te-Biasu made a 3-pointer with 12 seconds remaining to tie the game 83-83, and Alabama's Karly Weathers missed a potential game-winning jumper at the buzzer to send the game to overtime. The No. 4 seeded Terrapins rallied back in the fourth quarter after Alabama took a 17-point lead midway through the third. No. 5 seed Alabama has taken command and outscored No. 4 seed Maryland 23-16 in the third quarter. The Crimson Tide went on a 14-0 run during the third quarter and extended their lead over the Terrapins to as many as 17 points. A flurry of 3-pointers helped Alabama take a nine-point lead heading into the fourth quarter. The Crimson Tide are 7-of-15 from 3-point range. Sarah Ashlee Barker has hit three 3-pointers, while Aaliyah Nye has knocked down two. The No. 4 seed Terrapins led by as many as 10 points in the first half, but the No. 5 seed Crimson Tide went on a 13-2 run in the second quarter to take the lead. Alabama has a 41-39 lead at halftime. Alabama's Sarah Ashlee Barker has a team-high 17 points and four rebounds. The Crimson Tide are shooting 56% from the field and 2-of-8 from three. Meanwhile, the Terrapins are shooting 41.9% from the field and 4-of-11 from three. Shyanne Sellers has a team-high 10 points, while Sarah Te-Biasu added 8 points. Both Maryland and Alabama were careless with the ball in the first half, with each team registering 10 turnovers. Maryland scored 14 points off turnovers, while Alabama scored 11 points. If Alabama goes on to win, it will mark the first time in women's NCAA Tournament history that all No. 5 seeds beat No. 4 seeds in the same tournament. Where to watch Maryland vs. Alabama: TV channel, time Game Day: Monday, March 24, 2025 Monday, March 24, 2025 Game Time: 5 p.m. ET 5 p.m. ET Location: Xfinity Center College Park in College Park, Maryland Xfinity Center College Park in College Park, Maryland TV Channel: ESPN2 ESPN2 Live Stream: Fubo - Watch Now! Watch Maryland vs. Alabama on Fubo (free trial) Maryland vs. Alabama odds Odds via BetMGM as of Sunday, March 23.
USA Today
24-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Where to watch Maryland vs. Alabama in women's March Madness: TV channel, time
Where to watch Maryland vs. Alabama in women's March Madness: TV channel, time Show Caption Hide Caption Five players to watch during March Madness USA Today's Meghan Hall breaks down five players in the WNCAA March Madness Tournament we need to be paying more attention to. Sports Seriously The fourth-seeded Maryland Terrapins will have the home crowd behind them in College Park when they take on the No. 5-seeded Alabama Crimson Tide in second-round women's NCAA Tournament action on Monday. Maryland (24-7) held off 13th-seeded Norfolk State 82-69 in the opening round, pulling away in the fourth quarter behind Sarah Te-Biasu (22 points) and Kaylene Smikle (21). The Crimson Tide (24-8) ended Green Bay's 22-game winning streak with an 81-67 victory in the opening round as Aaliyah Nye scored 23 points and Zaay Green added 22. The two teams met in the NCAA tourney four years ago, with the Terps winning in a 100-64 blowout. But they're much more closely matched this time around. Where to watch Maryland vs. Alabama: TV channel, time Game Day: Monday, March 24, 2025 Monday, March 24, 2025 Game Time: 5 p.m. ET 5 p.m. ET Location: Xfinity Center College Park in College Park, Maryland Xfinity Center College Park in College Park, Maryland TV Channel: ESPN2 ESPN2 Live Stream: Fubo - Watch Now! Watch Maryland vs. Alabama on Fubo (free trial) Maryland vs. Alabama odds Odds via BetMGM as of Sunday, March 23. Spread: Alabama -1.5 Alabama -1.5 Moneyline: Maryland/Alabama (-110) Maryland/Alabama (-110) Total: 153.5
USA Today
24-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Women's March Madness: Sunday's second-round scores as Kansas State upsets Kentucky
Women's March Madness: Sunday's second-round scores as Kansas State upsets Kentucky Show Caption Hide Caption Five players to watch during March Madness USA Today's Meghan Hall breaks down five players in the WNCAA March Madness Tournament we need to be paying more attention to. Sports Seriously The 2025 women's NCAA Tournament continued with eight games in the first day of second-round action on Sunday. One-seeds South Carolina and UCLA advanced to the Sweet 16 with wins over Indiana and Richmond, respectively, although the Spiders gave the Bruins a scare with a lead after the first quarter. Two-seed Duke also fought off a valiant effort from 10-seed Oregon, taking down the Ducks, 59-53. REQUIRED READING: How South Carolina's Te-hina Paopao went on defensive tear vs. Indiana: 'Y'all see that?' Five-seed Kansas State also busted some brackets, upsetting 4-seed Kentucky and star guard Georgia Amoore 80-79 to advance to the second weekend. Here were the final scores and highlights from all the women's NCAA Tournament action on Sunday: UCLA advances to the Sweet 16 and a matchup against No. 5 seed Mississippi after coming alive in the second half against Richmond. The top-seeded Bruins were tied with the Spiders at the intermission 36-36 before the Bruins surged in the second half. The crowd roared their approval in the team's final game of the season at Pauley Pavilion. Betts led UCLA with a game-high 30 points on 14-of-17 shooting and had a game-high 14 rebounds. Kiki Rice added 23 points for the Bruins. Richmond's Maggie Doogan, the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year, led the Spiders with 27 points, seven assists and six rebounds. Lauren Betts, UCLA's All-America center, has a game-high 28 points and, draped with defenders, has made 13-of-15 shots from the floor – all close to the basket. She also has 11 rebounds. And the Bruins lead 77-58 with 4:51 left. With the clock running out in the third quarter, the Bruins worked around the ball until feeding it to Betts under the basket. She scored on a layup with one second left to cap a remarkable quarter. Tied 36-36 at halftime, UCLA overwhelmed Richmond by outscoring the Spiders 29-7 in the third quarter. Betts leads all scorers with 24 points on 11-of-13 shooting from the floor Remember when this was a nailbiter? Well, it's not anymore. UCLA, tied with Richmond at he half, has opened up a 17-point lead in the third quarter. Deadlocked at 36-36 at the intermission, the Bruins lead 60-43 after opening the half with a 24-7 surge. The crowd has turned raucous at Pauley Pavilion as the Bruins have opened the second half with a 13-5 surge. A basket by UCLA's Angela Dugalic put the Bruins up 49-41 with 6:40 left in the third quarter and prompted Richmond to call a timeout. Doogan, a junior forward for Richmond, happens to be the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year and it's easy to see why. She's primary reason the eighth-seeded Spiders are tied with UCLA 36-36 at the half with a team-high 16 points on 7-for-10 shooting from the field, including 2-for-3 from 3-point range. Betts has led UCLA with 14 points on 7-of-8 shooting from the floor. Lauren Betts, UCLA's 6-7 All-American, is drawing lots of attention under the basket from Richmond defenders. But so far so good for Betts, who is 4-for-4 from the floor and leads UCLA with nine points. Her last basket gave UCLA a 23-22 lead with eight minutes left in the half. The Spiders made their first six shots from the floor, including two 3-pointers. In fact, they did not miss an shot until 2:36 remained in the quarter. Thanks to the torrid shooting, Richmond leads UCLA 20-18 at the end of the first quarter. The Spiders finished the quarter shooting 72.7 percent (8-for-11 from the floor while UCLA shot 50 percent (7-for-14). The eyes now turn over to No. 1 UCLA vs No. 8 Richmond. UCLA has jumped out to an 8-6 lead over the Spiders, as the Bruins look to close out the night with their seventh Sweet 16 appearance under Cori Close. Curtains out of Columbus. Tennessee is going to defeat Ohio State 82-67 to advance to the Sweet 16 after missing in 2023. The Lady Vols have had their ups and downs this season, but they may be getting hot at exactly the right time. Tennessee is making things very hard on Ohio State, and has doubled its lead in the first five minutes of the second half. The Lady Vols lead 71-63 behind 14 points from Ruby Whitehorn and Talaysia Cooper. Tennessee takes advantage of a strong second-half performance to go into the locker room leading No. 4 Ohio State 40-35 at halftime. Kim Caldwell's squad trailed as much as 11 in the first quarter of Sunday's second round women's NCAA Tournament game. The Lady Vols hit six 3-pointers in the first 20 minutes of action in Columbus, compared to Ohio State's just two 3-pointers. Ohio State guard Kennedy Cambridge heads to the locker room in Columbus after taking a hard fall to the floor after colliding with Tennessee's Alyssa Latham while going up for a layup. She walked off the court on her own power with a Gatorade towel over her head. After review, Latham's foul was kept at a common foul. Not to be held down, Tennessee finished the first quarter on a 9-4 run to get the score to 21-17. The Lady Vols will look to close the gap further on the other side of the break, as their shots finally have started to fall. The Buckeyes have come out gunning against Tennessee. Ohio State has jumped out to a 16-8 lead thanks to a balanced offensive attack. Tennessee is seeking a trip back to the Sweet 16 after missing it last season. Despite a lot of fight, the Horned Frogs hold off the Cardinals. TCU will advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time in school history after an 85-70 win. TCU will see Hannah Hidalgo and No. 3 Notre Dame. The Cardinals have made it a game, but it may ultimately be too little too late. TCU leads by 10 with 1:45 left in the game. Louisville was down by as many as 21 points, but has continued to chip its way back in. The Lady Vols have taken the floor in Columbus for their second-round matchup against No. 4 Ohio State, which is set to start at 8:07 p.m. ET on ESPN. Tennessee is coming off a 101-66 win over No. 12 South Florida in the first round of the women's NCAA Tournament, while Ohio State is coming off a 71-51 win over No. 13 Montana State. Lady Vols are getting loose before playing Ohio State in the second round of the NCAA tournament tonight Zee Spearman and Kaniya Boyd having a little fun iykyk 😂 — Cora Hall (@corahalll) March 23, 2025 TCU is 10 minutes away from punching its ticket to the Sweet 16, as the Horned Frogs lead Louisville 69-51 going into the fourth quarter. The Cardinals put together a much better third-quarter performance than they did in the first half — as they made as many shots (nine) from the field in the third quarter as they did in the first half combined — but still couldn't get close to the Horned Frogs. Traditionally known for her scoring and 3-point shooting, South Carolina's Te-Hina Paopao took over on the defensive end in the Gamecock's second-round win over Indiana. The 5-foot-9 finished with four blocks, four rebounds and two steals in Sunday's win over Indiana that sent South Carolina back to the Sweet 16 for the 11th consecutive women's NCAA Tournament. In a postgame news conference at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina, Paopao told reporters that she was "proud" of how she turned it up defensively on Sunday. "Yeah, y'all see that? I'm really proud of myself. I had more blocks than threes today, but that's okay, I thought today was more of a defensive mindset for myself," Paopao said. "... I'm part of the seatbelt gang now, so I'm really proud of that, as well. I just have to carry that defensive mindset throughout the tournament, as well." "I had more blocks than three's today, but that's okay."@tehinapaopa0 talks about her defensive performance in the Second Round.#MarchMadness x @GamecockWBB — NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) March 23, 2025 A 3-pointer from Madison Conner puts No. 2 TCU up to a 56-36 lead over No. 7 Louisville in the third quarter. Conner entered the day ranked second in the country in 3-pointers made, and has now hit three 3-pointers this afternoon. There's a lot of basketball yet to be played down in Fort Worth, Texas, but the Horned Frogs appear to be on their way to the program's first Sweet 16 appearance. TCU leads Louisville 47-26 at halftime, thanks to a dominating second-quarter performance where it outscored the Cardinals 27-9 in the frame alone. Hailey Van Lith had a scoring quiet first half for TCU, as she only has six points on 3 of 5 shooting from the field. But where Van Lith earned her money was with her play-making, as she dished out seven assists in the first half. Madison Conner and Sedona Prince, the other two pieces to TCU's leading trio, also had a relatively quiet first two minutes, as they only had six and eight points each. TCU only missed six shots (19 of 27 shooting) from the field in the first half; compared to Louisville's 26 missed shots (9 of 35 shooting) in the half. Agnes Emma-Nnopu leads TCU with 16 points, 12 of which have come from beyond the arc. A layup from Agnes Emma-Nnopu puts No. 2 TCU out to its largest lead of this women's NCAA Tournament second-round game over No. 7 Louisville at 28-17. It's a 15-0 run for TCU dating back to the first quarter. The Horned Frogs continue to show why they are considered a contender for the national championship trophy with their depth, defense and high-level scoring. TCU is shooting 69% from the field to start the game, compared to Louisville's 29%. A 7-0 run over the last two minutes of the first quarter gives No. 2 TCU a slight 20-17 lead over No. 7 Louisville going into the second quarter. The Horned Frogs picked up their defensive pressure in the final three minutes of the frame, as they caused the Cardinals to turn the ball over three times in the last 2:57. Hailey Van Lith only shot the ball twice in the first quarter, going 1 for 2 from the field for two points. No. 5 Ole Miss is on to the Sweet 16 for the 12th time in program history, as the Rebels upset No. 4 Baylor 69-63 in Waco, Texas. After trailing 29-26 at halftime, Ole Miss outscored Baylor 43-34 in the second half to put together one of the biggest wins in program history and the Coach Yo era in Oxford, Mississippi. The Rebels will now wait to learn their opponent in the Sweet 16 of the Regional 1 Spokane side of the women's NCAA Tournament, as No. 1 UCLA and No. 8 Richmond still have to play on Sunday in Los Angeles. The start of Louisville vs. TCU is happening on ESPNews, as Baylor-Ole Miss is still in a tight-knit game on ESPN. Ole Miss currently leading 63-61 with 39.2 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Big game down in Fort Worth, Texas as Hailey Van Lith takes on her former squad for a spot in the Sweet 16. Tied game! Sarah Andrews continues to deliver down the stretch for Baylor, this time by hitting a jumper to tie the game with Ole Miss at 61-61. A big final 60 seconds in Waco coming up, as a trip to the Sweet 16 and Spokane, Washington is on the line. Here comes Baylor! Sarah Andrews splashes in a big-time 3-pointer just in front of the Baylor bench to bring the deficit within two of Ole Miss at 57-55. The senior guard is up to 12 points on the afternoon for the Bears. We're in for a great finish down in Waco, as it is a two-point game at the under-five media timeout in the fourth quarter. Baylor is on a 7-2 run after Ole Miss opened the frame on a 6-0 run. Potential upset alert down in Waco, Texas! Madison Scott hits a mid-range jumper from the charity stripes to put No. 5 Ole Miss up 54-48 over No. 4 Baylor with 7:39 remaining in the fourth quarter. It's a 6-0 run to start the fourth quarter for the Rebels. The winner of this game gets the winner of No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 8 Richmond in the Sweet 16 in Spokane, Washington. Baylor holds a 44-42 lead with 3:58 left in the third quarter. The Bears have hit on four of their last five field goals. Aaronette Vonleh leads Baylor with 12 points. Sira Thienou has 12 points to lead the Rebels. COLUMBIA, S.C. — A roaring chant of 'Gamecocks' echoed throughout Colonial Life Arena on Sunday afternoon, even when No. 1 South Carolina, the reigning NCAA champion, was down at the half — something that hadn't happened since a brutal loss to UConn in February. Coming off a 60-point win over Tennessee Tech on Friday, South Carolina got out to a sluggish start against the Hoosiers before storming back to win 64-53. — Andy Mathis, Special to USA TODAY Senior forward Sania Feagin helped get the Gamecocks back on track in the second half. She netted multiple baskets to open the third quarter, punishing the interior of the Hoosiers' defense and helping South Carolina quickly build a five-point lead that expanded to double digits by the end of the third quarter. Feagin finished with 10 points, one of three Gamecocks starters in double-figure scoring (Bree Hall finished with 11 points, and Chloe Kitts had 10). The performance was a stark contrast from South Carolina's first-round game against Tennessee Tech on Friday, when the Gamecocks' bench set an NCAA record with 66 points. Feagin, a 2025 All-SEC Tournament member, is looking to join a very select club of hoopers that have won three national championships in their collegiate careers — as are her teammates and fellow starters Raven Johnson and Hall. 'We made history before,' Feagin said before the NCAA Tournament started. 'We can continue to make history.' — Andy Mathis, Special to USA TODAY Baylor holds a 29-26 lead over Ole Miss following a 13-2 run over the final 7:38 of the second quarter. Aaronette Vonleh led the Bears with 10 points. Sira Thienou led the Rebels with eight points. The rapper Plies sat behind the South Carolina women's basketball bench for the second-round game against Indiana on Sunday. 'I look around this place and it gives me hope,' Plies said of the erupting environment at Colonial Life Arena, the Gamecocks' home court. 'It gives me hope, what we can be as a country. For me, this is therapeutic for me, I need it.' Plies has a longstanding friendship with Dawn Staley, gifting her a chain last week as she and the Gamecocks embarked on the 2025 NCAA Tournament. 'It was me trying to find my soft spot,' Plies said about his gift. 'I didn't want to make her feel too much like a rapper, but that's something I feel like she openly deserved. 'I just wanted to give her flowers, that was my way of trying to show that.' — Olivia Noni, Special to USA TODAY Read Banji Bamidele's story about how Geno Auriemma's celebrated his 71st birthday during the NCAA Tournament. South Carolina retakes the lead heading into the fourth quarter. The Gamecocks trailed Indiana by one at halftime but appear to be in control now. Bree Hall leads South Carolina with 11 points. Kansas State's Temira Poindexter shot 8-of-15 from 3-point range against No. 4 Kentucky as the sides traded baskets in overtime. Poindexter finished with 24 points in the Wildcats' win to reach the Sweet 16. No. 5 Kansas State pulled off a an 80-79 win over No. 4 Kentucky in overtime. The Wildcats ended regulation knotted at 69-69. Kentucky's Georgia Amoore and Kansas State's Temira were exchanging 3s down the stretch in the fourth quarter. South Carolina trails Indiana 26-25 at halftime in Columbia. The Gamecocks were 10-of-29 shooting, but have more steals, blocks and rebounds in addition to forcing more turnovers. A lot to clean up, but shots not falling playing a major factor right now. — Lulu Kesin 9-seed Indiana leads 1-seed South Carolina going into the 2Q 😤 📺: ABC — ESPN (@espn) March 23, 2025 Indiana's Chloe Moore-McNeil seems determined to extend her college career for at least another game, scoring 10 of the Hoosiers' first-half points against No. 1 seed South Carolina on its home court. 'You want to be humble and realize that this could be your last game,' Moore-McNeil said before beginning play in her last NCAA Tournament. 'But you also want to go out there and leave everything, knowing that you gave your all for 40 minutes.' She scored eight of the Hoosiers' 12 first-quarter points, as Indiana led 12-9 going into the second. In the second quarter, after sitting on the bench for the first two minutes, Moore-McNeil picked up where she left off with an and-one layup, silencing the Colonial Life Arena crowd while bringing the Hoosier lead to six points. In addition to her scoring, Moore-McNeil finished the first half with two rebounds and one assist. The Tennessee native has been a Hoosier during her entire time in college, a feat that is becoming much more of a rarity in the NIL era. 'She's meant so much, not just to this program, but I think the people that are inside our locker room and the people at the university,' head coach Teri Moren said. 'She's touched more than just her teammates and us as coaches.' Moore-McNeil has been a steady force for the Indiana Hoosiers, bringing experience and versatility to a veteran backcourt. The graduate guard averaged 9.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.4 assists this season, earning All-Big Ten Honorable Mention honors. Moore-McNeil has consistently been recognized for her defensive tenacity, previously being named to the All-Big Ten Defensive Team. Last season, she recorded 12 points, eight assists, six boards and three steals against South Carolina in the Sweet 16, a game the Hoosiers lost 79-75. In the second half, Moore-McNeil and her team will be looking to do what they could not in last year's tournament: defeat South Carolina. — Carter Braun, Special to USA TODAY South Carolina's Te-Hina Paopao and Indiana's Sydney Parrish were more than teammates at Oregon — they were roommates, confidantes, pieces of a dream that never quite fit. Three years and two transfers later, they meet as opponents Sunday for the second straight year in the NCAA Tournament, with No. 1 South Carolina and No. 9 Indiana fighting to keep their seasons — and their stories — alive. Here's more about their friendship. Notre Dame star Olivia Miles took the mic at Purcell Pavilion after the Irish's win over Michigan to thank fans for their support. "Love y'all," she said at the end. Olivia Miles gets emotional while giving a speech to the Irish fans, after her last game in Purcell Pavilion ☘️ @oliviamiles06 #MarchMadness x @ndwbb — NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) March 23, 2025 Kentucky's Clara Strack is 8-of-11 shooting with 20 points through nearly three quarters as the Wildcats are in a tight battle with Kansas State. We've got a good one in Lexington, with Kansas State leading Kentucky 33-31 at the half. K-State outscored Kentucky 18-11 in the second quarter, but a Dazia Lawrence 2-point jumper with seconds left on the clock cut the deficit to two heading into the half. Kansas State's Serena Sundell and Kentucky's Clara Strack lead all scorers at 15 points apiece. Georgia Amoore has five points. Has Hannah Hidalgo played her last at Purcell Pavilion? Moments after hitting two free throws to give Notre Dame a 73-38 in the fourth quarter, she walks off the court to applause from her teammates and Fighting Irish fans. Notre Dame will advance to play at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama for the Sweet 16 and, potentially, the Elite Eight. From there, the Final Four and national title games will be held at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. Kentucky holds a 20-15 lead over Kansas State after one quarter of play. Clara Strack leads the way with nine points for the Wildcats. Heading into the media timeout in the third quarter, Notre Dame holds a 58-32 lead with 3:46 left. The Fighting Irish are on an 8-0 run. The Kentucky vs. Kansas State second-round matchup has topped off. The Wildcats lead 7-5 at the first media timeout. Duke is on to the Sweet 16 with a 59-53 win over Oregon. The Ducks led at halftime, but the Blue Devils took over in the second half and hung on for the victory. Ashlon Jackson led Duke with 20 points, while Reigan Richardon added 13. Deja Kelly had 20 points for Oregon. Notre Dame has a 46-28 halftime lead over Michigan. Michigan cut the lead by two in the quarter but are in a huge hole against the Fighting Irish. Duke holds a 53-50 lead following a pair of free throws from Delaney Thomas. The Ducks call a timeout with 3:08 remaining. Liatu King leads the way with 12 points. Notre Dame has led by as many as 20 points, but Michigan used an 8-0 run to cut the lead to 34-22 with 5:03 left in the first half. Duke leads Oregon 45-40 heading into the fourth quarter. The Ducks trailed by as many as 10 in the quarter but have cut the lead back to five to make it competitive in the final quarter. Notre Dame closes the first quarter out on a 15-1 run and leads Michigan 32-12. The Fighting Irish shot 12 of 16 from the field. Liatu King, Hannah Hidalgo and Sonia Cintron each have eight points for Notre Dame. Duke has outscored Oregon 11-0 to start the third quarter and holds a 34-28 lead with 5:45 left in the quarter. You can also keep up with the Ducks-Blue Devils game here. Notre Dame jumps out to a 6-0 lead in the first three minutes, causing Michigan to call an early timeout. Sunday's second women's college NCAA Tournament game has tipped off between Michigan and Notre Dame. Ashlon Jackson has a pair of 3-pointers to open the second half and Duke has retaken a 29-28 lead early in the third quarter. Oregon holds a 28-23 halftime lead over Duke, potentially setting up another upset win for the Ducks in the tournament. Deja Kelly leads Oregon with nine points, while Reigan Richardson leads the Blue Devils with nine as well. Oregon shot 50% in the first half. Duke shot 35.7%. Deja Kelly is off to a hot start for Oregon with nine points as the Ducks lead Duke 22-15 at the media timeout in the second quarter. Kelly is shooting 5 of 6 from the field. The Blue Devils are shooting just 6 of 21 from the field. Defense wins the day in the first quarter in the Oregon-Duke matchup. The Ducks lead 12-9 after one quarter that saw the teams combine for 11 turnovers. Oregon is leading 7-2 at the first media timeout with 4:42 left in the first quarter. The Blue Devils are on a 3:05 scoring drought and have three turnovers already. And we're off! No. 2 Duke and No. 10 Oregon tip off the action from a day full of action in the 2025 women's NCAA Tournament. We're less than 10 minutes from the first tip of the day, as No. 2 seed Duke hosts No. 10 seed Oregon from Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, North Carolina. Let's be honest: Not all games are created equal, even in the women's NCAA Tournament. Here's a look at the best games to watch from the second round, courtesy of Cydney Henderson of the USA TODAY Sports Network: Spokane Region 1: No. 3 LSU vs. No. 6 Florida State No. 3 LSU vs. No. 6 Florida State Birmingham Region 2: No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 9 Indiana No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 9 Indiana Birmingham Region 3: No. 2 TCU vs. No. 7 Louisville No. 2 TCU vs. No. 7 Louisville Spokane Region 4: No. 4 Kentucky vs. No. 3 Kansas State For a full rundown of games, including players to watch and more in-depth analysis, click here. Winners and losers have already emerged from the 2025 women's NCAA Tournament. UConn looks ready to contend for a national championship. USC star JuJu Watkins was hurt in the first round. Who else finds themselves in the winners and losers' brackets? Find out more here. One of the biggest matchups of Sunday's second-round action will pit No. 2 TCU vs. No. 7 seed Louisville at 6 p.m. on ESPN. Van Lith, of course, began her career with the Cardinals before transferring to LSU in 2023-24. She transferred again following the season, and has seen greater growth with the Horned Frogs. Here's more on her transfer from Louisville and LSU. Upsets are why fans are glued to their TV screens during March Madness. The South Dakota Jackrabbits provided a major jolt for fans with their upset over Oklahoma State. There are more chances for upsets as the competition stiffens in the second round. See what USA TODAY's Meghan Hall predicted for the second round here. No. 1 seed South Carolina and No. 9 seed Indiana will face off at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday. For picks, predictions and odds on the matchup — which also pits friends Te-Hina Paopao and Sydney Parrish against each other — check out the USA TODAY Sports Network. Looking for some early insight to Sunday's second-round games? Check out expert picks and predictions from the USA TODAY Sports Network here: Watch women's March Madness with Fubo (free trial) Where to watch Women's March Madness TV channels: ESPN | ABC ESPN | ABC Streaming: March Madness Live | Fubo (free trial) Sunday's second-round action will air across ESPN and ABC. Streaming options for those with a valid cable login include March Madness Live. Otherwise, Fubo covers the ESPN family of networks and offers a free trial. We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn't influence our coverage.
USA Today
23-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Best women's basketball games in March Madness second round: Schedule, players to watch
Best women's basketball games in March Madness second round: Schedule, players to watch Show Caption Hide Caption Five players to watch during March Madness USA Today's Meghan Hall breaks down five players in the WNCAA March Madness Tournament we need to be paying more attention to. Sports Seriously Just like that, the field of 68-teams in the 2025 women's NCAA Tournament has been cut to 32 teams. Second-round action will tip off on Sunday following a strong showing in the first round, which saw a record six teams score 100-plus points in the opening round of March Madness — No. 1 South Carolina, No. 1 Texas, No. 2 UConn, No. 3 Notre Dame, No. 3 LSU and No. 5 Tennessee. Only four teams upset their higher-seeded opponents and advanced to the second round — No. 9 Mississippi State, No. 9 Indiana, No. 10 Oregon and No. 10 SDSU. On the menu for the second round is a reunion between Hailey Van Lith and Louisville when the TCU Horned Frogs face off against the Cardinals (6 p.m., ESPN), while a Final Four-caliber matchup between No. 3 LSU and No. 6 Florida State will go down on Monday. Here's everything you need to know about the 2025 women's NCAA Tournament, including a breakdown of each region, the best second-round games and players to watch. Here's a printable bracket. SPOKANE REGION 1 All times Eastern. No. 4 Baylor vs. No. 5 Ole Miss | Sunday, 4 p.m. (ESPN) No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 8 Richmond | Sunday, 10 p.m. (ESPN) No. 2 NC State vs. No. 7 Michigan State | Monday, 12 p.m. (ESPN) No. 3 LSU vs. No. 6 Florida State | Monday, 6 p.m. (ESPN) No. 1 overall seed UCLA opened the NCAA Tournament by setting a program record for the largest margin of victory in March Madness history and advance to face No. 8 Richmond, who made history in their own right by securing their first NCAA Tournament win. No. 3 LSU set new program record for points scored in an NCAA tournament game with a 103-48 win over No. 14 San Diego State. There were question marks surrounding Flau'Jae Johnson and Aneesah Morrow heading into the tournament as the two were spotted wearing walking boots during the Selection Sunday broadcast, but the stars combined for 34 points in the dominant victory. They will have one of their toughest test of the season against No. 6 Florida State. PLAYERS TO WATCH: UCLA C Lauren Betts (19.4 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 2.8 apg), who was dominant in the paint with 14 points, six blocks, four assists, three blocks and one steal; NC State G Saniya Rivers (11.7 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 3.6 apg), who recorded a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds; LSU G Flau'Jae Johnson (18.9 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.6 spg), who didn't appear to miss a step with 22 points in her return; Florida State G Ta'Niya Latson (24.9 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 4.7 apg), who led the Seminoles to their first tourney win since 2019 with 28 points; and Richmond F Maggie Doogan (16.7 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 3.7 apg), who had 30 points, 15 rebounds and six assists in the Spiders' first March Madness win. BEST SECOND-ROUND GAME: No. 3 LSU vs. No. 6 Florida State: Two of the highest scoring teams in the nation will meet up for a second-round matchup that could've easily been a Final Four game. Florida State has Ta'Niya Latson, the top scorer in the nation (24.9 ppg), on their side, while LSU has the top rebounder in the nation in Aneesah Morrow (13.8 rpg). Morrow also leads the nation in double-doubles (28). BIRMINGHAM REGION 2 No. 1 South Carolina made a statement with a 60-point opening round victory over No. 16 Tennessee Tech after being snubbed for the No. 1 overall seed. The Gamecocks' depth was on full display, with its high-scoring bench dropping 66 points in the first round win, the most in NCAA Tournament history. South Carolina wasn't the only team in the region to win big. No. 2 Duke held No. 15 Lehigh to the second-lowest point total in NCAA women's Tournament history in a 86-25 win. Every higher-seed, however, did not walk away unscathed. No. 7 Vanderbilt was sent packing following an upset by No. 10 Oregon. Can the Ducks keep dancing? They last advanced to the Sweet 16 in 2021. PLAYERS TO WATCH: Duke G Oluchi Okananwa (10.3 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.8 spg), the ACC Tournament MVP had a team-high 15 points; South Carolina F Joyce Edwards (13.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 1.1 spg), who had 22 points off the bench in her first career NCAA Tournament game; Oregon G Deja Kelly (11.9 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.4 apg), who had a team-high 20 points in the Ducks' upset win over Vanderbilt in overtime; North Carolina G Lexi Donarski (10.6 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 1.4 apg), who scored 17 points and knocked down five 3-pointers in the third quarter; and Alabama G Aaliyah Nye (15.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.3 apg), who has the Crimson Tide one win away from its first Sweet 16 appearance since 1998 after dropping 23 points in the first round. BEST SECOND-ROUND GAME: No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 9 Indiana: Sunday's second-round matchup marks a rematch of the 2024 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16, where the Gamecocks narrowly defeated the Hoosiers 79-75 following Indiana's fourth-quarter surge. It also marks the reunion of Te-Hina Paopao and Sydney Parrish, who played at Oregon before transferring to South Carolina and Indiana, respectively. BIRMINGHAM REGION 3 No. 3 Notre Dame vs. No. 6 Michigan | Sunday, 1 p.m. (ABC) No. 2 TCU vs. No. 7 Louisville | Sunday, 6 p.m. (ESPN) No. 4 Ohio State vs. No. 5 Tennessee | Sunday, 8 p.m. (ESPN) No. 1 Texas vs. No. 8 Illinois | Monday, 2 p.m. (ESPN) No. 1 Texas breezed through the first round following a dominant performance from Madison Booker, the SEC's Player of the Year. No. 2 TCU also cruised to its first NCAA Tournament win in 19 years. No. 3 Notre Dame entered the NCAA Tournament losing three of its last five games, but the Fighting Irish corrected course with a dominant first-round win, marking the second time Notre Dame has scored 100 points in a March Madness game. However, it wasn't all good for Notre Dame. Olivia Miles' night ended early due to an ankle injury and her status is questionable. PLAYERS TO WATCH: TCU G Hailey Van Lith (17.7 ppg, 5.4 apg, 4.3 rpg), who broke TCU's single-season assist record Friday with her 188th of the season; Notre Dame G Sonia Citron (14.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2.8 apg), who recorded her fourth 20-plus point NCAA Tournament game in her career; Tennessee G Talaysia Cooper (16.8 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 3.0 spg), who had three of the Volunteers' record 16 3-pointers; Michigan G Jordan Hobbs (13.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.6 apg), who tied Michigan's March Madness scoring record with a career-high 28 points; and Texas F Madison Booker (15.8 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 2.8 apg), who put up a 20-point, 14-rebounds double-double on Saturday. BEST SECOND-ROUND GAME: No. 2 TCU vs. No. 7 Louisville: Hailey Van Lith is set to face off against her former team, Louisville. Although Van Lith has downplayed the reunion, all eyes will be on the matchup. TCU is 20-0 at home this season and enters Sunday's matchup on an eleven game win streak. The Horned Frog's first Sweet 16 appearance is at stake. Meanwhile, Louisville is trying to keep the good times rolling after losing three of their last five games to end the season. 'IT IS WHAT IT IS': TCU's Hailey Van Lith downplays March Madness reunion with Louisville SPOKANE REGION 4 No. 4 Kentucky vs. No. 5 Kansas State | Sunday, 2 p.m. (ESPN) No. 3 Oklahoma vs. No. 6 Iowa | Monday, 4 p.m. (ESPN) No. 2 UConn vs. No. 10 SDSU | Monday, 8 p.m. (ESPN) No. 1 USC vs. No. 9 Mississippi State | Monday, 10 p.m. (ESPN) Down goes another No. 7 seed! No. 10 South Dakota State defeated No. 7 Oklahoma State to set up a second-round showdown with UConn. The Huskies are firing on all cylinders and tied the seventh largest margin of victory in women's March Madness history with a 103-34 win over No. 15 Arkansas State. The scary part is that Paige Bueckers only had 11 points in that win, so look for her to get going against SDSU. No. 1 USC and No. 5 Kansas State also won big, and had a 46 and 44 point margin of victory, respectively. Something to monitor — USC's JuJu Watkins injuries. She rolled her ankle and landed awkwardly on her wrist in the win. PLAYERS TO WATCH: Kansas State C Ayoka Lee (15.6 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 2.1 bpg), who returned to the Wildcats lineup in the first round after being sidelined since Feb. 22 with foot injuries; Kentucky G Georgia Amoore (19.6 ppt, 6.9 apg, 1.0 spg), who tied Kentucky's March Madness scoring record (34 points) in the first round; UConn G Azzi Fudd (12.8 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.6 apg), who tied her career high in steals (6) and had a career-high seven assists in her first NCAA Tournament game in two years; USC G Kennedy Smith (9.5 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 2.1 apg), who will look to bounce back in a major way after going 0-of-5 from the field and 0-of-2 from three in the first round; and Oklahoma F Raegan Beers (17.5 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 1.1 apg), who had 18 of Oklahoma's 72 rebounds, a single game NCAA Tournament record. BEST SECOND-ROUND GAME: No. 4 Kentucky vs. No. 3 Kansas State: Kentucky narrowly avoided an upset by No. 13 Liberty, despite Georgia Amoore's 34-point performance. Kentucky's path to its first Final Four in program history isn't going to get any easier against a Kansas State team that soundly defeated No. 12 Fairfield following the return of star center Ayoka Lee, who put up a double-double in her first game in nearly a month. May the best Wildcat win. 2025 women's NCAA Tournament schedule Second round: March 23-24 March 23-24 Sweet 16: March 28-29 March 28-29 Elite Eight: March 30-31 March 30-31 Final Four: Friday, April 4, 7:00 and 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN) Friday, April 4, 7:00 and 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN) NCAA championship game: Sunday, April 6, 3 p.m. ET (ABC) The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
