It does not matter that the No. 1 seed NC State Wolfpack and the second UConn would play 10 more minutes before the Huskies seal a trip to the Final Four with a 91-87 double extension victory. The two teams had been fighting all night, with UConn seeking its 14th consecutive trip to the national semifinals, with NC State chasing its first Final Four since 1998. Everything contributed to a spectacular game: Two overtimes. Thirteen electrode changes. Nine ties. The crowd at Total Mortgage Arena roars all night as teams exchange baskets. The details have made this game of the NCAA Women’s Tournament so far. Although the reversals prevailed in the first two rounds and two 10-seeds reached the Sweet 16, this was the game that captured the epitome of March Madness: Two heavyweights fighting for the chance to reach Minneapolis and compete for a national championship. Complete your bracket by selecting the winner for each game of the NCAA Women’s Tournament. Play Tournament Challenge This was a game where UConn was a four-point favorite over the area’s top seed, mainly because it was in Bridgeport, Connecticut, a stone’s throw from UConn’s campus in the Storrs. The Vivid Seats Fan Forecast estimated that 84% of the crowd cheered for UConn and every time the crowd cheered after a basket with a key or a forced rollover, the noise felt like it was popping into your chest. But this was also a game where no matter which side you were on, you could feel your heart pounding in your ears and a lump resting right on top of your neck. Because there were stakes. UConn had not lost a Final Four since 2009 and NC State had not gone for 24 years. The Wolfpack was eliminated in three consecutive Sweet 16. Even as the upbeat music passed through the speakers, the crowd barely applauded. Why could anyone applaud at such a time? I’m playing 0:48 Jakia Brown-Turner takes the three-pointer with 0.8 seconds left to keep NC State alive. This was a game where if you thought it was over, you were wrong. UConn took an early 10-point lead, but then NC State looked set to repeat its Sweet 16 victory over Notre Dame by rally to take a slow lead. Then UConn looked like it had the toy in the bag … until NC State’s Jakia Brown-Turner hit a corner 3 with less than a second on the clock to send it to a second overtime. 2 About This was a game where the big players came up with great moments. UConn sophomore Paige Bueckers – the reigning national team player of the year who lost 19 games with a knee injury and only returned on February 25 – scored the second overtime opening basket, a three-pointer from the top of the key, and followed with a tilted pull-up jumper right inside the bow the next occupation. And with the season on the line for the NC State, five behind, Kai Crutchfield also known as “Clutchfield” scored her second three-pointer in extra time to pull the NC State in two with 3:03 remaining for the game . This was a game where newcomers seized the moment. UConn freshman Azzi Fudd scored 19 points, but shone when the spotlight was on. With the clock dropping to the fourth quarter, Fadt was there to chip in a bucket when UConn needed it. And with the Huskies one step behind with less than a minute left in the game, Fad drove to the right, sucking NC State’s defense, and, as he fell back on his heels, passed the ball to second-year Aaliyah Edwards. who lay down to extend UConn’s lead. I’m playing 0:49 Christyn Williams scores in the final seconds of the extra time as UConn survives against NC State to reach the 14th consecutive Final Four. This was a game where everyone put their bodies on the line. The two teams fought in the paint all night, with UConn scoring 40 points and NC State 44. The sounds of jerseys and leather and sweat gliding over the hardwood were the clatter of cheers and whistles. When senior guard Evina Westbrook found herself stuck with an unfavorable match in the lane, she spread her fingers to give the ball to a teammate. And anyone on the block or trying to get through the lane was a human pinball machine. Caution cutters. This was a game that everyone deserved to win. As time was running out and Bueckers – a Minnesota native who finished with 27 points in the game – screamed triumphantly into the crowd, the Wolfpack was pushed to the side before leaving the field, four of them probably in their final year in college. as a small section of their fans proudly held the Wolfpack sign in the air. Wearing festive hats and T-shirts, the Huskies were crowned regional champions. The area’s most outstanding player, the Bueckers hit the dance known as Griddy as her teammates bathed her in a confetti shower. But as the players hugged each other and their families, and the rest of the crowd shouted for photos and autographs, one thing was clear. This was a game you will remember.
