Sometimes the thought, Do I have it in me to keep doing this? would cross his mind, especially at the end of the season. The weight of his position, as a coach and basketball mastermind in charge of orchestrating a championship-winning roster, and all it takes to make that happen, would dawn on him.

“I don’t know that I think of it in terms of who’s coming after me or what am I leaving behind, but I think some of the things that we’re going to leave behind are probably undoable in the future,” Auriemma said over the phone back then. “I don’t think anybody can sit here and say, OK, pick out a coach that you think is going to win 11 national championships that’s coaching today. You’d be hard-pressed. Pick a team that won 111 in a row. Pick one that won 90 in a row, three times…Name a program that’s going to go to 14 straight Final Fours. Things that we’ve done legacy-wise are going to be undoable now.”

His words foreshadow the brilliance we’ve seen from the Huskies, which was on full display in this year’s NCAA tournament. After persevering through injuries and losses, UConn has powered their way past opponents—Arkansas State, SD State, Oklahoma, USC, UCLA and, finally, South Carolina—to make to the podium for the first time since 2016. Along the way, they made history: the 34-point dub in the semi-finals against UCLA is now the largest win over a No. 1 seed in women’s Final Four, ever. Then, on the same day Auriemma was celebrating 40 years at the helm, the Huskies defeated the reigning champs, South Carolina to win their 12th National Title, making UConn the winningest program in all of college basketball history.

“The legacy that’s going to be left here by those people that have worked here and played here, some things—we’re going to be in the record books for eternity,” he added.

As much credit Auriemma gets, he’ll be the first to not make it about him, and in the rematch of the 2022 National Championship game, the Huskies executed their game plan perfectly. The Gamecocks were no match for UConn’s “Big Three” of Paige Bueckers, Final Four MVP Azzi Fudd and freshman phenom Sarah Strong; a poised Bueckers had 17 points, while Fudd and Strong both dominanted with 24-points each, plus Strong’s 15 rebounds.

The rest of the roster, which includes KK Arnold and Kaitlyn Chen, hustled and dazzled on plays, from volleyball-esque passes to finishes at the rim and tough-nosed boxouts, that made the difference when it counted most. The Huskies won, 82-59 by controlling tempo of the entire game.

As Huskies fans will tell it, it was really the Power of Friendship that fueled their epic run.

And in their final game together with Bueckers in a UConn uniform, Auriemma had just one message for her as they embraced each other on the court for the last time. It’s a message he’s likely said to her and many of the players he’s coached over the years before. “I love you,” Auriemma told PB as they both emotionally embraced each other on a confetti-covered court.

Legacy solidified.

The post UConn’s Reign Continues as the Huskies Win their 12th National Title appeared first on SLAM.

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South Carolina Vs Maryland 

Maryland gave South Carolina a run for their money in their Sweet 16 matchup last Friday. 

South Carolina came out on top 71-67. While Maryland had a consistent offensive showing, it was the Gamecocks who were struggling to find the same level of consistency early on. Finding their groove more in the second half, SC outscored the Terps 12-7 in the final three minutes of the game to secure the win. MiLaysia Fulwiley led with 23 points and Chloe Kitts posted yet another double-double with 15 points and 11 boards. 

South Carolina will go on to play Duke in the Elite 8. This will be the second matchup between these two teams this season, the first having gone in South Carolina’s favor 81-70 back in December of 2024. The matchup will be one of the hottest games of the tournament as the game will inch the winner one step closer to the National Championship. 

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North Carolina Vs Duke

ACC rivals Duke and North Carolina went head-to-head to clinch the next Elite 8 spot. Both teams looked to go two out of three and advance to the next round after both taking a game from each other in the regular season. The Tar Heels started off with the offensive edge, leading 13-9 in the first quarter before Duke responded with an offensive outburst, scoring 19 and holding the Tar Heels to just seven. Coming out of the third, North Carolina had a bit more gas, but it wasn’t enough to outlast the Blue Devils who took the game 47-38. The Duke bench was the biggest surprise to come out of this game, scoring 26 points of the 47 they put up. 

Duke advances to play the South Carolina Gamecocks in the Elite 8 on Sunday. 

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Texas vs Tennessee

The Texas Longhorns faced off against the Tennessee Vols in an SEC rematch that saw Texas runaway in the fourth quarter, punching their ticket to the Elite 8. After Texas squeezed out a win 80-76 back in January, the game was one of the biggest postseason matchups for both squads. Tied up through three quarters, Texas dominated in the fourth, outscoring the Vols 17-9 on the way to the finish line. Though it was a game up until the halfway mark of the fourth quarter with a couple ties early on, the Longhorns did not take their foot off the gas, winning 67-59. Texas was led by Madison Booker who had 17 points, and was accompanied by Jordan Lee and Taylor Jones who chipped in 13 and 12 each. 

The Longhorns look to extend their season against TCU Monday in the Elite 8 matchup, with Texas having taken their last two matchups in both January and February of last year. But with TCU’s new squad this game could go either way, and is shaping to be one of the best games all March. 

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Notre Dame vs TCU

Hailey Van Lith has been the talk of the tournament when it comes to TCU and the squads matchup against Notre Dame was so different. TCU took the game 71-62 but the game was back and forth up until the fourth, where TCU doubled Notre Dame’s 10 to take the win. HVL put up 26 in the victory against Notre Dame, 12 of which came in the fourth where she out scored the Fighting Irish 12-10 alone. Sedona Prince also had a big game, putting up 21 points, but the defensive stats of six boards and six blocks is what gave TCU the edge. Madison Conner also chipped in 13, which had TCU’s big three going for 60 combined. TCU advanced to the program’s first Elite 8. 

The Horned Frogs will play Texas this season for the first time in the 8, hoping to keep dancing. The teams have a bit of tension building, considering Texas was TCU’s conference rival in the Big-12 and Sedona Prince spent a year at Texas back during the 18-19 season. The game is gonna be interesting to say the least so get the popcorn ready. 

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UConn vs Oklahoma 

Paige. Bueckers. 

The talk of the town had been Paige Bueckers and the UConn Huskies. After feeling like they’re finally at their best after some years of injuries, the Huskies have been dominating the tournament. Paige Bueckers had a career night against the Oklahoma Sooners, to turn the game from a tight back and forth, to an 82-59 blowout single handedly. Going 6-8 from deep, a 19-point fourth quarter, and shooting just under 60% from the field, Paige was unstoppable. 

The Huskies have all the tools needed to win the National Championship, but they have to get through USC in the Elite 8 to get there. The two will face off in a rematch of last year’s Final Four, without JuJu Watkins, who’s sidelined with an ACL tear.

The post Top Seeds and Star Players Show Out in Women’s Sweet 16 appeared first on SLAM.

After averaging an impressive 23.4 points and 7.5 boards this season, the 6-3 center has announced that she’s returning to Iowa State for her junior season. The SLAMU cover star made it official with her own Instagram post, which poked fun at any speculation that she’d be taking her talents elsewhere.

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A post shared by Audi Crooks | Iowa State #55 (@audicrooks55)

Crooks is one of the most dominant bigs in college basketball and has been capturing the world’s attention with her style of play in the paint, which she’s perfected since arriving in Ames.

 “I chose Iowa State because it made me feel cared for as a person, not just for what I do on a basketball court,” Crooks told us for the digital cover of SLAMU (which is now her profile pic on IG, we see you AC!).

During the recruiting process, head coach Bill Fennelly and his coaching staff made Crooks feel comfortable and welcome from the very beginning, a sentiment that hasn’t changed since she’s suited up in the red and gold. “He’s going to be tough on you,” Crooks said of Fennelly. “But at the end of the day, you know that he loves you and that he supports you.”

With Crooks at the center, and teammates like forward Addy Brown—who will also be returning—the Cyclones will look to make a major comeback after losing in the first-round of this year’s NCAA tournament. Crooks, meanwhile, has emphasized that she’s ready to improve her leadership and be more consistent on the floor. Here’s what Cyclones’ fans can expect:

“I think a part of my game that I like to elevate is not necessarily going to show up on the stat board,” she says. “I’d like to be a better communicator. I’d like to be a better leader and just more consistent overall, whether that be in the paint, at the mid-range, setting screens, whatever it is, even on the defensive end,” Crooks said.

Cyclone fans, your fav is back. Celebrate Audi’s return with our Iowa State Collection

The post Audi Crooks is Returning to Iowa State: ‘Let’s Run it Back’ appeared first on SLAM.

Those are the words South Carolina PG Ta-hina Paopao said to Chloe Kitts, according to The Athletics’ Cameron Teague Robinson, shortly after the team left the huddle in the fourth. All game long, the Gamecocks had held their own against the Blue Devils, and on the last offensive possession, head coach Dawn Staley had a vision: give her 6-2 forward the rock.

Simple as that.

As they all walked back on to the floor, Kitts asked her PG to take the reins, and that’s when Paopao reminded Kitts who she is. The 6-2 forward is the latest post player prodigy that’s emerged into a star under Dawn Staley, and after getting fouled, she had the chance to extend the Gamecocks lead and take them to the Final Four…

This is just a glimpse of went down on Sunday night against the Gamecocks and the Blue Devils in a must-see TV Elite Eight matchup. As we gear up for the rest of the tourney, here’s a look back at how South Carolina sealed the deal and are powering their way to the Final Four.

The No.1 Gamecocks have been tested time and time again throughout the Big Dance, most recently against Maryland, but have yet to falter. Their matchup against the Blue Devils was their biggest challenge yet, though you wouldn’t have known from the first quarter. 

SC meant business in the first: SC forward Sania Feagin, who had six points and one block, battled it out in the post against Duke forward Toby Fournier (7 points and a block).

The Gamecock’s offense had a solid showing, putting up 16 but their defense is what really gave them the boost, holding Duke to just 10.

SC’s offense kept at it up until about the halfway mark of the second quarter, when Duke started to chip away at the 11 point lead, going on an 8-1 run to close out the second. 

What looked like the start of a runaway for the Gamecocks turned into a game very quickly as the Devils cut SC’s lead to just four points going into the second half. 

It was Reigan Richardson’s three that gave them Duke their first lead of the game. The Blue Devils turned up their intensity, too, with a big-time block from Fournier.

Though Duke was in control for the majority of the third, South Carolina was never far behind. Finishing the last couple minutes going bucket for bucket, it was Ashlon Jackson’s step back three that gave them a 42-38 lead going into the fourth. 

The back and forth between Fouriner and Feagin continued as Fouriner got free off a pick and roll and finished through contact to tie it back up at 46 to which Feagan responded with a fadeaway jumper to put SC back on top. South Carolina had outscored Duke, 12-4, at that point in the fourth. 

The last two minutes both teams traded some tough buckets and though South Carolina maintained a lead, Duke was never down by more than four points. With a minute to go, Duke’s Oluchi Okananwa drove baseline for a much needed two making it a two point game. 

South Carolina came down with 55.3 seconds on the clock looking to run the clock and make a play, but was unable to secure a bucket. The shot went up and everyone on the floor boxed out. The next possession could make or break either season. 

The ball got knocked out of bounds with 30 seconds left and Duke head coach Kara Lawson decided to challenge in hopes of overturning the call and giving her team the extra possession. After review, the ball remained South Carolina’s. 

Looking for options to take the ball out underneath, Ashlon Jackson drew an offensive foul on Bree Hall, giving the possession up to Duke before the ball was even in bounds. 

The Blue Devils ran through a couple different sets before the SC defense was too much to handle, leaving Ashlon Jackson to force a triple that was no good. A foul was called against Duke on the box out with just 6.4 on the clock, South Carolina ball. 

SC’s Head coach Dawn Staley called a timeout to advance the ball to their sideline while Duke thought Hall was going to be shooting. With all the Blue Devils lined up for free throws, Sc was able to inbound easily, with Duke scrambling to foul. 

It was SC’s Chloe Kitts that was sent to the line with the opportunity to get the game out of striking distance. She buried both FTs, securing a four point lead and punching South Carolina’s ticket to the Final Four. 

“It feels amazing because I feel like I worked so hard, and my process is different,” she said per The Athletic. “I’m just so thankful to be in that position at the end of the game to go to the Final Four,” Kitts said.

You couldn’t have asked for a better ending for the Gamecocks. Kitts led her squad with 14 points and four rebounds, earning Birmingham Regional MVP.

South Carolina is headed to their fifth straight Final Four and will face the winner of TCU and Texas.

The post Full Recap: Chloe Kitts is CLUTCH as South Carolina Powers Past Duke in the Elite Eight appeared first on SLAM.

With no timeouts, the Crimson Tide raced down the court as precious seconds ticked off the overtime clock.

Diana Collins dribbled into two Maryland defenders before Sarah Ashlee Barker rotated to the top of the key. With one second left, Collins tossed the rock to Barker, who launched a deep-trey for the tie.

Saylor Poffenbarger quickly raised her hands to contest the shot but closed out too hard, crashing into Barker.

With the center spotlight on her and a nervous energy surrounding the XFINITY Center, Barker calmly walked up to the free throw line.

She followed her routine and sank the first free throw. Then the second. As the home court cheered, Barker swished the third to tie the game at 96 apiece, triumphantly waving her fists as her teammates celebrated sending the game to double overtime.

Unfortunately, Alabama ran out of steam, falling in the second overtime period to Maryland 111-108.

Despite the loss, Barker’s performance was one for the ages, as the graduate student shattered a program and SEC record for points in an NCAA Tournament game, finishing with 45 points, eight rebounds and three assists.

Barker’s final collegiate game was a testament to her status within the program as a legend. She graduates from Tuscaloosa as the program’s all-time player efficiency rating leader and box/plus minus, establishing herself as the ultimate two-way guard.

After transferring from Georgia, Barker wraps up her Alabama career averaging 13.9 points, nearly six boards and two steals across three seasons in Tuscaloosa. That doesn’t include a deadly shot from beyond the arc, knocking down triples at a near 35% clip.

With the clutch gene, Barker has always been in the spotlight.

Alongside leading the No. 21 team in the nation, Barker also energized audiences with pre-game vlogs that highlighted the travel, practice and preparation before every tournament game.

But now, Barker may be vlogging for games at the professional level.

Before the NCAA Tournament, Barker had been present on WNBA mock drafts as a potential late first-round pick. However, a 45-point explosion on the biggest stage on an efficient 17-25 from the field is a stat line that will catch the scouts’ attention.

With the WNBA Draft only two weeks away, Barker may have played herself into a higher draft position.

With the hypotheticals aside, Barker summed up what all basketball enthusiasts thought about regarding Alabama’s game.

“If you’re a fan of women’s basketball, I think that every single person could say that was one of the best games they’ve ever watched,” she said.

The post HER MOMENT: Sarah Ashlee Barker Delivers the Most Clutch Performance Ever Against Maryland appeared first on SLAM.

The 2025 NCAA Tournament has been electric so far, and as we gear up for the final stages of March Madness, we’ll be tuning in to every men’s and women’s matchup and giving you the rundown while you simultaneously check your bracket.

WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

From recaps to player spotlights, here’s all things women’s college hoops.

LSU

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Led by Flau’jae Johnson, Aneesah Morrow and Mikaylah Williams, the LSU women’s basketball are focused and fired up.

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ISU

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As one of the most dominant centers in college basketball, Iowa State’s Audi Crooks is commanding the world’s attention.

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SC

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MiLaysia Fulwiley, Chloe Kitts and Joyce Edwards tell us exactly how they plan on running it back in the tournament this season.

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UCONN

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Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd’s bond led them to UConn and now they’ll look to bring a title back to Storrs during their final run together.

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ND

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Notre Dame’s superstar guards Hannah Hidalgo and Olivia Miles are finally playing a season together. The Irish are electrifying this season.

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USC

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Prayers for Juju. As her squad rallies during the tournament and supports her amidst a devastating injury, here’s a look back at her cover.

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MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

The stage is set. Here’s all things men’s college hoops.

UA

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Led by Caleb Love, Jaden Bradley, Trey Townsend, Motiejus Krivas, Carter Bryant and KJ Lewis, the ‘Cats are locked in.

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ISU

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The Cyclones have arrived and are on the radar thanks to Curtis Jones and Keshon Gilbert, the best backcourt in the country.

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AU

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The road to March has been running through The Plains all season. Auburn is ready to answer the call…

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SJU

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Rick Pitino and St. John’s talk getting the program back to prominence and creating a new culture in Queens.

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DUKE

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Throwback to when Cooper Flagg announced on our cover that he was headed to the Blue Devils. All season long, Coop has been living up the hype this year…

READ STORY

The post SURVIVE AND ADVANCE: Everything you need to know during the 2025 NCAA Tournament appeared first on SLAM.

The USC superstar tore her ACL against Mississippi State and will miss the remainder of the season, the team confirmed. The injury occurred in the first quarter of the Trojans’ NCAA tournament matchup to secure a spot to the Sweet 16.

Watkins, who was already playing through tweaks to both her left wrist and ankle from their win over UNC Greensboro, was driving to the basket in transition when her knee appeared to buckle. She immediately fell to the ground and held her right knee, grimacing in pain.

The crowd at the Galen Center went silent.

As her teammates powered through, winning 96-59 en-route to the Sweet 16, it was later revealed that Juju was wheeled out of the arena and rushed to a nearby medical facility to receive an MRI. USC has also confirmed that Watkins will undergo surgery. 

Since the devastating news became official, the entire basketball community has offered their support to one of the games’ brightest young stars. Watkins is a generational talent, SLAM cover star and an inspiration to young girls everywhere.

Wishing you a speedy recovery, No. 12. USC will play Kansas State on Saturday in the Sweet 16. 

The post ‘Sending Juju Love’: Juju Watkins Suffers Season Ending ACL Injury appeared first on SLAM.

No. 2 Duke vs. No. 10 Oregon

Starting at noon, No. 2 Duke beat No. 10 Oregon, 59-53 game to start off the second round. 

Oregon started strong taking the jump and opening the game with a three. The Ducks took control and never trailed, maintaining control throughout the first half. 

Deja Kelly led the Ducks with nine of her 20 coming in the first half to help hold the Ducks’ offense steady. 

Defense was big for the Ducks, holding the Blue Devils to 1-6 shooting and forcing three turnovers in the first half. 

Not to mention Ashlon Jackson was scoreless in the first half, and the Blue Devils were without their leading scorer Toby Fournier who was out with an illness. 

Going into the half the Ducks were up five, the score being 28-23 but Duke came out swinging, led by Jackson who scored all 20 of her points in the second half. Jackson posted 11 straight out of the half to give the Blue Devils their first lead of the game, which they never lost. 

The Ducks were held to 12 points in comparison to Duke’s 22 in the third quarter, having gone zero for four coming out of the half.

Closing the fourth quarter Jackson, Reigan Richardson and Delaney Thomas finished in double digits with 20, 13 and 12 points respectively. 

The Blue Devils continue dancing after their win and were the first team to solidify a Sweet 16 spot on the women’s side. They will play rivals North Carolina on the 28th on ESPN.

No. 3 Notre Dame vs. No. 6 Michigan

Just an hour later, Notre Dame dominated Michigan to make their fourth-straight Sweet 16 appearance to a sold out Purcell Pavilion.

The No. 3 Irish built a 20-point lead in the first quarter, outscoring the Wolverines 32-12 and maintained control for the rest of the game. 

Three players chipped in eight points in the first quarter, being Hannah Hidalgo, Liatu King and Sonia Citron to create the separation that Michigan couldn’t come back from. 

The offense of the Irish was too much for Michigan to handle, with the three players named above finishing in double digits. SLAM cover star Hidalgo put up her second 20 point game in the tournament, notching 21 points with three assists while teammate Liatu King had a historic game. King finished with 18 points and 15 rebounds being just the sixth Notre Dame player to have 15 or more boards in an NCAA Tournament game. 

Perfect from the floor, she also became the second player in program history to go 7-7 or better while dancing. 

Michigan’s Olivia Olson had herself a game as well, putting up 20 points on the other side of the ball but was not enough to keep it within striking distance. 

Notre Dame will play TCU, who they lost to during the regular season on March 29th. Get the popcorn ready because this will be a rematch for the ages. 

No. 4 Kentucky vs. No. 5 Kansas State

Kansas State survived by the (no exaggeration) skin on their teeth in arguably the most entertaining game on the women’s side of things so far. K-State held off Kentucky in an overtime win by just one point to advance to the Sweet 16. 

The four-five game had everyone watching on their toes, with the game being a back and forth battle from start to finish. 

There were 21 lead changes over the course of the game with seven in the fourth quarter and four in overtime. Neither team was able to pull away with a margin bigger than the opening seven points that Kentucky had before K-State got on the board. 

Kentucky outscored K-State 20-15 in the first, with K-State’s Serena Sundell scoring 11 of the 15, anchoring the offense. 

Both teams traded buckets back and forth throughout the third and fourth quarters, scoring 26 a piece in the second half, tied at 69 forcing an overtime. 

In OT, Kentucky found themselves up three at 77-74  with under two minutes to play. 

K- State’s Temira Poindexter, who started off cold, sank the first of her two overtime triples, her seventh in the game overall to tie the game at 77’s with just 1:30 to go. 

KU’s Georgia Amoore, who had played lights out, hit a jumper just after to put them back on top by two at 79-77. 

K-State brought the ball down and was shocked to see Poindexter open in the corner for, you guessed it, another three. Her eighth and final triple put the Wildcats up one at 80-79. 

In the final minute K-State had one opportunity to score, to which Kentucky’s Clara Strack had her first and only block of the night, securing the ball with about 25 seconds left, giving KU an opportunity to score.   

KU had three second chance opportunities after securing three offensive rebounds on two misses from Amoore who finished with 18 points. 

After securing a jump ball with just four seconds left, KU had a sideline out of bounds play which set up Amoore for a point blank layup, which she missed. 

K-State’s defense held KU to zero for four in the last minute of the game, leading to the four seed upset. 

For the first time since 2002, Kansas State University will advance to the Sweet 16. 

No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 9 Indiana

Indiana gave No. 1 South Carolina a run for their money in their rematch of last year’s Sweet 16. South Carolina ended up winning 64-53 but didn’t start to run away until the second half. 

Indiana was executing well on both the offensive and defensive ends, with good ball movement, key players knocking down shots and forcing 12 South Carolina turnovers by the end of the game. 

The first half for the Gamecocks was rough to say the least after going 10-29 from the floor. In the first quarter, they were held to just nine points and were down by as many as eight after a 14-2 Hoosier run in the second before their offense picked up a bit, leaving them trailing by just one at the half. 

The Gamecocks came out in the third quarter looking more like themselves, with relentless defense that sparked their offensive run, outscoring Indiana 26-14 in the quarter. 

Senior Chloe Kitts arrived at the party after sitting early with foul trouble, posting a 10 point, 11 board double-double, all 10 coming in the second half. 

Sania Feagin and Bree Hall finished in double digits as well with 10 and 11 each while Te-Hina Paopao had a showing on both the offensive and defensive end, with nine points and four of the seven Gamecock blocks. 

Coach Dawn Staley emphasized the grit her team showed in the win. “It wasn’t pretty, at this time it doesn’t have to be. You just gotta score more points than the other team and work the kinks out as we advance into the tournament,” she said.

The Gamecocks will advance to their 11th straight Sweet 16 to face Maryland on March 28th. 

No. 5 Ole Miss defeated No. 4 Baylor

Another four vs five seed battle took place where No. 25 Ole Miss took on No. 14 Baylor in another gripping upset with the Rebels on top 69-63. Having lost to South Dakota in the first round in Waco, Texas just three years ago it was the second visit for the Rebels that led them to securing a Sweet 16 position in this year’s tournament. 

From the jump Ole Miss had the slightest edge on Baylor, having been in the lead for over 25 minutes of the game. But very rarely did we see any instances where it was more than a two or three possession game. 

There were only four lead changes all game but 12 ties showing how often the two were going bucket for bucket, especially late in the fourth. 

The pendulum of momentum was going from side to side all the way up to the last minute of the game where the Rebels finally started to pull away. 

Tied at 61’s with 1:04 left to play,  Madison Scott’s midrange silencer to give them a two point lead at 63-61 with 40 seconds left. 

Looking to come up with a steal, the Bears start to press but come up with fouls, sending KK Deans to the line for two, widening the margin from two, to four with the lead feeling somewhat solidified. 

With the pendulum slowly leaning in favor of the Rebels going up 65-61, Jada Walker took a fighting drive. Hoisting up two of her 15 points to cut the lead back to two at 65-63, with 20 seconds left on the clock, it’s a one possession game. 

The Bears stay up pressing, once again looking for a steal but begin to foul to stop the clock, sending Deans to the line three times, who sinks them all going six for six to close out the game. 

“It was fitting.. My final year after losing here in the first round.. I wanted to come and lead my team to victory, I wanted to come and it be a different story this time,” Scott said during the postgame press conference. 

The Rebels secured their second sweet 16 appearance in just three seasons under coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin. They’ll meet No. 1 UCLA on the 28th in Spokane.

The post Sweet 16 Tickets Punched in Jam-Packed Women’s Round of 32 appeared first on SLAM.

Here’s everything you need to know. 

Undefeated sitting at 23-0, UCLA is having its best season in the history of the 51-year-old program. Led by a dominant center Lauren Betts and guard Kiki Rice, the team has been rolling looking to add a 24th consecutive win to the record. Betts in her second year with the Bruins after transferring from Stanford and is having an outstanding season while averaging just under 20 ppg with 9.7 boards. At 6 ‘7, she is a force in the paint, too. Rice in the backcourt is averaging 12 and 3, but has a presence on the court you cannot miss. 

After taking their first loss to Notre Dame back in November and a more recent second to an unranked Iowa, the Trojans are looking to prevail, on their home floor. SLAM cover star Juju Watkins is having a sensational season, alongside forward Kiki Iriafen. Watkins in her second year as a Trojan, averaging just under 24 ppg and 6.7 rpg with senior Iriafen at 18 ppg and 8.4 boards all eyes are on them. 

Both duo’s above have been named to the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Women’s College Player of the Year Midseason Team. Watkins as well as Betts have also been named to the John R. Wooden Award Late Midseason Top 20 Watch List. 

Given the crosstown rivalry, numbers, and accolades listed above between those four names, this game will be one of the most entertaining watches this season yet, setting the stage for the remainder of the season and the rematch to come in a couple weeks. Tip off is 6pm pt. 

Who you got?

The post Everything You Need to Know Ahead of UCLA vs USC appeared first on SLAM.

You won’t want to miss this matchup. To get you ready for all the anticipation, shop our exclusive college collections featuring Iowa State, South Carolina merch and so much more.

Here’s what you need to know about both teams ahead of the game:

Record: 5-1 | Team’s vibe:

Iowa State is off to a strong start this season. Led by sophomore center Audi Crooks, who has had a major impact this season and is averaging 21.7 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, while forward Addy Brown contributes 16.2 points and 8.7 rebounds. In a close match-up, Iowa State defeated Drake University by just two points, with Crooks delivering a huge 33-point performance to secure the win. 

Head coach Bill Fennelly knows his team is up for a challenge. Expect the Cyclones to embrace this must-see matchup while proving what they can do against the reigning champs. As Coach Fennelly put it, “Anything you don’t do well is going to be exposed at a very high level, but if we can do it against them, we can do it against anyone.” 

Here’s a fun clip of just how well Fennelly know’s his squad:

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A post shared by Iowa State Women’s Basketball (@cyclonewbb)

Record: 5-1. | Team’s vibe:

Despite the fact that South Carolina is coming off of a tough loss against UCLA (which marks their first loss since 2023 and the end to their 43 game win streak), don’t sleep on the Gamecocks. They’re the reigning champs for a reason: with an electric roster and a visionary head coach, SC’s squad is led by fifth year senior Te-Hina Paopao, who has been stepping up in every aspect this season and is averaging 14.2 points and 3.3 assists per game. Adding to the dominating team, Chloe Kitts has been a rebounding machine for the team averaging a near double double of 9.2 rebounds per game with 11.6 points.

You can bet head coach Dawn Staley will be making strong adjustments to bounce back, stating, “We have to figure things out a little bit… this is what we usually do to other teams.” 

You already know the Gamecocks bring all the vibes on gameday:

@gamecockwbb Finally at Colonial Life Arena tonight!! #fyp #wbb #ncaawbb #secwbb #ncaawbball #southcarolinawbb #southcarolina #uofsc ♬ original sound – Gamecock Women’s Basketball

Photos via Getty Images.

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