March Madness: Ohio State overwhelms UConn, snaps Huskies' 14-season Final Four streak
Ohio State overwhelmed No. 2 seed UConn on Saturday, riding relentless ball pressure to a 73-61 NCAA women's tournament win in the Sweet 16.
The loss marks the the first time UConn failed to reach the Elite Eight since 2005 and snaps a 14-season Final Four streak. No. 3 seed Ohio State secured the program's first Elite Eight berth since 1993.
UConn got off to a strong start and took a 10-2 lead midway through the first quarter. But Ohio State's full-court press soon dictated control of the game. The Buckeyes closed the first quarter with a 6-0 run to cut the deficit to 17-15. Then disaster struck for UConn in the second.
Ohio State maintained ball pressure while scoring the first 11 points of the second quarter to extend its run to 17-0 en route to a 26-17 lead. UConn struggled to find passing lanes from the backcourt, and its ballhandlers were constantly under attack.
All-Big East forward Aaliyah Edwards picked up her third foul with 5:46 left in the quarter and finished the half on the bench. All-Big East guard Lou Lopez Sénéchal tweaked her knee and left the game. She didn't return before halftime, but alleviated concern of a serious injury as she rode an exercise bike on the sideline.
The Buckeyes took advantage of the momentum with a 21-9 second-quarter edge to go into halftime with a 36-26 lead. Ohio State forced 18 first-half turnovers and converted them into 19 points. By game's end, Ohio State forced 25 turnovers. Every UConn player turned the ball over multiple times. Geno Auriemma's Huskies had no answer for the Ohio State press.
Meanwhile, Big Ten Freshman of the Year Cotie McMahon paced the Buckeyes offense with 18 first-half points. She finished with 23 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals.
Lopez Sénéchal and Edwards returned to the lineup to start the third quarter. Lopez Sénéchal scored the first bucket of the half. But Edwards didn't last long. She picked up her fourth foul on offense while posting up near the basket with 7:07 remaining in the third. She returned to the bench at the next game stoppage. She finished the game with four points and seven rebounds in just 17 minutes of play.
UConn challenged Ohio State's lead, which it cut to 44-39 with 3:38 remaining in the third. But the Buckeyes responded and extended their lead back to 10 points with a 54-44 edge heading into the fourth quarter.
Taylor Mikesell kept on the gas with an Ohio State 3-pointer to open the game's final stanza, and the Buckeyes would extend their lead to 64-46. The Huskies hit back with a 9-0 run midway through the quarter. Lopez Sénéchal led the charge, and finished a game-high 25 points. But it was too little too late. UConn never got back within nine points.
The loss ends a disappointing season for UConn that was plagued by injuries. The 2021 National Player of the Year, Paige Bueckers, watched in street clothes from the sideline with a torn ACL that's sidelined her all season. For Ohio State, the win keeps alive a run for the program's first Final Four since 1993.
