2023 NCAA Women's Tournament Sweet 16 scores: UConn out of Elite Eight; South Carolina, Virginia Tech advance

Ohio State upset UConn, 73-61, to hold the Huskies out of the Elite Eight for the first time since 2005

The 2023 NCAA Women's Tournament has been defined by unpredictable results, and that theme continued Saturday as No. 2 seed UConn fell to No. 3 seed Ohio State in the Sweet 16. UConn, a team that's made every Final Four since 2008, will miss the Elite Eight for the first time since 2005.

Ohio State won the game comfortably, 73-61, by capitalizing on a sloppy offensive effort from UConn: The Huskies turned the ball over 25 times with Nika Muhl registering a team-high seven giveaways. Cotie McMahon got it done on the other end for the Buckeyes, leading her team with 23 points and two 3-pointers. The shocking result will send Ohio State to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1993 and fourth time ever.

In the first game of the day, No. 2 seed Maryland and No. 3 seed Notre Dame went back and forth for the better part of three quarters, but the Terrapins wound up pulling away late. Maryland was able to wear down a shorthanded Notre Dame squad for a 76-59 win, and the Terps are headed to the Elite Eight.

No. 1 seed South Carolina became the second team to punch its Elite Eight ticket on Saturday. The Gamecocks methodically suffocated No. 4 seed UCLA in what wound up being a decisive 59-43 win, their 41st in a row. South Carolina's defense put on a clinic against the Bruins, holding them to just 29.4% from the field. Aliyah Boston was a force to be reckoned with on the boards as she grabbed 14 rebounds, and her team will keep dancing.

The day ended with a rematch between two loaded teams with No. 4 seed Tennessee clashing with No. 1 seed Virginia Tech. Back on Dec. 4, the Hokies took down the Lady Vols, 59-56, in the Jimmy V Women's Classic. Virginia Tech came out on top once again on Saturday, beating the Lady Vols 73-64 behind an excellent performance from Georgia Amoore. Amoore, who's scored 20 or more points in five straight games, tallied a game-high 29 points against the Lady Vols. Scoring wasn't the only way Amoore contributed, though, as she added six rebounds, five assists and two steals. Virginia Tech is now off to the Elite Eight for the first time in program history. 

2023 Women's NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 scores

(2) Maryland 76, (3) Notre Dame 59 Greenville 1	(1) South Carolina 59, (4) UCLA 43 Greenville 1
(3) Ohio State 73, (2) UConn 61 Seattle 3	(1) Virginia Tech 73, (4) Tennessee 64 Seattle 3

[Mar 25, 2023 at 8:50 pm ET · Wajih AlBaroudi]

Final: No. 1 Virginia Tech 73, No. 4 Tennessee 64

Virginia Tech is off to the Elite Eight after staving off a strong second-half comeback effort from Tennessee, which outscored the Hokies 42-38 over the final 20 minutes. Georgia Amoore lit the Lady Vols' defense up all night, scoring a game-high 29 points while adding six rebounds, five assists and two steals. Jordan Horston was one of the reasons Tennessee got back into the game in the second half, and she finished with a well-rounded line of 17 points, four rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block. 

[Mar 25, 2023 at 8:10 pm ET · Wajih AlBaroudi]

End of 3Q: No. 1 Virginia Tech 49, No. 4 Tennessee 40

The Hokies were outscored 18-14 in the quarter, but their defense has been dominant other than that blip. The Lady Vols are shooting a mere 32% from the field and 14% from 3-point land, plus not a single scorer is in double figures. Virginia Tech's Elizabeth Kitley is having a relatively quiet day offensively (10 points on 5 of 10 shooting), but she's been active on the boards with seven rebounds, including four on the offensive end. 

[Mar 25, 2023 at 7:28 pm ET · Wajih AlBaroudi]

Halftime: No. 1 Virginia Tech 35, No. 4 Tennessee 22

Virginia Tech has extended its lead to double digits thanks to the continued excellence of Georgia Amoore. Through 20 minutes, Amoore has 15 points on 6 of 14 shooting, and she's already knocked down three 3-pointers. The Hokies closed the second quarter on a 8-0 run, so halftime came at quite an opportune time for the Lady Vols. Rickea Jackson leads Tennessee with seven points and three rebounds. 

[Mar 25, 2023 at 7:06 pm ET · Austin Nivison]

End of 1Q: No. 1 Virginia Tech 18, No. 4 Tennessee 13

Virginia Tech has taken advantage of a slow offensive start for Tennessee. The Hokies scored the first nine points of the game before the Lady Vols were able to get on the board. Elizabeth Kitley is off to a good start for Virginia Tech with six points in the opening quarter. The Lady Vols missed their first six three-point attempts before Rickea Jackson buried one to give her team a boost.

[Mar 25, 2023 at 6:51 pm ET · Austin Nivison]

No. 1 Virginia Tech and No. 4 Tennessee are underway from Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. The Lady Vols are looking to reach the Elite Eight for the first time under head coach Kellie Harper. The Hokies, on the other hand, are trying to reach the Elite Eight for the first time in program history.

[Mar 25, 2023 at 6:16 pm ET · Austin Nivison]

Final: No. 3 Ohio State 73, No. 2 UConn 61

For the first time since 2005, the UConn Huskies will not be in the Elite Eight. The Buckeyes turned in an incredible performance, especially on defense, where they forced UConn to turn the ball over 25 times. Ohio State capitalized on those mistakes and wound up winning this game comfortably. Cote McMahon was the star of this impressive upset for Ohio State. She scored 23 points with five rebounds, two steals, and two assists. The Huskies actually shot the ball more efficiently than the Buckeyes, but that didn't matter because of numerous mistakes resulting in turnovers.

[Mar 25, 2023 at 5:51 pm ET · Isabel Gonzalez]

End of Q3: No. 3 Ohio State 54, No. 2 UConn 44

The Huskies managed to erase their double-digit deficit in the third period, but that success was brief. They are outshooting their opponents 50%-40% from the field, but they haven't been taking care of the ball and have 24 turnovers so far. Ohio State has capitalized on those mistakes. The Buckeyes, holding a 45-36 shot attempt advantage, are led by Cotie McMahon's 18 points. 

[Mar 25, 2023 at 5:07 pm ET · Isabel Gonzalez]

Halftime: No. 3 Ohio State 36, No. 2 UConn 26

This is only the sixth time in NCAA Tournament history that UConn — a team that has not missed the Final Four in the last 14 years — trails by double digits at halftime. 

UConn took almost five minutes to score its first field goal in the second quarter. Meanwhile, the Buckeyes went on a 17-0 run to take control of the game. Turnovers have been a huge issue for the Huskies as they've seen 18 of them already. The Buckeyes have been capitalizing on those and also dominating in the paint. Ohio State freshman forward Cotie McMahon is leading all scorers with 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the field.

[Mar 25, 2023 at 4:49 pm ET · Isabel Gonzalez]

Turnovers will be key

The Buckeyes are 18-0 this season when their opponents register 20+ turnovers. UConn has 15 turnovers already. Ohio State is in the middle of a 14-0 run and has found a 23-17 lead with seven minutes remaining in the second quarter. 

[Mar 25, 2023 at 4:39 pm ET · Isabel Gonzalez]

End of Q1: No. 2 UConn 17, No. 3 Ohio State 15

Even though the Buckeyes have kept it close, the Huskies found the lead and have not given it up. They are holding Ohio State to 37.5% shooting from the field, while they shoot 43.8%. Lou Lopez Senechal is leading the UConn offense with eight points on 3-of-4 shooting, including two of the three 3-pointers for her team so far. However, the Huskies game has not been perfect, as they struggled to take care of the ball with eight turnovers in the first 10 minutes. 

[Mar 25, 2023 at 4:24 pm ET · Isabel Gonzalez]

The Ohio State Buckeyes are also a deep offensive team, with Taylor Mikesell's 17.2 points leading the group. This is another team that, just like UConn, struggled with key players getting injured. Jacy Sheldon missed most of the season with a leg injury, but she's averaged 12.4 points per game and showed how valuable she can be in the NCAA Tournament as she hit the game-winning basket with 1.8 seconds left against North Carolina.

The Buckeyes are chasing their first Elite Eight appearance since 1993.

[Mar 25, 2023 at 4:15 pm ET · Isabel Gonzalez]

The No. 2 seed UConn Huskies are playing in their 29th consecutive Sweet 16, while chasing their 15th straight Final Four. To keep their streak going they'll have to get through a strong No. 3 seed Ohio State team.

The Huskies have struggled with injuries this season, but the setbacks have shown how deep and resilient Geno Auriemma's group can be. Azzi Fudd, their leading scorer early in the season, has only played in 13 games because of a knee injury. However, having her in the tournament is a huge boost to an already solid team. She shook off the rust and registered 22 points against Baylor in the second round. Five Huskies average double figures, led by Aaliyah Edwards' 17 points and nine rebounds per game. 

[Mar 25, 2023 at 4:09 pm ET · Austin Nivison]

Final: No. 1 South Carolina 59, No. 4 UCLA 43

Just another methodical and comfortable win for South Carolina in its pursuit of back-to-back national championships. The Gamecocks' defense was elite today, and it gave them a chance to pull away from the Bruins in the second half. UCLA's offense couldn't get anything going, and the team shot a miserable 29.4% from the field. On the offensive end, South Carolina got help from everyone and three different players hit double figures. South Carolina has now won a remarkable 41 consecutive games. 

[Mar 25, 2023 at 3:45 pm ET · Austin Nivison]

End of 3Q: No. 1 South Carolina 50, No. 4 UCLA 30

The Bruins cut the Gamecock's lead to 13 points at one point in the third quarter, but South Carolina closed with a flurry and will take a 20-point lead into the fourth quarter. Kamilla Cardoso has been dominant in the paint for the Gamecocks, and she is up to 10 points with one quarter left to go. South Carolina looks like it will cruise to year another Elite Eight appearance under Dawn Staley.

[Mar 25, 2023 at 3:27 pm ET · Austin Nivison]

South Carolina extends its lead over UCLA

The Gamecocks have pushed their lead to 15 points coming out of halftime. Aliyah Boston, who has 12 rebounds and eight points, is just two points away from a double-double, and there are 15 minutes left. The Bruins are still having trouble getting to the rim against a bigger Gamecocks team, and they don't have much time left to get their offense in gear.

[Mar 25, 2023 at 2:59 pm ET · Austin Nivison]

Halftime: No. 1 South Carolina 25, No. 4 UCLA 15

UCLA has made life difficult for South Carolina's offense, but it hasn't mattered much because the Bruins have struggled mightily to generate any offense of their own. UCLA is shooting 27.3% from the field, and it has made just one of its eight three-point attempts. The Gamecocks have also been dominant on the boards, out-rebounding the Bruins 24-14 so far. Brea Beal is carrying South Carolina's offense today with 10 points already.

[Mar 25, 2023 at 2:33 pm ET · Austin Nivison]

End of 1Q: No. 1 South Carolina 14, No. 4 UCLA 8

South Carolina's offense is off to a slow start in this game, but its defense picked up the slack. The Gamecocks shot just 31.6% in the first quarter, but they still have a six-point lead because they made life miserable for the Bruins. UCLA hit just three of its 11 shots from the field. If South Carolina can get its offense going, this score could get lopsided before halftime.

[Mar 25, 2023 at 2:17 pm ET · Austin Nivison]

The ball is in the air for the matchup between South Carolina and UCLA. Can the Bruins knock off the national title favorite, or will the Gamecocks keep the dream of an undefeated season alive?

[Mar 25, 2023 at 1:50 pm ET · Austin Nivison]

Next up, we have No. 1 seed South Carolina taking on No. 4 UCLA, and it should be a fascinating matchup. Back in November, the Bruins went to Columbia and gave the Gamecocks a tough fight in a 73-64 loss. UCLA was able to hang with South Carolina that night. Can it repeat that performance and make a few more plays today?

[Mar 25, 2023 at 1:41 pm ET · Austin Nivison]

Final: No. 2 Maryland 76, No. 3 Notre Dame 59

About halfway through the third quarter, Maryland stole all the momentum in this game and held onto it the rest of the way. Diamond Miller and Shyanne Sellers completely took over for the Terrapins, and they finished with a combined 36 points. Now, Maryland advances to its first Elite Eight since reaching the Final Four in 2015.

It was a frustrating end to the season for the Fighting Irish, who had to play without freshman star Olivia Miles and senior Dara Mabrey. As the game progressed, Maryland was able to wear down Notre Dame, and it showed on the scoreboard.

[Mar 25, 2023 at 1:14 pm ET · Austin Nivison]

End of 3Q: No. 2 Maryland 57, No. 3 Notre Dame 45

It looked like these two teams would be neck and neck all the way down to the final seconds, but Maryland suddenly took over this game. The Terrapins closed the third quarter on a 13-1 run, and they are now in full control with just one quarter left to play. Diamond Miller has played a huge roll in the Terps' surge, and she now has 12 points and five rebounds on the day. Notre Dame has to find some semblance of rhythm on offense to claw its way back into this one.

[Mar 25, 2023 at 12:57 pm ET · Austin Nivison]

Thriller in the making between Notre Dame, Maryland

Midway through the third quarter, there hasn't been much separation between Notre Dame and Maryland. The Fighting Irish and Terrapins continue to exchange buckets, and Maryland has a very slim lead late in the third quarter. Based on the way this game has gone, there will be countless lead changes between now and the final buzzer.

[Mar 25, 2023 at 12:29 pm ET · Austin Nivison]

Halftime: No. 3 Notre Dame 32, No. 2 Maryland 31

After Maryland controlled much of the first quarter, Notre Dame was able to turn the tables in the second quarter. The Fighting Irish took much better care of the basketball, and the Terrapins turned it over five times. Despite that poor second quarter, Maryland was able to close the half on a 12-5 run to keep it close. This has been a back-and-forth game up to this point, and the second half should be a barn burner.

[Mar 25, 2023 at 12:14 pm ET · Austin Nivison]

Notre Dame hitting its stride against Maryland

The Irish got off to a slow start in this game, mainly due to some ill-advised plays, but they are back on track now. Notre Dame is currently on an 11-0 run, and it has opened up a six-point lead. Maddy Westbeld has started to heat up, and that has provided a spark for the Irish.

[Mar 25, 2023 at 12:00 pm ET · Austin Nivison]

End of 1Q: No. 2 Maryland 16, Notre Dame 14

Maryland's aggressive defense has already forced eight turnovers, and that has been the difference in this game. The Terrapins have gotten some easy buckets after mistakes by the Fighting Irish, and it's something Notre Dame has to clean up if it wants to advance to the Elite Eight. Thus far, Abby Meyers is leading the way for Maryland with six points and a steal.

[Mar 25, 2023 at 11:43 am ET · Austin Nivison]

We are underway from Greenville Regional 1 at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Maryland has scored the first five points of the game, and whar should be an eventful day is off and running.

[Mar 25, 2023 at 11:28 am ET · Austin Nivison]

After the Fighting Irish and Terrapins conclude their matchup, the No. 1 seed South Carolina will try to continue their undefeated season against No. 4 seed UCLA. The Gamecocks showed why they were the No. 1 overall seed with two decisive wins so far. Aliyah Boston has been excellent, but Zia Cooke has also shined with 32 points and seven rebounds through two games.

UCLA is coming off a hard-earned win over Oklahoma in the second round, and Charisma Osborne was nothing short of spectacular in that game. She scored 36 points while adding eight rebounds and four assists. She will need another game like that to knock off the defending champions today.

[Mar 25, 2023 at 11:18 am ET · Austin Nivison]

The first game of the day is coming up in less than 20 minutes, and it will feature No. 3 seed Notre Dame taking on No. 2 seed Maryland. Fighting Irish head coach Niele Ivey is in her third season on the job, and she is trying to build upon the program's Sweet 16 appearance last year. On the other side of things, Brenda Frese and the Terrapins are trying to get over the Sweet 16 hump. Maryland has reached the Sweet 16 in each of the two previous seasons, but the team hasn't been able to take the next step and get to the Elite Eight.