All articles tagged with #womens basketball
Brittney Griner signs a seven-figure contract with the Connecticut Sun, signaling a major payroll move as the WNBA’s new collective bargaining agreement raises salaries; the 6-foot-9, nine-time All-Star is in her 13th season after last year with the Atlanta Dream.
ESPN reporter Holly Rowe elaborated on her critique of Tennessee’s athletic department, arguing that the Lady Vols’ legacy under Pat Summitt has been diminished. She deleted a post that sparked NIL-debate backlash but stood by her points, saying she’d rather address the issues directly with the AD. Rowe also notes the program’s struggles, including a depleted roster (zero players after a 16-14 season) and a transfer-portal exodus, while highlighting Summitt’s historic endowments as a benchmark for what the program once valued.
Eight Tennessee women’s basketball players with remaining eligibility entered the transfer portal after a first-round NCAA tournament exit, with top recruit Oliviyah Edwards decommitting and only Gabby Minus remaining as the team begins a difficult rebuild under coach Kim Caldwell.
South Carolina dominated TCU 78-52 in the Elite Eight to reach a sixth consecutive Final Four. Joyce Edwards led with 24 points and 12 rebounds, while freshman Agot Makeer came off the bench for 18 points in 31 minutes, as the Gamecocks leveraged single coverage and strong defense to seal the win and set up a repeat Final Four field.
South Carolina defeated TCU 78-52 to reach a sixth straight Final Four, led by Joyce Edwards with 24 points, and will face UConn in Phoenix after last season’s title-game rematch. In the other Elite Eight, Texas routed Michigan 77-41 to reach back-to-back Final Fours, with Madison Booker scoring 19 and Rori Harmon dishing 13 assists as they prepare to meet UCLA in Phoenix.
South Carolina rolled past TCU 78-52 to reach their sixth straight Final Four, earning a Friday rematch with top seed UConn in Phoenix. Texas crushed Michigan 77-41 to advance to back-to-back Final Fours and will face UCLA. Joyce Edwards led SC with 24 points and 12 rebounds, while Madison Booker paced Texas with 19 points and Rori Harmon flirted with a triple-double with 13 assists.
The piece argues that Michigan, a young but improving squad with a strong inside-out game and legitimate three-point shooting, could upset Texas and earn a Final Four berth, despite Texas’ size, depth, and status as the favorite.
Lauren Betts posted 23 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks to lift UCLA past Duke 70-58, overcoming a halftime deficit to reach the NCAA women's Final Four for the second straight year; the Bruins will face Texas or Michigan in Phoenix, with UConn on the other side of the bracket.
Freshman Blanca Quinonez scored 20 to power top-seeded UConn past Notre Dame 70-62 and clinch the Huskies’ 25th Final Four, with Sarah Strong netting 21 and Azzi Fudd 13 as UConn overcome slow starts. Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo led all scorers with 22 and 11 rebounds but got little help elsewhere, while UConn’s depth and defense—including Kayleigh Heckel’s minutes—carried the win. UConn advances to Phoenix to face the South Carolina–TCU winner in the Final Four.
UCLA used a defensive lockdown to pull away from Minnesota 80-56 in the Sweet 16, advancing to the Elite Eight behind 21 points from Kiki Rice and a double-double from Angela Dugalic (13p, 10r) along with Lauren Betts’ 16 points and five blocks, setting up a showdown with Duke.
South Carolina meets Oklahoma in Sacramento with a trip to the Elite Eight on the line. SC will be without Chloe Kitts and Adhel Tac, while Oklahoma is healthy. The Gamecocks shot 37% in their last game and struggled with discipline and early foul trouble, while the Sooners rely on a fast-paced attack led by Raegan Beers inside and a sharp perimeter group. SC must pressure the arc, keep Beers from easy post touches, and balance defense and transition to advance, with Beers vs. Okot as the key matchup and Chavez, Verhulst and Williams providing support for Oklahoma.
No. 1 UCLA pulled away in the second half to defeat Minnesota 80-56 in the NCAA women's Sweet 16, ending the Gophers’ season at 24-9. UCLA outscored Minnesota 46-27 after halftime, led by Kiki Rice with 21 points and Lauren Betts with 16 points and five blocks, while Minnesota struggled to attack the Bruins’ size and received limited bench production. Minnesota also heads into offseason with Amaya Battle and Sophie Hart set to graduate, though key returners such as Mara Braun, Grace Grocholski and Tori McKinney remain.
Freshman Lauren Hurst plans to enter the transfer portal after one season with the Tennessee Lady Vols, with the portal opening April 6. She appeared in 24 games (one start), averaging 2.3 points and shooting 41% from three (12-of-29). A Cleveland, Tennessee native, Hurst was part of a highly-touted five-player, No. 2-ranked prep class that included Jaida Civil, Mia and Mya Pauldo, and Deniya Prawl; her brother Grant plays for Tennessee’s men’s program. The Lady Vols closed the season on an eight-game skid and were eliminated by NC State in the NCAA Tournament first round, as coach Kim Caldwell acknowledged roster and system-related struggles.
As the NCAA women’s tournament advances to the Sweet 16, the piece re-ranks the remaining teams with UConn and South Carolina as dominant favorites, while surprise runs from Notre Dame and Virginia add drama. It previews each surviving team—UConn, UCLA, Texas, LSU, Michigan, Vanderbilt, Duke, Oklahoma, Louisville, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Minnesota, Kentucky, and Virginia—highlighting key players and matchups that could reshape the title race.
ESPN’s exclusive coverage of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament continues into the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight with on-site studio teams in Fort Worth and Sacramento, new commentator lineups, and games airing across ABC/ESPN and streaming on the ESPN App; the release also highlights the documentary Breaking Glass: The Pat Summitt Story and provides the updated schedule for the remaining rounds.