UConn women roll to 44th win in row
Connecticut’s Stefanie Dolson
LINCOLN, Neb. >> Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis continued her splendid run through the NCAA tournament with 17 points, and Connecticut advanced to the women’s final four for the seventh straight year with a 69-54 victory against Texas A&M on Monday night.
The defending national champion Huskies (38-0) won their 44th straight game and will be going for their record ninth national championship in Nashville. Their semifinal opponent Sunday will be either Stanford or North Carolina.
“It’s not easy to beat anybody at this time of the year because everybody is playing their best basketball,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “We beat a pretty good team today, and I’m proud of my team. I thought we were really, really good when we needed to be really, really good.”
Stefanie Dolson, who made her 150th career start to tie the NCAA record, had 14 points and 10 rebounds and blocked a career-high eight shots.
“It feels amazing and is really unexplainable,” Dolson said. “A lot of people around the nation can’t say they’ve made it once to the final four or having the opportunity to play for a national championship. For me to have the opportunity to play for a national championship. For me to have the opportunity four times, and this being my senior year, I’m very excited.”
Bria Hartley had 14 points, Breanna Stewart added 13 and Moriah Jefferson 11 for UConn.
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Courtney Walker led Texas A&M (27-9) with 14 points. Courtney Williams had 13 and Jordan Jones 12.
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REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS MONDAY at Lincoln, Neb. UConn 69, Texas A&M 54 at Notre Dame, Ind. Notre Dame 88, Baylor 69 Tuesday at Stanford, Calif. Stanford (32-3) vs. North Carolina (27-9), 4 p.m. at Louisville, Ky. Maryland (27-6) vs. Louisville (33-4), 2 p.m. WOMEN’S FINAL FOUR at Nashville, Tenn. National Semifinals Sunday, April 6 UConn (38-0) vs. Stanford/North Carolina winner, 12:30 or 2:30 p.m. Notre Dame (36-0) vs. Maryland/Louisville, 12:30 or 2:30 p.m. National Championship Tuesday, April 8 Semifinal winners, 2:30 p.m. |
After the Aggies got within three points early in the second half, UConn outscored the Aggies 27-12 to build its lead to 18 points.
NOTRE DAME 88, BAYLOR 69
SOUTH BEND, Ind. >> Jewell Loyd scored 30 points and unbeaten Notre Dame advanced to the final four for a fourth straight season.
Natalie Achonwa added 19 points and 15 rebounds for the top-seeded Irish
(36-0), who will face either Louisville or Maryland in the national semifinals on Sunday night in Nashville.
Notre Dame became the sixth school to reach the final four in four straight seasons, joining UConn, LSU, Stanford, Louisiana Tech and Tennessee.
The loss ended the brilliant career of Baylor guard Odyssey Sims, who finished this season with 1,054 points — eight short of Jackie Stiles’ NCAA record for a single season. Sims scored 33 points for Baylor (32-5), but had little help on offense.
“I had a great run. My four years, I’ve enjoyed it,” Sims said. “Not one moment have I been unhappy at Baylor. I got to play with a lot of great players. This season is probably my most enjoyable. I like the team I’ve been around.”
