The Guru Report: Elite Eight Field Completed With UConn and Tennessee Eliminated

 By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

 The new women’s basketball royalty that is overall top-seed South Carolina, the No. 1 ranked team through its unbeaten season, sailed into the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight Saturday afternoon while the long traditional royalty that’s ruled for decades are nowhere to be found.

 

Stanford, the champions during the Covid 2020-21 season and has been in the top 10 and mostly in the top five since November, was the first to go before the Sweet 16 weekend even arrived, taken down at home in round two by Ole Miss.

 

On Saturday, the two mainstays of Tennessee, seeded fourth; and Connecticut, seeded second; were taken down in the same Seattle 3 regional semifinal round; the Huskies’ 14-straight trips to the Final Four cut down by the press of third-seed Ohio State in a 73-61 defeat.

 

Next up at Climate Pledge Arena, top-seeded Virginia Tech, the Atlantic Coast Conference champions ranked fourth in the final Associated Press poll, built a big lead on the Lady Vols in the second half, had it reduced to a point, and then regrouped for a 73-64 victory and a first-ever trip to the Elite Eight for the winning Hokies (30-4).

 

Georgia Amoore had a career-high 29 points for Virginia Tech, whose 18-point lead in the second half was shredded to a mere point by the Lady Vols (25-12) with 6 minutes, 10 seconds left in regulation before Kenny Brooks’ group applied the brakes to the Tennessee rally.

 

That enabled the Hokies to have stayed ahead wire-to-wire for their second victory over Kellie Harper’s squad the entire way.

 

Kayana Traylor scored 14 for the winner while multi-award winner Elizabeth Kitley scored 12, including her 2,000^th career point, which occurred in the third quarter to become the fifth player in program history to achieve the mark.

 

Tennessee’s Jordan Horston scored 17, while Rickea Jackson, a non-participant in the earlier meeting between the two Power Five schools, scored 15, and Jordan Walker scored 12.

 

Three ACC teams are in the Elite Eight, Miami holding off Villanova in the Greenville Regional 2 semifinal on Friday, while Louisville also on Friday ended Ole Miss’ Cinderella run 72-62 in the Seattle 4 Regional.

 

Virginia Tech is on a 14-game win streak, one short of the 15 straight wins that began to open the season after Brooks moved down the interstate to guide the Hokies after a long run at nearby James Madison University in Harrisonburg.

 

Two program records were set with Virginia Tech’s 30^th win and seventh win this season over an AP Top 25 team.

 

“For us to go out and win and beat a storied program like Tennessee for the second time this year, it just validates who we are and what we’ve been able to do this year,” Brooks said.

 

“These kids are resilient, and I love their character because they don’t need things to motivate them, but they also are very knowledgeable about things,” he continued.

 

“I think they all saw that article on ESPN, is this the next chapter of Tennessee and UConn,” referring that wins for each would have the two historical powers facing each other Monday night instead of his team and Ohio State, the winner moving to the Final Four next weekend in Dallas.

 

“They didn’t have to say a whole lot, but it just really motivated them, and they understand that they belong as well. It got a little dicey, but we did a tremendous job.”

 

Of Tennessee’s 12 losses, 11 were against ones with AP rankings, the sole win upsetting LSU with a big comeback in the Southeastern Conference tournament, and the Vols beat Colorado before the Buffs earned rankings.

 

“Obviously, this is not the outcome we were hoping for,” Tennessee coach Kellie Harper said. “We’ve got a lot of hurt folks in our locker room right now. So, it’s a pretty tough one.

 

“Hats off to Virginia Tech. Obviously, they’re playing great right now. They did a great job sticking with their game plan. They got it inside. Obviously, Amoore was aggressive. And then their first half defense, I thought was really – and our offense was really the difference in the game.”

 

Noted Horston on the Hokies’ attack, “I feel like we were playing into how they wanted us to play. Took 12 threes before halftime and that’s not us. We weren’t as aggressive as we should have been.”

 

On the upsets and parity, Harper said, “I think the way the season has played out, it’s showing right now in the outcomes of these games.

 

“It has been a wild season in women’s basketball. I think you see so many teams that have the ability to win big games. At this point, it’s not about the seed, it’s about your matchup, and there are teams that just matchup well and we have seen that going down the stretch.”

 

Before the Tennessee game, Connecticut (31-6), off its roller coaster season, was out to duplicate it’s run of a year ago to the national title game, ultimately falling to South Carolina, which is now on a 41-game win streak.

 

But Ohio State (28-7), which was ranked 12th in the AP final poll, had other ideas.

 

“We have tremendous respect for Connecticut,” said Ohio State coach Kevin McGuff, who, when he was coaching Xavier in the Atlantic 10 as a national power in an Elite Eight game against Stanford, lost on two missed layups in the final half-minute.

 

“They have a really good team this year,” he said of the Huskies. “They just started getting healthy at the right time. So I think we beat one of the best teams in the country today.”

 

The Buckeyes are going to the Elite Eight for the first time since advancing past that round to the Final Four in 1993, losing to the Sheryl Swoopes-led Texas Tech squad in the championship contest.

 

Cotie McMahon had 23 points for Ohio State, of which 18 were collected in the first half. Jacy Sheldon scored 17 while Taylor Thierry scored 11.

 

It’s the first win ever over the Huskies, who the Buckeyes played for the first time in the postseason.

 

UConn had also been to 16 straight Elite Eight rounds besides the 14 straight Final Fours.

 

Ohio State’s defense forced UConn into eight turnovers in the first period, 10 in the second quarter, and six in the third.

 

Fairfield grad transfer scored 25 for the Huskies, Azzie Fudd had 14, while Dorka Juhasz, who transferred from Ohio State several seasons ago, had 13 points and 10 rebounds.

 

Nika Muhl committed seven of UConn’s 25 turnovers.

 

“It’s unfortunate we chose tonight to play the way we did, but I think Ohio State had so much to do with that,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “I thought Kevin’s team was really, really good and really well prepared.

 

“They knew exactly what they wanted to do and what to take away from us. We lost our balance and we lost our equilibrium a little bit and I don’t think we ever got it back.”

 

Added Juhasz, “Not even just the press, but I felt like they were tougher than us, they out-rebounded us, they got the loose balls. They were just tougher with the ball and that’s on us.”

 

Of the departed streak, Auriemma observed, “One of the problems with streaks – we had a 30-year don’t lose-two-games-in-a-row-broken this year. We lost at home a couple of times – or when, you would think, how could that happen.?

 

“But the problem with streaks is the longer they go, you’re closer to it ending than you are to the beginning of it. And it’s just a matter of time,” Auriemma explained.

 

“It’s not like when will it happen. It’s just a matter of time. I mean, it’s not if it’s going to happen. It’s just a matter of time when it’s going to happen. And it was going to happen sooner or later.”

 

Ohio State and Virginia Tech will play at 9 p.m. Monday night on ESPN.

 

Earlier Saturday in the Greenville Regional 1 semifinal, South Carolina kept rolling along, beating fourth-seeded and AP 14^th-ranked UCLA 59-43 to send the Bruins back West at 27-10.

 

Aliyah Boston, the reigning national player of the year, had eight points and 14 rebounds for the winning Gamecocks, while Brea Beal, reserves Kamilla Cardoso and Bree Hall each scored 10 points.

 

UCLA’s Charisma Osborne scored 14.

 

“Their defense was really impressive,” said UCLA coach Cori Close. “It was the lowest point total that anyone had held them to in a half in the first half, and we couldn’t even take advantage of that because we were struggling so much offensively. We couldn’t sort of see that and take advantage of that.

 

“But credit to them. They’re just so impressive from a defensive standpoint. Compliment to them and the way they played.”

 

The two teams met earlier in the season.

 

“I thought we did a good job of disrupting, and then I thought our fans did a great job just lifting us up even through our woes on the offensive side of the basketball,” South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said.

 

Greenville is less than two hours from the Gamecocks’ home campus city of Columbia.

 

On not falling victim to the upsets other number one seeds have done, but being aware as one, Staley said, “Obviously, we’re watching with just enjoying March Madness, and yeah, it does.

 

“It does make you a little bit nervous when you’re in the driver’s seat, so to speak, being the No. 1 seed, that teams are lurking.

 

“Does it force you to just tighten up a little bit more your game plan and making sure that you’re crossing every T and dotting every I? Yes, it does.

 

“But for me, I’m just going to rely on the habits that we formed all season long, and if we do that, I mean, we’ve won every game. I just hope that we’re able to play like we played for the 34, 35 games that we’ve played.

 

“That’s my prayer for our team to do that.”

 

Before South Carolina played, second-seeded and seventh-ranked Maryland got started in the front end of the doubleheader at Bon Secours Wellness Arena, which also hosted the Southeastern Conference women’s tournament, beating third-seeded and 10^th-ranked Notre Dame 76-59.

 

It’s the Terrapins’ first advance to the Elite Eight since 2015.

 

Diamond Miller and Shyanne Sellers each scored 18 points, combining for 17 in the penultimate third quarter for Maryland (28-6).

 

Lavender Briggs added 12 points, shooting 4-of-8 from the field, while Princeton transfer Abby Meyers scored 11 points.

 

Meyers and Sellers each had four of Maryland’s 15 steals from forcing the Irish (27-6), which tied with Villanova for 10^th in the AP final poll, into a season-high 25 turnovers.

 

In a game in South Bend, Ind., on Dec. 1 Maryland also prevailed narrowly 74-72.

 

Miller scored the game-winner in the first meeting of the year.

 

Sonia Citron scored 14 with seven rebounds for Notre Dame in the loss Saturday.

 

Maryland lost a bunch of transfers prior to the season but also gained some as replacements.

 

Asked what kept her in College Park, Miller responded, “Just understanding basketball is basketball,” she said. “And if I were to transfer, I would have played with a new group of girls, and if I stayed, would have played with a new group of girls.

 

“You know when you look at it like that, I was like, I’m just going to stay and trust the process. And I’m so happy I did because I don’t know what school I would have committed to, but would we be at the Elite Eight now? I don’t know, but here we are.”

 

Maryland will meet South Carolina Monday night at 7 p.m. on ESPN.

 

Looking Ahead: Final Four Ticket Punching Begins

 

Eight will become six and four will become two on Sunday night when ninth-seed Miami (22-12), which made its first Elite Eight by stopping Villanova’s rally, meets third-seeded and ninth-ranked LSU (31-2) at 7 p.m. on ESPN in the Bon Secours Wellness Arena for the Greenville 1 championship and first spot in this weekend’s Final Four in Dallas at the American Airlines Arena.

 

LSU edged second-seed and eighth-ranked Utah Friday to advance.

 

“I still want to go back to Villanova’s performance,” said Miami coach Katie Meier at Saturday’s preview press conference in Greenville, S.C. “What a gutsy comeback by them, what great coaching and they’re just an excellent team. That was a heck of a game with a lot of storylines to it.

 

“But moving forward, I feel like we have some familiarity, a little bit, with LSU, a little bit more than we would have had with Utah, just some of the players and stuff,” she continued.

 

“Excellent talent, incredible coaching, obviously, tons of passion, tons of grit.”

 

Meier recalled LSU’s Kim Mulkey

 

“I literally watched her in the Final Four in my house,” Meier said.

 

“I got a Louisiana Tech little jacket thing and wore it around because I thought she was really cool.”

 

Asked impressions of Miami, Mulkey said, “Athleticism, multiple defenses, a team that’s excited – I don’t like to use the word Cinderella because Katie has been there a long time and has had good teams.

 

“But when you beat the No. 1 team on their floor like they did in Indiana, that grabs your attention. Just got to prepare for a lot of things because of athleticism, quickness. They push the ball up the floor.”

 

Of her squad and the season LSU has had, Mulkey recalled, “Well, with nine new players your concern is can you piece it all together this quickly or through the course of this season.

 

“And I think you have veteran transfers who have been to Sweet 16s. You have high school kids that this is their first, and they are just like deer in the headlights excited. They want to please. They want to compete.”

 

Mulkey referred to Angel Reese being in foul trouble in the first half.

 

“I think you saw opportunity. LaDazhia Williams took advantage of that opportunity and here we are in an Elite Eight.

 

“A lot of coaches don’t want to coach strong personalities. They don’t want to do with things. I’ve been doing it long enough I’ve seen it all. If they love basketball and they’re a competitor, I can coach them.

 

“I think that teams that have solid defenses and are committed to what they do prevail.”

 

After the Miami-LSU game, No. 5 Louisville (26-11) will face No. 2 and third-ranked Iowa (29-6) at 9 on ESPN for a second entry to fill have half the Final Four field.

 

The game will reunite Louisville coach Jeff Walz and Iowa scoring sensation Caitlin Clark who was on his USA Basketball squad.

 

“There’s nothing undervalued about her game,” Walz said of who will be his key opposing player. “She’s fantastic. She passes the ball. And her teammates, she does a great job with her teammates. I think she has a complete game and everybody knows it.

 

“They’re s whole team and everybody does their job.”

 

And that’s the report.