UConn dispatches Notre Dame to reach women’s Final Four

FORT WORTH, Texas — Entering Sunday’s Elite Eight matchup, UConn Coach Geno Auriemma had led 24 earlier groups to the women’s Final Four. He’d had 4 different squads enter the ultimate weekend of the season because the undefeated, defending champion.

And but as his No. 1 Huskies grinded out a 70-52 victory towards No. 6 seed Notre Dame — prompting Auriemma to don a Huskies-branded cowboy hat and break right into a cowboy-inspired jig within the postgame celebration — the coach could not assist however really feel that this group stands out among the many relaxation.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever been prouder to take a team to the Final Four than this one,” Auriemma advised the group in Dickies Arena.

“Seeing him excited and kind of goofy is really good for us,” stated sophomore Sarah Strongwho scored a team-high 21 factors. “…He’s usually all serious or like anxious, grumpy. Just seeing him let loose and be his true self was really good.”

After a pair of hard-fought wins in Fort Worth — together with one Sunday towards a gritty Notre Dame group that stored the sport nearer than the ultimate rating indicated — the Huskies (38-0) will arrive in Phoenix because the reigning champs and winners of 54 straight.

Not that they will essentially present it.

“We don’t walk around with that attitude,” Auriemma stated. “Like Jamelle Elliott and Jen Rizzotti did back then, or Sue [Bird]D. [Diana Taurasi]and Asjha [Jones]Swin [Cash]and Tamika [Williams]. They walked around like, ‘What did you think? ‘We were going to lose?’ Maya [Moore]Tina [Charles]Renee [Montgomery]Stewie [Breanna Stewart]they walked around like, ‘Why are you surprised we’re undefeated?’

“This group, they do not have that sort of swagger, trash-talking sort of mentality. That’s why I believe, for me, I simply preserve my fingers crossed as a result of it is not the sort of group that I’ve had up to now that has gone this far undefeated. It’s not. They do not have that sort of mentality off the court docket, on the court docket. They’re only a bunch of very nice youngsters that play exhausting for one another.”

The Huskies will face the winner of Monday’s No. 1 South Carolina-No. 3 TCU matchup for a spot in the national title game. The national semifinals will be held Friday, with the championship game set for April 5.

UConn will be making its 17th Final Four appearance in 18 tournaments.

This group might not have the swagger of some of Auriemma’s previous teams, but it does its own kind of grit — something the players had to channel Sunday as the Irish wreaked havoc defensively and kept the score within single digits until the end of the third quarter.

The Huskies’ typically high-powered offense stalled early Sunday as stars Azzi Fudd and Strong were quiet by their standards, with their 10 combined first-half points being the fewest by the duo in a first half all season.

The Irish, who had lost to UConn by 38 in January but had won 10 of their past 11 games entering Sunday, made the Huskies uncomfortable as star Hannah Hidalgo sizzled in the second quarter, allowing them to pull to within 32-25 at the half.

UConn kept the Irish at an arm’s length before finally taking control toward the end of the third behind a layup from Jana El Alfy and a 3-pointer from Strong, giving them a double-digit lead for the final 11 minutes.

“We by no means actually get too excessive or too low,” junior Ashlynn Shade he stated. “We’re at all times fairly even keel, and we by no means let any tough patch or any tough run get us down, actually.”

Strong, who has earned multiple national player of the year awards, scored 15 of his 21 points in the second half. The performance was good for her 31st career 20-point game, tying Stewart for the most by a UConn player through their first two years with the program over the past 25 seasons.

Her 192 career points are also the second most for a UConn player through 10 career NCAA tournament games, behind only Moore’s 199.

Strong told ESPN she felt “stagnant” in the first half due to tired legs before successfully digging deep after halftime.

“I simply knew that my group wanted me, that I had to play nicely,” she said.

Added Auriemma: “She is aware of that when it is time to win video games, that she has an enormous accountability. Some gamers shrink back from it, and he or she likes it.”

Blanca Quiñonezwhose 12 first-quarter points kept the Huskies afloat early, finished with his second 20-point game. The freshman also became the first player in UConn history with 20 points off the bench in the Elite Eight or later.

“She was the X issue for them,” said Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey, who’d led her squad to its first Elite Eight appearance.

UConn’s defense led the way once more, holding the Irish to 39% shooting and forcing 18 turnovers. Hidalgo, who had a triple-double with steals in the Sweet 16 vs. Vanderbiltwas held scoreless in the first quarter and finished with 22 points on 7-for-18 shooting.

The road will only get tougher for the Huskies as the target on their back intensifies and another national title and undefeated season get tantalizingly within reach.

But after getting through the regional final, Auriemma is optimistic about what’s ahead for his team.

“Getting over this hump and getting to subsequent weekend, I believe that can let the air out,” Auriemma said, “and we will possibly simply calm down and play some good offensive basketball.”