UConn's Final Four streak ends with 73-61 loss to Ohio State
UConn guard Caroline Ducharme (33) holds onto the ball as Ohio State's Cotie McMahon (32) and Taylor Thierry (2) attempt to steal possession during the second quarter of a Sweet 16 college basketball game of the NCAA Tournament in Seattle, Saturday, March 25, 2023. Credit: AP/Caean Couto
SEATTLE — UConn's record streak of reaching 14 straight Final Fours ended when third-seeded Ohio State beat the No. 2 seed Huskies 73-61 on Saturday in the Sweet 16 of the women's NCAA Tournament.
Cotie McMahon scored 23 points and the Buckeyes (28-7) forced UConn (31-6) into 25 turnovers, ending the Huskies' season before the national semifinals for the first time since 2008. UConn hadn't been eliminated this early since 2006.
The Buckeyes stopped their own Elite Eight drought. Ohio State hadn't made a regional final since 1993. The Buckeyes went on to lose in the title game that year.
They'll play the winner of top seed Virginia Tech and fourth-seeded Tennessee on Monday night in the Seattle 3 Region final with a trip to Dallas at stake.
Ohio State, which had to rally from a double-digit deficit in the first round against James Madison, used full-court pressure to wreak havoc on the Huskies' offense.
“We picked the worst day to actually be doing the things that we’ve been struggling with all year long,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said in a sideline interview during the game.
