Women’s March Madness highlights: Texas' suffocating defense overwhelms Gonzaga

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Women’s March Madness highlights: Texas' suffocating defense overwhelms Gonzaga

Steve Gardner, Lorenzo Reyes, Victoria Hernandez, Lindsay Schnell and Nancy Armour, USA TODAY · USA TODAY Sports

Sat, Mar 30, 2024 ·

34 min read

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The women's NCAA tournament rolled into the Sweet 16 with four games on Friday, including two top seeds in action. Undefeated No. 1 South Carolina fought off a challenge from No. 4 Indiana , while No. 1 Texas rolled past No. 4 Gonzaga in the final game of the night. No. 2 Notre Dame fell to No. 3 Oregon State amid controversy in the first game of the day. And No. 3 NC State will be joining its men's team in the Elite Eight after knocking off No. 2 Stanford .

Women's March Madness games are airing and streaming across ESPN's family of channels.

STREAM:March Madness on ESPN+ and Fubo

March Madness women's games today

Here is the full schedule for Friday's NCAA women's tournament games .

How to watch women's NCAA Tournament games

ESPN will broadcast all four of Friday's Sweet 16 games .

Texas too much for Gonzaga

PORTLAND — Three Longhorns scored in double-figures, led by Aaliyah Moore's 16, and Texas held Gonzaga to just 27% shooting, beating the Zags 69-47 and advancing to the Elite Eight for the third time in four years.

The top-seeded Longhorns will take on NC State Sunday at 3 p.m. ET.

Texas bullied the Zags all night, pushing them off their spots and forcing them to take tough looks. It seemed that every shot was contested. The Longhorns also dominated on the glass, outrebounding Gonzaga 39-26, and doubling them up in the paint, 36-18. Texas got 14 points from its bench, while Gonzaga got just two.

Gonzaga played Texas even in the third quarter and close in the fourth, only losing the period 15-11. But that didn't matter after the Longhorns blitzed GU in the first half, holding them to just 14% from the field and taking a 19-point lead into the locker room.

The game ended with a thud too, when Gonzaga senior forward Eliza Hollingsworth went down hard under the GU basket with 22 seconds to play. Hollingsworth screamed and immediately clutched her left knee. She stayed on the floor, sobbing, for nearly five minutes. She had to be helped off the court and couldn't move her left leg at all.

Texas defense suffocating Gonzaga

PORTLAND — Every time Gonzaga goes on a run, Texas has an answer. And then some.

Gonzaga went on a 9-0 run early in the third to put a dent in the Longhorns' sizable lead, but an 8-0 run from Texas late in the period stretched their lead to 54-35 going into the fourth quarter. UT ended the third hitting 5-of-7 attempts from the field.

The Zags played Texas even in the third, with both teams scoring 17 points, but that couldn't make up for a brutal first half.

Gonzaga has no answer for Texas guard Shalyee Gonzales, who has 15 points, four assists and three rebounds. She's also nabbed two steals. Shay Holle has 10 and Aaliyah Moore 11.

Texas continues its suffocating defense, too — it's the Longhorns' calling card, after all — holding Gonzaga to just 25% from the field.

Texas' Aaliyah Moore helped off court

PORTLAND — This might be bad news for Texas: Aaliyah Moore had to be helped off the court.

Moore went down with 2:27 to play in the third holding her left knee, which she wears a brace on. She had to be helped off the floor and back to the tunnel. She returned to the floor a few minutes later walking on her own power and trying to stretch her leg.

The junior forward averages 11.2 points and 5.9 rebounds for the top-seeded Longhorns.

Gonzaga has dismal first half vs. Texas

PORTLAND — Theoretically, a 19-point deficit is manageable. But not with Gonzaga playing like this.

The Zags had way too many empty possessions, shot an abysmal 14% from the field (seriously) and lost the battle on the glass, 20-13 in falling behind 37-18 in the first half against top-seeded Texas.

And all of this with UT freshman star Madison Booker stuck on the bench with two fouls.

Shay Holle scored 10 points for the Longhorns and Shaylee Gonzales chipped in eight as Texas shot 52% from the field the first half. The Longhorns dominated the paint, scoring 16 points to Gonzaga's 2.

During a drought that stretched from the first quarter to the second, Gonzaga went nine minutes without a field goal. Kaylynne Truing finally broke the spell with a three, bringing GU within 23-14, with 6:39 to play in the half.

Fans paint Raleigh red: Both NC State teams in Elite Eight

After North Carolina State's men's and women's basketball teams both advanced to the Elite Eight on Friday, fans flooded the streets of Raleigh to celebrate. It's the first time in Wolfpack history that both teams have made it past the Sweet 16 together.

Cityscape photographer Matt Robinson captured an image of the school's Memorial Bell Tower bathed in red light. Cars lined the streets around the landmark. ABC news reporter Tom George shared a photo of the tower with fans surrounding it.

Saniya Rivers said it "would be nice" if the Elite Eight broadcasts didn't overlap so fans could focus on each game. Aziaha James disagreed, saying, "It feels good to have both of our teams win at the same time."

Wolfpack fan Brian Onorio detailed the scene in the city.

"I'm in the outskirts of Raleigh. I walk outside and I hear nothing but distant screaming and cheering," he posted on X, formerly Twitter. "Amazing!"

*cue Doja Cat's "Paint the Town Red"

Texas builds early lead against Gonzaga

You could say top-seeded Texas is starting off strong. The Longhorns went on a 14-2 run to finish the first quarter up 18-9 over No. 4 Gonzaga.

The Bulldogs have only made two shots from the field. The nine points is the lowest they've scored in the first quarter all season. Meanwhile, Shaylee Gonzales and Shay Holle each have five points for the Longhorns.

The scoring cooled off toward the end of the period, but Texas scored four points in the final 30 seconds to extend its lead.

UConn coach Geno Auriemma doubles down on Paige Bueckers comment

PORTLAND, Ore. — Legendary UConn coach Geno Auriemma didn't know he caused a social media scene last week when he called Paige Bueckers "the best player in America."

This season, most people have given that label to Iowa superstar Caitlin Clark, the reigning national player of the year who earlier this month broke the all-time Division I scoring record, topping LSU's Pete Maravich.

But Auriemma stands by what he said. And he doesn't think he's the only one with that opinion.

"I didn't realize I was causing a stir," Auriemma said Friday, a day before third-seeded UConn was set to meet seventh-seeded Duke in the Portland 3 regional semifinals. "I bet if you asked USC they wouldn't say Caitlin is the best player in the country. I bet if you asked LSU they wouldn't say Caitlin is the best player in the country. I bet you Texas wouldn't say that." Read more here .

Who is Madison Booker? Texas freshman making impact for top-seeded Longhorns

Top-seeded Texas hopes to march through the Sweet 16 with the help of Madison Booker.

The star freshman is averaging 16.8 points per game with 5.1 assists. She was named the Big 12 Freshman of the Year and was the first freshman in conference history to win the women's basketball Player of the Year.

Heading into Friday's matchup, the Ridgeland, Mississippi, native is three assists from breaking the school record for most in a season. So far in the tournament, she had a season-high 14 assists in the first-round game and then had a 21-point, six-rebound outing in the next matchup.

Ahead of tipoff, head coach Vic Schaefer spoke on the ESPN broadcast about what Booker means to the Longhorns since stepping in for point guard Rori Harmon , who tore her ACL in December.

"I don't think you can really put it into words the role she's had to take over for this team," he said.

NC State knocks out Stanford, advances to Elite Eight

PORTLAND, Ore. — When it's all said and done, you'll remember this game as the one Azaiah James took over in the third quarter.

James, a junior guard, scored 29 points on 8-of-14 shooting and NC State used a monster third quarter to upset second-seeded Stanford 77-67 and advance to the Elite Eight.

Trailing 37-27 at halftime, James went off in the third period, scoring 16 and lifting her team to a 55-47 lead. Meanwhile Cameron Brink , Stanford's All-American post who averages a double-double, was stuck on the bench in foul trouble. She fouled out with more than eight minutes to play, and Stanford's advantage in the paint was all but gone.

NC State's guards took over then, eventually outscoring Stanford's starting guards 49-21.

It is NC State's third Elite Eight and the Wolfpack's second since 2022. That year, top-seeded NC State lost a 91-87 double overtime heartbreaker to UConn, seeded No. 2 but playing at home in the Albany regional. Wolfpack coach Wes Moore said earlier this week he was happy the committee had made things fair, referencing the fact that third seeded UConn got sent to Portland while third-seeded Oregon State got sent to Albany.

NC State will play the winner of Texas-Gonzaga.

Madison Hayes (21) celebrates with Zoe Brooks (35) after NC State beat Stanford on Friday to advance to the Elite Eight.

Cameron Brink fouls out. Has she played her last game for Stanford?

PORTLAND, Ore. — Unless something changes dramatically for Stanford, that's probably the last we've seen of Cameron Brink in a Cardinal uniform.

The Portland native, playing in front of dozens of family and friends, picked up her fifth foul with a whopping 8:10 left to play, hip checking Aziah James as she drove the lane. James hit both free throws, and NC State has a 62-49 lead.

Kiki Iriafen has been terrific for the Cardinal, but it's going to be very tough to win without Brink, who finished with 13 points, nine rebounds and seven blocks in just 24 minutes of play.

NC State leads heading to fourth quarter; Cameron Brink has four fouls

PORTLAND, Ore. — Well, this is an interesting development: NC State suddenly has an eight-point lead, 55-47, going into the fourth quarter. And Cameron Brink has four fouls.

Brink picked up her fourth right after coming back in — the fourth foul was sort of dumb luck, she and another player went after a board and collided with a NC State player, but because the NC State player went flying they blew the whistle. Kiki Iriafen already has three. How long does Tara VanDerveer keep Brink on the bench?

NC State has turned it on, and Saniya Rivers' sweet take to the basket to end the quarter increased the Wolfpack's lead and gave NC State a little burst of momentum. Rivers has 11, and Aziah James has 20. NC State looks especially good defensively right now, having held Stanford to 1-of-10 shooting to end the quarter.

That's a 28-10 quarter for NC State.

Zoe Brooks, NC State tie score; Cameron Brink picks up third foul

PORTLAND, Ore. — A steal and score from Zoe Brooks, and we're all tied at 43. Maybe NC State will not go quietly into the night. Stanford needs a timeout to talk about the plan with Cameron Brink on the bench (she just picked up her third foul and will have to sit for a bit) with 4:16 to play in the third quarter.

NC State has churned out a little 7-0 run over the last 1:08, while Stanford is 0-for-4 on its last four attempts and has turned the ball over four times in the last four minutes. All of that adds up to a Stanford scoring drought over the last 3:17.

Stanford leads NC State by 10 at halftime

PORTLAND, Ore. — OK, so Cameron Brink is only 4-of-10 from the field. But she's blocked five shots — which is why the Portland native and her team, second-seeded Stanford, have a 37-27 halftime lead.

Brink and her post mate, Kiki Iriafen, are a terrifying tandem, whether they're on the floor together or subbing in and out for each other. So far they seem to be taking turns. Iriafen started the beginning of the second quarter on fire, and Brink picked up afterward. Together, they've already combined for 17 points and 15 rebounds. Hannah Jump has 10 points, too.

For NC State, Saniya Rivers leads the team with seven points. But the real story right now is on the glass, where Stanford has a 27-16 advantage. That's huge for the Cardinal, especially in a game where teams have taken basically the same number of shots (NC State is 12-of-36, Stanford is 17-of-37). Also of note: Stanford has assisted on 15 of its 17 baskets, which you know Tara VanDerveer loves.

Iriafen steps up for Stanford

PORTLAND, Ore. — Four scores in the first four minutes of the quarter is one way to make an impression.

And that's exactly what Kiki Iriafen has done.

It's unusual for Stanford to play just one of their All-America posts at a time; usually they're on the floor together. But right now the Cardinal seems to only need Iriafen, who already has eight points (on 4-of-6 shooting) and seven rebounds. That's given Stanford a 26-20 lead midway through the second quarter. Saniya Rivers leads the Wolfpack with seven points.

Hannah Jump pushes Stanford to slim lead

PORTLAND, Ore. — To (kinda) quote "Finding Nemo": Just keep shooting, just keep shooting, shooting, shooting.

That's Hannah Jump's philosophy. The senior guard from Stanford is already 2-of-5 from long distance and her hot hand has helped Stanford to a 12-11 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Wolfpack has done an excellent job containing Stanford's post tandem so far. Cameron Brink has just 2 points on 1-of-7 shooting, while Kiki Iriafen played just one minute after picking up a quick offensive foul (she has no points).

This is not exactly an offensive showcase so far, with Stanford shooting 26% (5-of-19) and NC State shooting 28% (5-of-18). Both of these teams are very well-coached and very much play to the scouting report though, so don't be surprised if we have a low-scoring night.

Who is Cameron Brink?

Stanford has crossed the brink of history this year with the help of Cameron Brink . The senior forward, who is known for her blonde braids and physical style of play, blew kisses to the crowd as she was introduced at the Cardinal's Sweet 16 game against North Carolina State.

Brink is averaging 17.5 points, 11.9 rebounds and 3.6 blocks this year. She was named the Pac-12 Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year for her performance.

This will be her last college basketball season after winning the 2021 national championship with Stanford her freshman year. She declared for the WNBA draft and is expected to be a high draft pick.

So far in the tournament, she had 17 points, 15 rebounds and six blocks in the first-round game. In the next matchup, she fouled out after scoring eight points and making five blocks.

Her parents are longtime Nike executives and went to Virginia Tech with Stephen Curry's parents, who are Brink's godparents.

South Carolina fights off Indiana 79-75

No. 1 South Carolina remains undefeated. But it was not easy.

The Gamecocks outlasted No. 4 Indiana 79-75 in the Sweet 16 as the Hoosiers threatened to knock the perfect team out several times in the fourth quarter.

Mackenzie Holmes made a layup at 1:08 to bring the margin to two. This came after Sara Scalia and Sydney Parrish each brought the score within four after the four-minute mark.

Raven Johnson answered Holmes' shot with a long three-point bucket to give the Gamecocks a little bit of breathing room. The sophomore guard, who suffered a season-ending knee injury last year, averages eight points a game and finished with 14 points, five rebounds and six assists. Kamilla Cardoso had 22 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three blocks.

Holmes was crying as the clock hit zero. The Hoosiers senior forward finished the last game of her college career with 12 points, four rebounds and two blocks. Parrish led Indiana with 21 points.

South Carolina will play No. 3 Oregon State in its fourth straight Elite Eight appearance.

Stanford players want to see coach in dress, heels

PORTLAND — Almost time for tip with second-seeded Stanford vs. third-seeded NC State.

The storyline I'm keeping an eye on: If Stanford wins, do the Cardinal players get to pick legendary coach Tara VanDerveer's outfit for the Elite Eight game?

On Thursday, I jokingly asked Cameron Brink, Kiki Iriafen and Hannah Jump if they'd ever made any sort of bet with their head coach that if they won a big game, they got to pick her outfit for the next one. VanDerveer, widely considered one of the best tacticians in the game, is known for her scouting reports, not her sideline apparel. The players cackled at the question but had the same answer: They want to see their coach in a dress … and heels.

If Stanford beats the Wolfpack tonight, you better believe there will be follow up on this storyline.

By the way, in order for that to happen, Stanford will have to handle NC State's excellent guard play.

Indiana surges in third quarter, cuts into South Carolina's lead

Sydney Parrish scored eight straight points during the Hoosiers' 10-0 run in the third quarter. No. 4 Indiana still trails No. 1 South Carolina 65-55 heading into the final period.

Indiana has made 10 three-point shots in the game so far and has climbed back from being down by as many as 22 points.

A layup from Te-Hina Paopao snapped the Hoosiers' run, but Chloe Moore-McNeil finished the quarter with five points for Indiana.

Yarden Garzon leads Indiana with 14 points. Kamilla Cardoso has 17 points and five rebounds for the Gamecocks.

At the commercial break, South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley emphasized defense.

Hannah Hidalgo: 'BS' she had to sit out to remove nose ring

ALBANY, N.Y. — Hannah Hidalgo said it was "BS" she had to sit out for more than four minutes in the second quarter while her nose piercing was removed , and said it disrupted her game.

Notre Dame's All-American point guard has worn a diamond stud in the left side of her nose all season. "Head decorations, head wear, helmets, and jewelry are illegal," according to NCAA rules, but it hadn't been an issue until Friday's Sweet 16 game against Oregon State.

Hidalgo said one of the officials told her during warm-ups that she would need to take it out. She asked if she could cover it, instead, and said she was told that would be fine. At the end of the first quarter, however, Hidalgo said she was told it had to be removed.

"I think it's BS," Hidalgo told USA TODAY Sports after Notre Dame's 70-65 loss. "They should have just let me play with it if that's what they said."

Hidalgo was 2 of 4 in the first quarter. She was 2 of 13 the rest of the way, and her 10 points and four field goals tied her season lows. – Nancy Armour

South Carolina closes half on big run, leads Indiana 49-32

Indiana had been keeping things close — relatively speaking — before South Carolina continued to dominate down low to break it open.

The Gamecocks have opened a 49-32 lead at the half behind their aggressive attacks in the low post; South Carolina has already scored 24 points in the paint, compared to just 10 from Indiana.

The Gamecocks are also one of the deeper teams in the entire field, and all nine players who have entered the game have scored.

Center Kamilla Cardoso is leading the way, pacing all scorers with 13 points while adding three rebounds and two blocks.

Hoosiers senior forward Mackenzie Holmes started cold, missing her first five shots, but ended the half with four points on 1-of-6 shooting.

The Gamecocks closed the half on a 15-4 run and have four separate runs of seven consecutive points. Their 17-point lead is the largest of the game. - Lorenzo Reyes

South Carolina leads Indiana after first quarter

The Gamecocks are relying on their inside-outside dominance in building an early, 26-15 lead over Indiana.

In the first quarter, South Carolina shot five-of-seven (71.4%) from 3-point range but also blitzed the paint to generate high-percentage scoring opportunities. Indiana, meanwhile, has struggled (3-of-12; 25%) from beyond the arc. Similarly, the Gamecocks have eight early points in the paint, compared to just two from the Hoosiers.

One area where Indiana has found surprising success has been offensive rebounding, gathering four to South Carolina's five.

South Carolina star center Kamilla Cardoso has five points on 2-of-3 shooting and junior guard Bree Hall leads all scorers with six points.

South Carolina, which has been blowing opponents out, ended the first quarter on a 14-3 run. - Lorenzo Reyes

South Carolina has early lead vs. Indiana

The outright favorite, again, is rolling early.

No. 1 South Carolina, looking to stay undefeated, raced out to a quick 10-5 lead after making four of its first five shots.

Indiana has missed a couple open looks, but has been active early on the offensive glass.

We're underway for the second game of the doubleheader today in Albany. - Lorenzo Reyes

Caitlin Clark is a fierce competitor. It's an asset, not a flaw

ALBANY, N.Y. — In all fairness, Caitlin Clark is not the only Iowa player coach Lisa Bluder has had to tee up during practice.

"I've gotten a technical, as well," Kate Martin said Friday. "So she's not alone."

No, but the way Clark is wired — she's been described as competitive, fiery, even a whiner — has become the subject of endless fascination as she's rewritten college basketball's record books and helped turn perceptions of the women's game on their head. After the close call against West Virginia in the second round Monday night, there were suggestions even her father was telling her to calm down.

"I was never talking to my dad. I don't know why people thought that," she said Friday.

"I know people are always watching. I know eyeballs are always on me. That is kind of what happens when you are in the spotlight. And it's not anything you shy away from," Clark continued. "I'm competitive. I'm fiery. That's how it is."

And it's not unique. Read Nancy Armour's column .

Oregon State advances with win vs. Notre Dame

In the end, it was rebounds and second-chance points.

Despite failing to take care of the ball, Oregon State pulled out a hard-fought, back-and-forth 70-65 victory over Notre Dame to make a trip to the Elite Eight just one season removed from a 13-win campaign.

Oregon State outredbounded Notre Dame by a margin of 43-24. That led to a barrage of second-chance points and forced the Fighting Irish to be efficient on their own offensive end. That's also why, even though Oregon State coughed up the ball 26 times, the Beavers had enough to prevail.

Oregon State shot 29-of-48 (60.4%) from the field, while Notre Dame — 26-of-73 (35.6%) — struggled to convert open looks. The Fighting Irish did score 27 points off of turnovers.

Oregon State was led by its two forwards, Timea Gardiner (21 points and 11 rebounds) and Raegan Beers (18 points and 13 rebounds).

The Beavers will face the winner between No. 1 South Carolina and No. 4 Indiana. - Lorenzo Reyes

Oregon State leads Notre Dame after three quarters

Oregon State started the second half just the way it ended the first.

The Beavers, going back to late in the second quarter, went on a 16-2 run that extended midway into the third period to build a prominent lead over Notre Dame in the third quarter. The Irish, however, chipped away and are down 53-50, despite facing a 10-point deficit earlier in the period.

Oregon State continued to rely on its height and positioning in the low block to limit scoring opportunities from the paint.

Fighting Irish star freshman guard Hannah Hidalgo has been cold all game, shooting just 2-of-13 (15.4%) from the field and scoring only six points. Hidalgo has been visibly frustrated, especially after a fast-break layup was stuffed by Oregon State forward Raegan Beers. - Lorenzo Reyes

Caitlin Clark thinks her records will be broken

Caitlin Clark isn't possessive of her records.

Clark became college basketball's all-time leading scorer earlier this month, passing Pete Maravich. On Monday, she overtook Kelsey Plum as the single-season scoring leader in women's Division I basketball, too.

"Somebody is going to come along and break my records, and that's exactly how it should be," Clark said Friday. "That's kind of the point of a record. Other people chase them down and break them."

Maravich died in 1988 but Lynette Woodard, who had held the previous women's scoring record, was on hand to see Clark pass him in Iowa's regular-season finale. Woodard played at Kansas when the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women was the governing body for women's basketball and the NCAA doesn't recognize AIAW player records.

"Lynette Woodard was able to come to our Senior Night and be in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Somebody that maybe wasn't always given all her flowers but was really like a pioneer in our game and did so much for our game. To be able to share that with her was really special," Clark said.

"The next person that comes along to break mine, I'll be right there supporting them, and hopefully I can see it in person." - Nancy Armour

Hannah Hidalgo's No. 1 fan

Plenty of people have paid, and paid big money, to see Caitlin Clark play this season. There are a few players for whom she'd return the favor.

"I would say JuJu right now probably. That is who I'd pay and go see," Clark said, referring to Southern California's freshman phenom JuJu Watkins.

"But also Hannah Hidalgo at Notre Dame," Clark said. "I think she's been tremendous. I think Hannah has kind of flown under the radar a little bit." - Nancy Armour Read more

Halftime score: Oregon State 32, Notre Dame 31

Oregon State has the advantage in size, depth, rebounding and points in the paint.

Where it's struggling is taking care of the ball.

Notre Dame, despite a poor shooting performance, has stayed in this game and is down one, 32-31 at the half. The Fighting Irish have gone just 12-of-33 (36.4%) from the field, but have scored 14 points off of 12 Oregon State turnovers. Notre Dame, meanwhile, has committed just a single turnover.

The other area where the Irish have a clear edge: pushing the pace. Notre Dame has shut out Oregon State in transition while scoring 12 points on the break.

Oregon State Forward Raegan Beers leads all scorers with 12 points on six-of-seven shooting and has added seven rebounds. Notre Dame has gotten 11 points from guard Sonia Citron and nine from forward Maddy Westbeld. — Lorenzo Reyes

Oregon State up 17-15 after 1st Q: Raegan Beers leads Beavers

The Beavers turned to the pick-and-roll with star sophomore forward Raegan Beers to create mismatches and get Beers clean looks at the basket.

The Fighting Irish have struggled to contain Beers' presence, allowing easy entry passes and getting into early foul trouble. Notre Dame had tried to double Beers, but the foul issues have forced the Irish to play more conservatively on defense.

Beers has eight early points on four-of-five shooting and five rebounds, three of which were offensive. Oregon State has an imposing six-to-one advantage on offensive rebounds and has a 12:4 edge on boards, overall.

Oregon State takes a 17-15 lead into the second quarter.

Notre Dame forward Maddy Westbeld leads the Irish with seven points. - Lorenzo Reyes

Oregon State vs. Notre Dame tips off, then stops

The Sweet 16 is officially underway — kind of.

No. 2 Notre Dame and No. 3 Oregon have tipped off in Albany for the first game of the regional semifinal round, though the action slowed just as quickly as it started. A shot clock issue immediately halted play just 32 seconds into the action.

Oregon State had won the tip but missed their first field goal attempt before officials stopped play because of the clock issue. - Lorenzo Reyes

Oregon State mascot: Benny Beaver

Who is Oregon State's adorable mascot, you ask? It's Benny the Beaver. But wait... there's also Bernice Beaver, who has recently returned from retirement .

Times Union Center now MVP Arena

Looking for the location of the Oregon State vs. Notre Dame game? If you thought it was at Times Union Center, you're wrong - kind of. The Albany venue hosting the Sweet 16 used to be called Times Union Center, but was renamed MVP Arena in January, 2022.

Sweet 16 predictions

The madness is back today , and games only get sweeter from here on out − that's our prediction at least. It feels like we're due for some buzzer-beaters or overtime battles. Maybe both. This round of the women's NCAA Tournament has pretty much everything you could want, from longtime powerhouses dancing deep for the umpteenth time to programs trying to make the second weekend a regular destination. There's savvy seniors, phenomenal freshmen and everything in between. Here are some bold predictions for round 1 of the Sweet 16 , which tips off Friday at 2:30 p.m. ET. — Lindsay Schnell

Oregon State vs. Notre Dame predictions

USA TODAY Sports experts Nancy Armour and Lindsay Schnell are split on who will win this Sweet 16 matchup. Armour says Notre Dame will win while Schnell has Oregon State capturing the victory.

Notre Dame vs. Oregon State: What to watch for

The Irish are practically playing on fumes at this point, having lost another player (forward Kylee Watson) to a season-ending injury just before the NCAA Tournament. They've got a spectacular freshman point guard in Hannah Hidalgo , who has yet to well, play like a freshman. Is that coming at some point?

The Beavers, picked to finish 10th in the Pac-12 this season, have that always coveted inside-out attack and, according to the numbers, are the second-best defensive team left in the tournament, behind only South Carolina. They were rolling in mid-February before sophomore center Raegan Beers broke her nose and missed a few games, stalling their momentum. Can they get back to that level of play? Read more on Notre Dame vs. Oregon State . — Lindsay Schnell

What to know about Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame's freshman star and ACC rookie of the year

Freshman guard Hannah Hidalgo led the Fighting Irish to a 55-51 win over the North Carolina State Wolfpack in the ACC championship game to secure Notre Dame an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament. Hidalgo, who scored 22 points, six rebounds, six assist and two steals in the win, was named the 2024 ACC Tournament MVP and named to the All-Tournament First Team.

The ACC tournament accolades are just the tip of the iceberg for Hidalgo, whose stellar freshman campaign has also earned her national recognition. Here's everything to know about the freshman standout .

NCAA women's tournament schedule

Here is the scoreboard and schedule for today's Sweet 16 games in the NCAA women's tournament .

Oregon State vs. Notre Dame odds

Notre Dame is the favorite to defeat Oregon State in Friday's March Madness matchup, according to the BetMGM college basketball odds .

Will Notre Dame's injuries finally catch up with them?

You have to be impressed with the second-seeded Irish, who lost point guard Olivia Miles to a season-ending injury last year. Everyone knew she wouldn't be ready to go at the beginning of the season and a freshman, Hannah Hidalgo , would have to step in. But could anyone have anticipated Hidalgo would play like a first-team All-American? But that's hardly been the only injury issue for Notre Dame. Guard Cass Prosper has missed most of the season, not playing since November, and the Irish lost forward Kylee Watson to a torn ACL during the ACC tournament. At some point, those injuries catch up with the Irish − and we're thinking it happens in the Sweet 16, vs. Oregon State. — Lindsay Schnell

Iowa's Molly Davis injury update: 'Doubtful' for Sweet 16

ALBANY, N.Y. — Molly Davis was at Iowa's practice Friday, wearing workout gear and a compression brace. But she only stretched and did not run or participate in drills during the portion that was open to the media.

"Molly is doubtful for tomorrow," Bluder said afterward. "I really thought she'd be back by now. I really did. I have no idea how long it's going to take for her to completely heal, but we're not going to put her out there when it's unsafe for her to be out there."

Women's March Madness players to watch today

Notre Dame G Hannah Hidalgo (23.3 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 4.6 spg), the most annoying on-ball defender in the country who can get to the rim whenever she wants
Indiana F Mackenzie Holmes (20.0 ppg, 66.7% FG), a force in the paint
USC G Mckenzie Forbes (13.5 ppg, 3.3 apg), who pretty much only hits big shots in big moments
N.C. State guard Saniya Rivers (12.4 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 3.9 apg), whose athleticism is typically good for at least one jaw-dropping highlight per game
Gonzaga twin Gs Kayleigh (11.9 ppg, 4.5 apg) and Kaylynne Truong (11.6 ppg, 5.9 apg), whose stats, like them, are nearly identical.
South Carolina G Te-Hina Paopao (47.1% from 3), the most impactful transfer of the 2023-24 season
Oregon State G Talia von Oelhoffen (10.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 4.7 apg), one of the best defensive guards in the country who hit one of the biggest shots in the regular season.
Stanford F Cameron Brink (17.8 ppg, 12.0 rpg), the projected No. 2 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft who is a handful at both ends of the floor

— Lindsay Schnell

NCAA women's March Madness bracket

You can find the complete women's March Madness bracket here .

Women's basketball needs faces of future to be Black. Enter JuJu Watkins and Hannah Hidalgo

It's understandable why JuJu Watkins , the front-runner for national freshman of the year, sparks reaction every time she's on the floor. The 6-foot-2 rookie from the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, has a silky smooth jumper, a veteran's poise and a combination of skill, power and body control rarely seen.

With Caitlin Clark headed to the 2024 WNBA draft , where she's projected No. 1 overall, Watkins, the nation's second leading scorer this season behind Clark, is positioned to become the face of women's basketball. She'll be joined by Notre Dame point guard Hannah Hidalgo, the other favorite for freshman of the year.

Not lost on any of the powerbrokers in the game: Both of these players are Black. And in a game built by Black women, it matters that the faces of the future look like the faces of the past. Read Lindsay Schnell's full feature here .

LSU's Angel Reese on Baltimore bridge collapse: 'I'm praying for Baltimore'

Shocking as it was for anyone to see the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, it was particularly so for Angel Reese . The LSU star is a Baltimore native, and said her aunt used to drive on the Key bridge every day to get to work.

"And we drive over it to get to her house," Reese said Friday . "So I'm not sure the route she's taking right now or if she's been able to go to work since then, but my prayers are to everyone that hasn't been found yet and the ones that are found and are still suffering from injuries."

The bridge collapsed early Tuesday after it was struck by a cargo ship that had lost power. The ship was able to radio ahead, allowing traffic onto the bridge to be stopped, but eight constructions plunged into the river. Two were rescued but six died. Four of the workers remain missing.

"I'm praying for Baltimore right now, and I hope everything gets resolved," Reese said. — Nancy Armour

No. 2 UCLA delayed in getting to Sweet 16

The UCLA Bruins ' body clocks are really going to be messed up. UCLA, the No. 2 seed in the Albany 2 regional, was already going to have to deal with a three-hour time change. Then the Bruins' flight was delayed, causing them to get to Albany, N.Y., more than two hours later than scheduled Thursday. UCLA was first up for media interviews Friday morning, too.

"I've got some red eyes and those kinds of things," said coach Cori Close, whose team faces No. 3 LSU on Saturday. "But the reality is that we're playing in the Sweet 16. We've got a chance to do amazing things. So I'm not going to let two and a half hours get in the way of that.

"I just think it's a reality, and if you're focused on things that are out of your control, as Coach Wooden will say, it will adversely affect the things that are under your control," she said, referring to legendary UCLA coach John Wooden. "That's part of sports and life, and the tougher more together team wins, and I'm not going to let something like travel get in the way."

Her players agreed.

"Just a little adversity," Lauren Betts said. "We'll be fine." — Nancy Armour

Reseeding the Sweet 16 in the women's NCAA tournament

There wasn't much madness in the first two rounds of the women's tournament. Does a lack of upset action mean chaos is coming in the next four days ? One can only hope — unless you're rooting for the overall top-seeded South Carolina Gamecocks . In that case, you're probably crossing your fingers that everything will go chalk. We can argue at a different time if that's fun or not. For now, let's re-seed the tournament based on which teams are left. — Lindsay Schnell

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Women's March Madness highlights: Texas' defense overwhelms Gonzaga

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