NCAA Women's Sweet 16 Recap: South Carolina, UCLA, LSU, and Duke Advance to Elite Eight

Relive the Action: Sweet 16 Highlights and Key Takeaways

The NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament delivered another night of high-stakes drama as four teams punched their tickets to the Elite Eight. Here’s a breakdown of Friday’s games, complete with analysis and standout performances.

(3) LSU Tigers vs. (2) NC State Wolfpack

Final: LSU 80, NC State 73
Top Performers:

• Aneesah Morrow: 30 PTS, 15 REB (first player with 30+ PTS & 15+ REB in Sweet 16+ since 2010)
• Mikaylah Williams & Sa'Myah Smith: Combined for LSU’s final 16 points to seal the win

Key Insight: LSU’s resilience shone through after trailing late in the fourth quarter. Morrow’s dominance on the offensive glass (9 ORB) and Williams’ clutch scoring propelled the Tigers to their third straight Elite Eight under Kim Mulkey. NC State’s backcourt duo of Aziaha James and Saniya Rivers struggled (6-for-21 FG), sealing their fate.

Stat to Watch: LSU is 29-1 when Flau’Jae Johnson scores 20+ points. She was held to 3 PTS but the Tigers still prevailed.

(5) Ole Miss Rebels vs. (1) UCLA Bruins

Final: UCLA 76, Ole Miss 62
Player of the Game:

• Lauren Betts: 31 PTS (15-for-16 FG), 10 REB, stifling defense (2-for-16 on shots she contested)

Turning Point: A second-half surge from guards Londynn Jones and Kiki Rice (20 combined PTS) broke open a tight game. Betts’ efficiency (+23 on-court) underscored her irreplaceable role.

Up Next: A rematch with LSU in the Elite Eight. Last year, Betts took just nine shots—UCLA must feed her early to avenge that loss.

(4) Maryland Terrapins vs. (1) South Carolina Gamecocks

Final: South Carolina 71, Maryland 67
X-Factor:

• MiLaysia Fulwiley: 23 PTS (tournament high), including pivotal buckets in crunch time

Concerns: The Gamecocks’ offense sputtered (38.5% FG, 17 TOs), but Fulwiley’s heroics bailed them out. Duke’s defense (next opponent) will test their composure.

Quote: “Big-time players make big-time plays in big-time games.” — Fulwiley epitomized this in a nail-biter.

(3) North Carolina Tar Heels vs. (2) Duke Blue Devils

Final: Duke 47, UNC 38
Defensive Masterclass:

• Duke held UNC to 28.3% FG, the lowest combined score in Sweet 16 history.
• Oluchi Okananwa: 12 PTS, 12 REB off the bench

Outlook: Duke’s defense can stifle South Carolina, but their 31% shooting must improve to reach the Final Four.

Saturday’s Must-Watch Matchup

Notre Dame vs. TCU (1 p.m. ET, ABC) – A November rematch with Elite Eight implications.

Follow along as the road to Tampa heats up!