Okay, let’s talk about this week in women’s college basketball – because a LOT went down. We had buzzer-beaters, career highs, and even a bloody nose. Paige Bueckers decided to remind everyone why she’s a literal basketball goddess by dropping a career high, TCU made history by reaching the Elite Eight (who saw that coming?), and South Carolina and UCLA just casually finessed their way into the Final Four.
Whether you’ve memorized every play or think a “rebound” is something you do after a bad breakup, we’re here for you. We’re breaking down the highlights from this week so you can stop nodding awkwardly in meetings and actually get what people are talking about. And as an added bonus, you can fully enjoy our weekly Full Court Recaps without having to comment, “What does slide 3 mean?” Let’s get into it.
Paige Bueckers Dropped Buckets
Paige Bueckers just dropped 40 points in a single game. Yep, you heard that right. Not only is it the fifth time a UConn player has hit 40, but it’s the FIRST time it’s happened in the NCAA Tournament. And just to remind us all how unstoppable she is, she’s probably going to be the number one draft pick in the WNBA this year. (As if we needed another excuse to keep watching her play.)
South Carolina Dunked On Duke (Figuratively, But Still)
No. 1 seed South Carolina just secured their spot in Tampa with a nail-biting 54-50 win over No. 2 seed Duke. South Carolina is going for a three-peat, and this is the fifth year in a row they’ve made it to the Final Four. So if you were questioning them in those last few minutes, hopefully you’ve learned your lesson.
UCLA Got Revenge and a Final Four Spot
Timea Gardiner, Gabriela Jaquez, and MVB Lauren Betts just handed LSU a solid dose of revenge with a 72-65 win, sending UCLA to their very first Final Four. And a huge shoutout to Aneesah Morrow, who busted her nose in the process, while LSU fans were busy busting their brackets.
JuJu Watkins Rode The Bench (Sorta)
ICYMI, JuJu Watkins sadly tore her ACL earlier in the tournament, ending her season. But in the cutest move of the week, her Funko Pop was placed on the USC bench during the game against Kansas State. Fans and players were definitely feeling the JuJu-shaped hole in the game, but that tiny figure on the bench was a sweet reminder that she was there in spirit.
