BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — TCU is in unchartered territory thanks to Hailey Van Lith, reaching the Elite Eight for the first time.
It sure seems like business as usual for the dynamic guard.
Van Lith scored 12 of her 26 points in the fourth quarter to help second-seeded TCU beat No. 3 seed Notre Dame 71-62 on Saturday in the Sweet 16 of the women’s NCAA Tournament.
Sedona Prince added 21 points for the Horned Frogs (34-3), who advanced to the Elite Eight for the first time in school history. Next up is Texas or Tennessee on Monday night.
With the game tied at 52 early in the fourth, Van Lith took over. She scored five of the next six points for TCU to give the team the lead. Every run that the Fighting Irish made, Van Lith and the Horned Frogs had an answer.
Van Lith, who started her career at Louisville before transferring to LSU last season and then TCU this past year, is on her way to a regional final for the fifth time.
Notre Dame (28-6) was trying to reach the Elite Eight for the first time since 2019.
Liatu King scored 17 points for the Irish. Hannah Hidalgo had 15 and Olivia Miles finished with 10. But the star backcourt was a combined 6 for 29 from the field.
TEXAS 67, TENNESSEE 59
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Madison Booker scored 17 points and No. 1-seed Texas outlasted fifth-seeded Tennessee in a tight battle in the Sweet 16 of the women’s NCAA Tournament.
Taylor Jones added 12 points and eight rebounds for the Longhorns, who advanced to face TCU in the Elite Eight. The Horned Frogs beat Notre Dame earlier Saturday to advance to it first Elite Eight in school history.
Booker scored seven in the fourth, including four straight with the game tied at 54 with five minutes left. Tennessee pulled back within one on a jumper from Ruby Whitehorn, who led the Volunteers with 16 points. Zee Spearman added 13.
After pushing the lead back to four, Texas depended on what got it to the regional semifinal: defense.
The Longhorns forced four Tennessee turnovers over the final five minutes, and held the Volunteers to no makes on their final five shots. Booker knocked down a pair of clutch free throws to seal the win.
The Associated Press
