Huskies Women's Basketball Just Did What Nobody Expected: They Won When It Mattered
The Washington women's basketball team showed up in Fort Worth, Texas on Friday and proved they learned from their heartbreak. After nearly a decade away from the NCAA tournament, the No. 6 seed Huskies absolutely dominated No. 11 seed South Dakota State, cruising to a 72-54 victory at Schollmaier Arena. This team said all season this moment was the goal, and they weren't going to let it slip away.
Almost Lost It Right Away, But Found Their Way
Talk about a scare. South Dakota State came out swinging and punched the Huskies in the mouth early, hitting their first eight shots and racing to a 13-3 lead. Washington looked shaky, sitting at just 1 for 13 from the field and 1 for 6 from three. For a team that had been waiting nine years just to get back here, this was exactly the kind of start that could derail everything.
But then something clicked. The Huskies went on a 12-2 run to end the first quarter and tied it up at 15-15 off a three-pointer from sophomore guard Avery Howell. That spark was everything. Washington carried the momentum straight into the second quarter and absolutely suffocated South Dakota State, outscoring them 23-9 to take a commanding 38-24 halftime lead.
This Time, They Didn't Collapse in the Second Half
Here's the kicker: last year, Washington led 34-21 at halftime against Columbia in a First Four tournament game before getting outscored 42-26 in the second half and losing 63-60. That loss stung. But this year? The Huskies outscored South Dakota State 34-30 in the second half and never looked back.
Sophomore guard Avery Howell was absolutely electric, dropping 30 points and draining seven three-pointers. She went 9 for 16 from the field and hit dagger threes in the third quarter that pushed Washington's lead to 61-40. Freshman center Brynn McGaughy chipped in 14 points and four rebounds, while senior center Yulia Grabovskaia came off the bench and paired up with McGaughy to lock down South Dakota State's Brooklyn Meyer, holding her to 29 points on 13-for-20 shooting.
South Dakota State (27-7) never got closer than 17 points in the fourth quarter. This wasn't lucky. This was dominant.
Now Comes the Real Test
The Huskies (22-10) are moving to the second round for the first time since 2017. They'll face No. 3 seed TCU (30-5) on Sunday. This team has proven they can handle the moment when it matters. Now let's see if they can keep it rolling.
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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.