Van Lith has double-double and TCU women going to 1st Sweet 16 in after 85-70 win over Louisville
Agnes Emma-Nnopu scored 23 points with four 3-pointers, Hailey Van Lith had a double-double against her former team and second-seeded TCU advanced to its first NCAA Sweet 16 in the women’s NCAA Tournament with an 85-70 win over seventh-seeded Louisville on Sunday.
Van Lith had 16 points and 10 assists after going to a Final Four and two other Elite Eight games with Louisville from 2021-23. She played in her 19th tourney game, the most among active players, after going to another Elite Eight with LSU last season.
Sedona Prince had 19 points and Donovyn Hunter 18, including three 3-pointers in a 17-0 run that put the Horned Frogs (33-3) ahead to stay.
Jayda Curry had a career-high 41 points for the Cardinals (22-11). She already had 15 of those when when she made a jumper that put them up 17-13 with 2:57 left in the first quarter. before TCU’s game-turning run when Van Lith made the go-ahead basket.
Before winning twice at home when hosting for the first time, the Big 12 champion Horned Frogs hadn’t even made the NCAA field in 15 years — and last won a tourney game since 2006. They were 1-17 in conference games two years ago before Mark Campbell became their coach and has since brought in 11 transfers, most with NCAA experience.
They are now headed to Birmingham, Alabama, and a rematch with third-seeded Notre Dame (28-5). TCU beat the Fighting Irish 76-68 in the Cayman Islands on Nov. 29, an early indication of what could be a special season for the Frogs.
Curry opened the game with a steal and a breakaway layup after a bad pass by Van Lith. After her fast start, the Cardinals missed 13 shots in a row before finally score again nearly six minutes into the second quarter.
Olivia Cochran finished a five-season career with Louisville by scoring 15 points.
Hunter, who was on Oregon State’s team that beat Notre Dame in last year’s Sweet 16, made her first 3 with 1:59 left in the first quarter to start that run. She made consecutive 3s to open the second quarter.
Emma-Nnopu was part of Stanford’s national championship as a freshman in 2021 and went to another Final Four with the Cardinal as a sophomore.
Takeaways
Louisville, now with five freshmen playing regular minutes, had made it to at least the Elite Eight in five consecutive seasons before losing a first-round game last year, its only time doing that in 16 tourney appearances for coach Jeff Walz. The Cardinals would have faced Van Lith and LSU in the second round last year had they not lost to 11th-seeded Middle Tennessee.
TCU finished 21-0 inside Schollmaier Arena this season, and have won 24 home games in a row overall. The Frogs led 47-26 at halftime, matching their largest lead. They shot 70% (19 of 27) in the first half while not missing consecutive shots and twice making six in a row.
-
2-seed TCU women roll into school's 1st Sweet 16
No. 2 seed TCU punched the program's first ticket to the NCAA tournament's Sweet 16 by defeating 7-seed Louisville 85-70.ESPN - 1d -
Hailey Van Lith's photos after TCU's March Madness win vs. Louisville are fantastic
TCU and Hailey Van Lith are Sweet 16 bound after a March Madness win over Louisville in the NCAA tournament. Here's 5 photos of them celebrating.Yahoo Sports - 1d -
TCU's Hailey Van Lith downplays March Madness reunion with Louisville: 'It is what it is'
Hailey Van Lith will face her former team in the NCAA Tournament Round of 32 on Sunday. TCU's first Sweet 16 appearance at stake. Here's what she saidYahoo Sports - 3d -
Women's March Madness 2025: Hailey Van Lith stays composed to lead TCU over Louisville and into Sweet 16
Van Lith scored 16 points and had a career-high 10 assists against her former teamCBS Sports - 1d -
March Madness at home for Frogs as TCU women win 73-51 over FDU when hosting for 1st time
Madison Conner had 23 points with four 3-pointers and Sedona Prince had 16 points and 10 rebounds as second-seeded TCU won 73-51 over FDU in the Horned Frogs’ first women’s NCAA Tournament game at ...ABC News - 3d -
Hailey Van Lith takes down former team, advances to Sweet Sixteen
Former LSU women's basketball guard Hailey Van Lith is taking TCU to the Sweet 16 after defeating her former teamYahoo Sports - 1d -
Ole Miss women get March Madness redemption in Waco with 69-63 win over Baylor for Sweet 16 spot
Mississippi advanced to the Sweet 16 of the women’s NCAA Tournament with a 69-63 victory over Baylor on the Bears’ home court Sunday.Yahoo Sports - 1d -
Why did Hailey Van Lith transfer from Louisville? How former Cardinal star ended up at TCU
TCU's Hailey Van Lith faces Louisville, the program where she began her college career, in the women's NCAA Tournament. What to know of her transfer:Yahoo Sports - 2d -
TCU's Hailey Van Lith speaks candidly about past mental health struggles: 'I didn't even want to live'
Van Lith has TCU into its first Sweet 16, but the journey to get there has been harrowingCBS Sports - 23h
More from Yahoo Sports
-
Money at BetMGM on high-spending Dodgers to repeat as World Series champions
The Dodgers have spent a lot of money hoping to win their second straight World Series and bettors are putting their cash on Los Angeles. BetMGM Sportsbook has taken 37.8% of its futures money on ...Yahoo Sports - 19m -
Lauren Macuga is skiing fast and having a blast doing it
Lauren Macuga from Park City, Utah, finished the World Cup season fourth in downhill rankings. She's a medal contender for the 2026 Olympics.Yahoo Sports - 1h -
Swiatek gets extra security after harassment
World number two Iga Swiatek is receiving additional security at the Miami Open after she was harassed by a spectator during her practice.Media reports said that Swiatek was verbally harassed by a ...Yahoo Sports - 2h -
Raiders sign former Panthers veteran starting TE
Tuesday the Raiders added some depth to the tight end room with the addition of longtime Panthers TE Ian Thomas.Yahoo Sports - 5h -
Bengals show more pre-draft interest in notable name
More updates on the Bengals working ahead of the 2025 NFL draft.Yahoo Sports - 13h
More in Sports
-
From Cooper Flagg to Derik Queen: Montverde Academy impacting men's NCAA tournament
Last year's Montverde Academy starting five helped their respective teams reach the NCAA tournament this past weekend.ESPN - 14m -
NBA owners to discuss potential new European league at board of governors meeting this week, per report
The proposed league would reportedly have eight to 10 teamsCBS Sports - 14m -
Who are the toughest first-round opponents for the Capitals, Jets?
The conference leaders meet Tuesday; what do their postseason paths look like? Plus, full playoff projections.ESPN - 16m -
Tannenbaum’s GM mock draft: A former exec’s own first-round picks for every NFL team
Mike Tannenbaum puts his GM hat on and makes his own first-round selections. See why he's taking Cam Ward and Ashton Jeanty early.ESPN - 16m -
NBA could be headed for 'worst tanking stretch we've ever seen'
Teams are getting really good at tanking. Can the league stop it? Here's what's next for the race to the bottom.ESPN - 20m