BRIDGEPORT, Conn. -- Connecticut raced out to a 23-4 lead, forcing Oregon into the kind of mistakes the Ducks had avoided throughout their unexpected tournament run, and earned their 111th consecutive victory 90-52 to advance to their 18th Final Four in program history overall and 10th straight.
“Right from the opening tap, we just had a look and a feel about how we were playing and what we were trying to do,” Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma said following the game. “And I thought our defense was spectacular right from the opening possession and stayed that way pretty much throughout the whole game.”
The Huskies received double figures in scoring by Napheesa Collier, Gabby Williams and Saniya Chong before halftime. At the break, they already had forced 17 Oregon turnovers and led 49-24.
Collier finished with 28 points to lead all scorers. Williams scored 22. Sabrina Ionescu led Oregon with 15.
“We always want to throw the first punch, and it was kind of like we didn’t want to give them any hope,” Williams said. “We were lucky enough to come out to a great start, and I think we executed our game plan really well.”
The 10th-seeded Ducks were simply overmatched. Connecticut’s quickness limited their ability to simply complete entry passes, let alone play the inside-out game that carried them to victories against 2 seed Duke in the second round and 3 seed Maryland in the Sweet 16.
Oregon feasted on the offensive boards throughout the tournament. Connecticut managed to outscore Oregon on second chance points, 21-2.
Connecticut joins South Carolina, Stanford and Mississippi State in the 2017 Final Four, with the national semifinals scheduled for Friday night in Dallas.
