UConn reaches 13th straight Final Four, beating Baylor 69-67

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Paige Bueckers scored 28 points and top seed UConn used a huge run spanning the final two quarters to beat No. 2 Baylor 69-67 on Monday night and reach a 13th consecutive Final Four in the women’s NCAA Tournament.

UConn has made the national semifinals every season since 2008 and won six titles during that span. The Huskies await the winner of Arizona and Indiana on Friday night. Neither of those teams has played in a Final Four.

It took a last-second stop to keep that streak going.

The Huskies (28-1) trailed 55-45 late in the third quarter before scoring 19 consecutive points, including 10 by the freshman phenom Bueckers, who became the third first-year player to make first-team All-America.

Baylor (28-3) wouldn’t go away as Bueckers went cold in the final minutes. Trailing 64-55, NaLyssa Smith, an All-American herself, ended the Lady Bears’ drought with 6:47 left and sparked a 12-4 burst that got Baylor within one after Dijonai Carrington converted two free throws with 19.3 seconds left.

After a timeout, Baylor fouled Christyn Williams, who missed both free throws to give the Lady Bears one last chance.

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1of15UConn guard Paige Bueckers, center, drives to the basket between Baylor defenders Queen Egbo (25) and DiJonai Carrington (21) during the first half of a college basketball game in the Elite Eight round of the women’s NCAA tournament at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Monday, March 29, 2021.Eric Gay/APShow MoreShow Less 2of15UConn forward Aubrey Griffin (44) and Baylor guard DiJonai Carrington (21) chase a loose ball during the first half of a college basketball game in the Elite Eight round of the women’s NCAA tournament at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Monday, March 29, 2021.Eric Gay/APShow MoreShow Less 3of15 4of15UConn forward Aubrey Griffin (44) and Baylor forward NaLyssa Smith (1) chase a rebound during the first half of a college basketball game in the Elite Eight round of the women’s NCAA tournament at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Monday, March 29, 2021.Eric Gay/APShow MoreShow Less 5of15UConn’s Aubrey Griffin saves the ball in front of Baylor’s DiJonai Carrington during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the Elite Eight round of the Women’s NCAA tournament Monday, March 29, 2021, at the Alamodome in San Antonio.Morry Gash/APShow MoreShow Less 6of15 7of15Baylor’s DiJonai Carrington draws a charge on UConn’s Olivia Nelson-Ododa during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the Elite Eight round of the Women’s NCAA tournament Monday, March 29, 2021, at the Alamodome in San Antonio.Morry Gash/APShow MoreShow Less 8of15Baylor’s DiJonai Carrington blocks a shot by UConn’s Christyn Williams during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the Elite Eight round of the Women’s NCAA tournament Monday, March 29, 2021, at the Alamodome in San Antonio.Morry Gash/APShow MoreShow Less 9of15 10of15Baylor’s DiJonai Carrington saves a ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against UConn in the Elite Eight round of the Women’s NCAA tournament Monday, March 29, 2021, at the Alamodome in San Antonio.Morry Gash/APShow MoreShow Less 11of15Baylor’s DiJonai Carrington shoots during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Baylor in the Elite Eight round of the Women’s NCAA tournament Monday, March 29, 2021, at the Alamodome in San Antonio.Morry Gash/APShow MoreShow Less 12of15 13of15Baylor guard DiJonai Carrington (21) drives around UConn guard Christyn Williams (13) during the first half of a college basketball game in the Elite Eight round of the women’s NCAA tournament at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Monday, March 29, 2021.Eric Gay/APShow MoreShow Less 14of15Baylor’s DiJonai Carrington shoots during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against UConn in the Elite Eight round of the Women’s NCAA tournament Monday, March 29, 2021, at the Alamodome in San Antonio.Morry Gash/APShow MoreShow Less 15of15

Carrington, who finished with 22 points, drove the lane to the left and missed a contested jumper from the baseline. Williams corralled the rebound and was fouled with 0.8 seconds left. She hit one of the free throws before Bueckers stole the inbounds pass at the buzzer.

No one has played UConn tougher over the last decade than Baylor, with each team winning four of the matchups. The Lady Bears (28-3) had won the previous two, including a 74-58 win at Connecticut in January of 2020.

They were supposed to meet this past January, but Baylor coach Kim Mulkey came down with COVID-19 around Christmas and the game was canceled.

The game got off to a fast start for UConn, which jumped out to a 16-4 lead behind Bueckers. But Baylor was just getting going. The Lady Bears closed the action-packed first quarter with a 20-10 run and trailed 26-24 after one.

The offense slowed down in the second quarter. There were 11 blocks combined in the first half, including seven by Baylor, which led 39-37 at the break.

Carrington provided a huge spark off the bench, scoring 14 points to go along with two steals and a block in the opening 20 minutes.

Baylor went on a 10-2 run in the third quarter to push ahead 55-45. Then UConn took over, scoring the final eight points of the period. Williams and Bueckers highlighted an 8-0 spurt that made it a two-point game heading into the fourth quarter.

STILL SIDELINED

UConn starting guard Nika Muhl missed her third straight game with a sprained right ankle she suffered in the team’s opening-round win over High Point.

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