UW Huskies Women's Basketball Stunned by TCU in OT Thriller

SEATTLE — The Washington Huskies women's basketball team saw their NCAA Tournament run cut short Sunday in a heart-pounding 62-59 overtime loss to No. 3 seed TCU Horned Frogs in the Round of 32 at Schollmaier Arena in Fort Worth, Texas. The No. 6-seeded Huskies, who earned their 20th NCAA bid and highest seed since 2017, advanced with a commanding 72-54 first-round victory over 11th-seeded South Dakota State on March 20.

Avery Howell powered Washington (22-10) with 30 points and nine rebounds in the opener, including a crucial second-quarter 3-pointer that sparked a lead they never relinquished against South Dakota State. The win marked UW's first NCAA women's tournament victory since 2017 and second straight appearance, a resurgence for the Big Ten program that plays home games at Seattle's Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion.

Against TCU, the Huskies battled fiercely but couldn't overcome Olivia Miles' standout 18 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists in the overtime defeat. Washington's 21 all-time NCAA appearances now stand at 22-22 record, reflecting a program with deep tournament history but elusive deeper runs. Fans in the Pacific Northwest celebrated the gritty effort from the 12th-place Big Ten finishers.