:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70654968/usa_today_17925251.0.jpg)
The 2022 Women’s NCAA tournament rolls on as the Sweet Sixteen begins to shape up. No. 1 Louisville was able to maintain their lead throughout the game and earned a 68-59 win over No. 9 Gonzaga. Meanwhile, No. 4 Tennessee barely survived on its home court against No. 12 Belmont. The Lady Vols needed a crucial 3-pointer in the final minute in order to advance.
Once the odds from DraftKings Sportsbook are made available for this game, we’ll add that information below. We’ll also add the game time and TV channel once it’s settled.
Game date: Saturday, March 26
Game time: 4 p.m. ET
TV channel: ESPN2
Location: Intrust Bank Arena, Wichita, Kansas
Odds: Louisville -7.5, Total 131.5
No. 1 Louisville 27-4 (16-2 ACC) At-Large
First Round: Defeated No. 16 UAlbany 83-51
Second Round: Defeated No. 9 Gonzaga 68-59
Her Hoops Stats ratings: 5 Overall, 8 Offense, 7 Defense
Leading scorer: Guard Hailey Van Lith, 13.8 ppg
Key stat of tournament: Louisville had an average margin of victory of 17.6 points in the regular season.
Louisville did just enough to get the second round win over Gonzaga. They took a four-point lead into half time and ended up winning by nine. Hailey Van Lith dropped 21 points and added six rebounds and two assists to her stat line. The Cardinals had four players finish with double-digit scoring and forward Emily Engstler had a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
No. 4 Tennessee 25-8 (11-5 SEC)
First Round: Defeated No. 13 Buffalo 80-67
Second Round: Defeated No. 12 Belmont 70-67
Her Hoops Stats ratings: 24 Overall, 43 Offense, 10 Defense
Leading scorer: Jordan Horston, 16.2 ppg
Key stat of tournament: The Lady Vols are on to the Sweet 16 despite missing Horston, who hasn’t played since mid-February and is out indefinitely after suffering a dislocated elbow.
Tennessee and Belmont, two universities separated by a three-hour drive, engaged in a thrilling battle Monday in Knoxville. The Bruins fought back from a 14-point, third-quarter deficit and held a two-point lead with less than a minute to play. But freshman guard Sara Puckett came through for the Lady Vols, nailing a 3-pointer out of the corner with 20 seconds left to give Tennessee a lead it would not relinquish. Puckett had 12 points, and senior forward Alexus Dye scored a team-high 20.