The final day of the first weekend of the women’s NCAA Tournament got underway Monday with a clash that saw No. 3 Ohio State edge No. 6 North Carolina in a battle of two schools looking to reach their second straight Sweet 16.
Later, No. 1 seed Indiana and No. 2 seed UConn are in action, hoping to join next weekend’s action. The Huskies will take on Baylor in a rematch of the 2021 Elite Eight.
The Athletic has you covered with takeaways from the biggest games of the day:
Buckeyes hold off North Carolina’s upset bid, Deja Kelly injured but returns
Ohio State is going back to the Sweet 16 after holding off North Carolina’s upset bid.
The game didn’t end without some drama, though. With 6:59 to play in the game and Ohio State leading by 12 points, North Carolina star Deja Kelly went down with a knee injury after running into an Ohio state screen. She was carried off the floor, but the Tar Heels rallied with their star in the locker room, taking a one-point lead with two minutes to play. Kelly, who finished with 22 points, returned with 2:22 left to play and made her biggest shot of the night, tying the game with nine seconds left.
Ohio State’s answer to Kelly’s shot came from guard Jacy Sheldon, who made a runner in the lane to give Ohio State the 77-69 lead with 1.8…
