University of Washington
Pennsylvania
Dawgs Top Penn To Advance In NCAA Tourney
March 19, 2016 | Women's Basketball
Box Score | Plum ESPN Interview | UW Quotes | Penn Quotes | Photo Gallery | Tourney Central
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Washington is still alive in the NCAA Tournament, beating Pennsylvania in the First Round, 65-53. The Dawgs used a big fourth quarter to pull away and advance to face Maryland in the Second Round.
The win was the first in the NCAA Tournament for Washington since 2006 when they beat Minnesota in the First Round. It was the 16th NCAA win in program history as the Dawgs are now 16-18 all-time.
Kelsey Plum led all scorers with 24 points, adding seven assists against just one turnover. Talia Walton added 18 points, while Alexus Atchley had 11, making 3-4 from 3-point range. Chantel Osahor pulled down 10 rebounds, while Katie Collier had eight and Atchley a career-best seven as the Dawgs won the battle on the glass, 40-38.
The Huskies shot just 37.9 percent for the game, but used a 23-point fourth quarter to pull away from the 10th-seeded Quakers who led by one at the half.
The Huskies got off to a slow start, shooting just 3-18 in the first quarter. Plum had the lone 3-pointer as Washington opened 1-5 from beyond the arc. The Dawgs trailed 13-7 after a Walton basket was waived off for being just after the buzzer to end the period.
Walton wasted no time to start the second quarter, draining a 3-ball to jumpstart a 10-0 run and give the Dawgs their first lead. Atchley knocked down a corner 3-pointer on a pass from Walton and Plum scored in transition as UW went up 17-13 just 2:40 into the period.
The Quakers responded to twice tie it and then retook the lead on a 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer. Penn led 25-24 at the break as Plum led all scorers with 11 points, while Walton added eight.
The two teams went back and forth to start the third quarter with four ties and nine lead changes. The Huskies finished strong when Plum found Walton in the corner for a 3-pointer with just seconds remaining. Walton drained it to give the Dawgs a 42-40 lead going to the fourth, a lead they would not relinquish.
The Dawgs opened the fourth with four-straight points from Plum and then after a Penn 3-pointer, used an 8-0 run to go up double digits. Atchley and Walton knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers, before Plum scored in transition to give the Dawgs breathing room.
Penn would fight back and cut the lead to six, but the Dawgs responded again with a 3-pointer from Atchley to ice the game with 1:19 remaining.
The Huskies finished 7-25 from 3-point range, but made 5-13 in the second half. They also forced 17 Penn turnovers, while only giving it away six times. Walton and Collier each had three steals, while Collier also added three blocked shots.
The Dawgs now advance to face No. 2 seed Maryland in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament. The Terrapins are 32-3 on the season and defeated 15th-seeded Iona in the First Round. The game will be Monday at 3:30 p.m., PT, on Maryland's home floor.
