Miami continues historic program run with upset over Villanova
The Miami Hurricanes women's basketball team completed another improbable upset victory Friday, taking down No. 4 Villanova, 70-65.
The upset paved the way for Miami to make its first Elite Eight appearance in program history.
"I can't believe it," Miami head coach Katie Meier said, via the Associated Press (h/t ESPN). "I'm not going to act cool. This is awesome."
Although they didn't completely stop her, the Hurricanes limited Villanova forward Maddy Siegrist to 8-of-29 from the field. She still managed to pour on 31 points after she hit 14 of her 15 free-throw attempts while pulling down 13 boards for the Wildcats.
Hurricanes star Jasmyne Roberts scored a team-high 26 points with nine rebounds off 10-of-16 from the field and a perfect 6-of-6 from the charity stripe.
That included a three-point play to put Miami ahead.
Miami took down No. 1 seed Indiana the game before. A made jump shot from forward Destiny Harden with three seconds remaining sealed the upset victory over a team with a projected first-round pick in guard Grace Berger and an Associated Press All-American in forward Mackenzie Holmes.
Miami's wins highlight just how memorable the Madness of March can be.
From the Cinderella stories of Fairleigh Dickinson and Florida Atlantic to a redemption season for the Miami women's basketball program, the storylines that drive college sports were all but amplified the moment the first powerhouses fell in both postseason tournaments. With college superstars like Caitlin Clark of Iowa and LSU's Angel Reese dominating in the tournament, the toughness of a Miami squad that overcame the odds in three games by a combined difference of eight points provided memorable tournament experiences that may not be rivaled for a long time.
"I am just so grateful for the toughness of my team," said Meier, via the Miami Herald. "They really are super women, good-hearted, wonderful people. "But if you're gonna come after us, they're gonna rise up. We got a spine. I have their back, and (the early-season controversy meant) they have mine. We deserve to be here."
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