The NCAA women’s basketball tournament kicked off the Sweet 16 round with an anticipated match-up featuring two of the most exciting players in college sports in UConn’s Paige Bueckers and Iowa’s Caitlin Clark.
But it was another player that stole the show in the first half of Saturday’s first Sweet 16 game.
UConn guard Christyn Williams had an impressive first half for the Huskies, where she scored a career-high 18 points in the first half. She shot 8-of-14 from the field, including 2-of-6 from behind the three-point line. That helped give the No. 1 Huskies a 49-35 lead over No. 4 Iowa at halftime.
But Williams’ feat is even more impressive given she had the difficult task of defending one of the best players in college basketball in Clark, who was held to just seven points in the first half.
AND IT'S ONLY THE FIRST HALF. pic.twitter.com/3tZBYAv1Ud
— espnW (@espnW) March 27, 2021
Christyn Williams was ON FIRE in the first half:
🔥 18 Pts
🔥 8-14 FG pic.twitter.com/eYAyv6DZsr— ESPN (@espn) March 27, 2021
The winner of this Sweet 16 game will advance to the Elite 8, where they’ll face the winner of No. 2 Baylor and No. 6 Michigan.