Eric Gay/AP
It’s over.
UConn’s 111-game winning streak in women’s college basketball has come to an end on a buzzer-beater in an overtime loss to Mississippi State in the national semifinal of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament.
Mississippi State missed a chance to end the game at the end of regulation when they missed a shot at the buzzer. But it turns out that was just the beginning of the craziness.
With just under a minute to go in overtime, UConn was looking to tie the game when they turned the ball over. However, on the pass down low, Katie Lou Samuelson went down hard when it appeared she took a shot to the face or head by Mississippi State’s Dominique Dillingham.
No call was made at the time and the contact was minimal. But after Mississippi State didn’t score on the next trip down the court, the officials reviewed the play and ultimately called a flagrant foul on Mississippi State.
Head coach Vic Schaefer was livid and needed to be restrained.
UConn made both free throws and tied the game with just under 27 seconds to go.
But the controversies weren’t over yet.
Because it was a flagrant foul, UConn got the ball after the free throws. UConn could have run the clock all the way down, but instead Saniya Chong drove to the basket and lost the ball out of bounds with 12 seconds to go. Replays suggested a foul could have been called on Mississippi State but no call was made.
Instead, Mississippi State had the ball with 12 seconds to go in a tie game and a shot to upset the four-time defending champs.
That was all they needed as Morgan William pulled up at the buzzer and sank the 18-footer to win it.
Game over! Streak over!
Not only was Connecitcut the four-time defending champs, but the last time they lost a game was Novermber, 2014. That all comes to end here in the Final Four and it is Mississippi State moving on to the championship game.
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