UConn routes Oklahoma to cruise into Elite 8

Paige Bueckers exploded for 29 of her career-high 40 points in the second half as No. 2-seeded UConn dominated the final 20 minutes to blow out No. 3 Oklahoma 82-59 in Saturday's Spokane Region 1 Sweet 16 matchup in Spokane, Wash.

Bueckers' 40 points also set the UConn program record for the most in an NCAA Tournament game.

The Huskies (34-3) went on a 16-4 run coming out of intermission, flipping a four-point deficit into an eight-point lead in less than five minutes. Bueckers bookended the spurt with a pair of jump shots, including a 3-pointer right out of the break that was set up by a Jana El Alfy offensive board and Azzi Fudd assist.

The rebound was one of nine for El Alfy, and Fudd's assist was one of five. Bueckers, meanwhile, kick-started a stellar second half for herself.

She shot 12-of-16 from the floor after halftime, including 5-of-6 from 3-point distance. Bueckers finished 6-of-8 from long range for the game and 16-of-27 from the field overall.

The All-American also grabbed six rebounds, swiped three steals and blocked a pair of shots. Bueckers' new career-high comes one game after she matched her previous personal best of 34 points in UConn's second-round win over South Dakota State.

Oklahoma (27-8) -- which built its first-half lead successfully playing from inside-out, scoring 18 points in the paint by halftime then getting nine of Payton Verhulst's 13 first-half points on 3-pointers -- had no answers in the second 20 minutes.

The Sooners shot just 7-of-28 in the second half and committed 10 turnovers that UConn turned into 10 points.

After coughing up nine first-half turnovers, the Huskies committed only one turnover in the second half.

Ashlynn Shade had 12 points for UConn, Fudd added 10 points and Sarah Strong recorded an 11-point, 11-rebound double-double despite shooting only 4-of-13 from the floor.

Verhulst led Oklahoma with 16 points, while Raegan Beers recorded a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double.

The win sends UConn to a third straight Elite Eight, where the Huskies face the winner of No. 1 Southern California and No. 5 Kansas State. A dream matchup between Bueckers and fellow Player of the Year candidate JuJu Watkins of USC is not to be, however, after Watkins sustained a season-ending knee injury in the second round against Mississippi State.

--Field Level Media