"We beat the greatest team with the greatest streak in the history of sports". Gone is the college basketball record 111-game win streak and run of four consecutive national championships.
The Bulldogs entered the game knowing they needed to survive the first quarter and get to the fourth quarter with the game within reach.
Mississippi State's Morgan Williams, the shortest player on the floor, popped in the lane, lost her defender and dropped a shot in the basket as time ran out to give the Bulldogs perhaps the greatest upset in NCAA history and perhaps also in the entire history of women's basketball.
Mississippi State center Teaira McCowan (15) celebrates the team's win over CT in an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the women's Final Four, Saturday, April 1, 2017, in Dallas.
"I'm still in shock", William said. "I'm proud of your courage, your strength, your grace, your beauty, your talent, your coaching staff, your fans - all of it". I can't thank them enough because I can't be playing the way I'm playing without them.
"They are going to be who they are-they are going to pressure the ball, they will disrupt, they will get the ball inside, and they have a point guard that manages the game extremely well", Staley said. "I'm just shocked it took this long to get here".
Saniya Chong is the only player in the regular rotation graduating.
"They won 36", Auriemma said.
"The level of excellence at UConn is off the charts", Michigan State coach Suzy Merchant said. Southeastern Conference teams playing for the national championship. OK, only problem was it was seven seconds too early. At first, she played because of her height.
It sent Mississippi State into a frenzied celebration of its NCAA Tournament semifinal victory. Just search Twitter for the USC baseball team and how it reacted to the win. "They play the way we like to play".
"You got one more", she notes.
Not only was Connecitcut the four-time defending champs, but the last time they lost a game was Novermber, 2014. The Bulldogs led 15-13 before scoring 14 straight points to go up 29-13. Yeah. And, you know, it's a high bar the women set last night, but I think there will be some excitement today. Mississippi State responded with the next four points for a 60-59 lead after a 3-pointer by Vivians with 64 seconds left. But before then, they clashed in the SEC final on March 5, which was a close game until the Gamecocks took over in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Bulldogs 19-4.
"I'm just in disbelief", Williams said.
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His footwork against the spinners was as usual assured and, facing short balls, he kept himself out of harm's way. Were it indeed boxing, by now you would expect them to be resting against each other in a clinch position.
"Morgan", Schaefer told her in the huddle, "you can win the game".
So eventually I got back to the gym.
"I'm going to say it's Morgan William", fellow guard Victoria Vivians said.
Vivians would foul out with 3:57 to go on what looked like a sure jump ball.
UConn made both free throws and tied the game with just under 27 seconds to go.
Mississippi State kept UConn from getting out in transition in the first half, but the Huskies came out in the second half looking to push the pace.
At the onset of the second quarter, the Bulldogs bumped their lead to 16 two minutes and 15 seconds in. You won't find a player left in this tournament with more personality than Wilson. Mississippi State had a high-profile cheering section.
SC guard Allisha Gray (10) and teammates celebrate during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Stanford in the semifinals of the women's Final Four, Friday, March 31, 2017, in Dallas. "You walk in the locker room, there's not a lot of jumping around". "I was in a little bit of disbelief".
"Maybe we're just not ready for this". "These kids have a competitive spirit that many people don't know about it".
Neither team scored much in OT with Teaira McCowan's layup with 1:12 left in the extra session breaking a 62-62 tie. "I'm shy, I'm not just like social butterfly", William said Saturday.
"Every point guard is different", said Mississippi State assistant coach Dionnah Jackson-Durrett, who played that position in college at Oklahoma. "You have to envision it, you have to see it, and you have to claim it", she said.
And it should tell all of us that sports is in a truly fantastic streak of Anything Can Happen. "We're going into round three with SC".
The Bulldogs and Gamecocks will square off for the national championship at 6 p.m. Junior forward A'ja Wilson, an Associated Press first-team All-American, added 19 rebounds and 13 points.
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