Washington Huskies Face Texas Christian Lady Frogs in NCAA Tournament Second Round

FORT WORTH, Texas (Interstat) — A surging seed Washington looks to continue its postseason run against the dominant seed Texas Christian Lady Frogs in a women’s NCAA Division I Tournament second-round game Sunday.

The Huskies (22-10) advanced with a 72-54 victory over South Dakota State on Friday, powered by a career-high 30 points from star guard Avery Howell. Washington has won three of its last four games.

TCU (30-5), the Big 12 regular-season champion, enters having won 10 of its last 11, including an 86-40 rout of UC San Diego in the first round. The Lady Frogs’ lone recent misstep was a 53-62 home loss to West Virginia on March 8.

Howell, averaging 17.2 points per game, is Washington’s engine. She scored 30 points in 33 minutes Friday and has tallied 18 or more in three of her last five contests. Her backcourt mate, Sayvia Sellers, dished out 10 assists in the first-round win.

TCU counters with national player of the year candidate Olivia Miles, who recorded a triple-double (12 points, 16 rebounds, 14 assists) in just 31 minutes on Friday. Miles nearly had a triple-double against Iowa State on Feb. 22 (26 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists) and is a constant threat to fill the stat sheet. She is supported by Taylor Bigby, who scored 27 points against UCSD, and defensive force Clara Silva, who had 13 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks.

The matchup pits Washington’s momentum against TCU’s consistent excellence at home, where the Lady Frogs are 17-1 this season. The Huskies are 7-7 in true road games.

Recent history favors TCU’s balance and defense. In their March 8 loss, they held West Virginia to 62 points but suffered from a rare cold shooting night. In their five losses this season, opponents averaged just 66.2 points, highlighting that TCU typically dictates tempo.

Washington must control the boards and limit turnovers to counteract TCU’s transition game, fueled by Miles’ playmaking. The Huskies’ ability to sustain Howell’s scoring burst against a deeper TCU roster will be critical.

The over/under is set at 126.5 points.

Tip-off is scheduled for approximately 4 p.m. EDT Sunday at Schollmaier Arena. The winner advances to the Sweet 16.