Huskies Women Dominate Jackrabbits to Win NCAA Tournament Opener

There would be no first-round meltdown this year.

A year after blowing a 13-point halftime lead for a quick NCAA Tournament exit, the Washington women’s basketball team overcame a slow start to overwhelm South Dakota State, 72-54, in the first round Saturday at TCU’s Schollmaier Arena.

One key ingredient to Washington’s first-round win this season was sophomore Avery Howell, who helped USC reach the Final Four last year. Howell, a 6-foot sophomore, led the Huskies (22-10) with 30 points and nine rebounds. Her seven made 3-point shots and Washington’s tenacious defense carried the sixth-seeded Huskies to the second round, where they will face No. 3-seed TCU on Sunday.