South Dakota State took a 13-3 lead in the first five minutes, but the game was tied at 15 when Howell hit a 3-pointer with 50 seconds left in the first quarter. Howell hit another 3-pointer just 55 seconds into the second quarter to break that tie and put Washington (22-10) ahead to stay.
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Howell, the transfer from Southern Cal who as a freshman last season was part of the Trojan’s run to the Elite Eight, finished with seven 3-pointers.
Brynn McGaughy added 14 points in 18 minutes for the sixth-seeded Huskies, whose last NCAA tournament victory came on their way to the Sweet 16 nine years ago. They lost a First Four game to Columbia last season in what had been their only appearance since.
Brooklyn Meyer scored 29 points and seven rebounds for South Dakota State (27-7), which had its 10-game winning streak snapped. Emilee Fox scored 14 points.
The Jackrabbits finished their 15th consecutive 20-win season, matching schools like No. 1 overall UConn, Baylor, Louisville and South Carolina with that kind of active streak.
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On Sunday, the Huskies will play host and third-seeded TCU (30-5), an Elite Eight team last season that has won 43 straight home games dating back to February 2023. The Horned Frogs beat UC San Diego 86-40 in their first-round game on Friday.
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AP March Madness Bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and Coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness