KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Oklahoma withstood early adversity, composed itself and took control with balance, hustle and grit.
In a game that mirrored their season, the Sooners pulled through. Now they’re going back to the Final Four.
Nyeshia Stevenson scored 31 points and Oklahoma blew past fourth-seeded Kentucky 88-68 on Tuesday night to earn its second straight trip to the Final Four.
Amanda Thompson added 17 points and 14 rebounds for the third-seeded Sooners (27-10), who’ll face Stanford on Sunday in San Antonio.
The Wildcats stormed out to a 17-4 lead, only to watch as the Sooners rallied to go ahead 43-39 by halftime. Oklahoma opened the second half with a 15-5 run, then scored 11 straight points to jump ahead 69-50 with 6:30 left.
Victoria Dunlap had 31 points and 12 rebounds to lead Kentucky (28-8), which was seeking its first trip to the Final Four. The Wildcats stunned top-seeded Nebraska to reach their first regional final since 1982, but they couldn’t complete the Big 12 sweep in Kansas City.
After a brutal start, the second half belonged to OU.
“Well, I don’t know what that was for the first five minutes. These kids have fought back all year. It’s sort of their identity,” Oklahoma coach Sherri Coale said.
Stevenson — who finished one point shy of a career high — followed a 3-pointer with a transition layup to give Oklahoma its first double-digit lead, 54-44. Danielle Robinson then hit a layup, and Thompson’s open jumper put the Sooners ahead by 14.
Kentucky scored six quick points, but that would be about it for the Wildcats.
“Nyeshia’s performance tonight was unbelievable,” Coale said.
Oklahoma responded with a series of knockout blows, as Jasmine Hartman’s steal and layup put Oklahoma back ahead 64-50 with 7:41 left.
UConn 90, Florida State 50
DAYTON, Ohio — Maya Moore scored 22 points to lead Connecticut past Florida State, sending the defending champions back to the Final Four and stretching their unprecedented win streak to 76 games.
“It’s the time of the year when you want to play your best,” said Moore, selected as the regional’s most outstanding player. “We’re on a roll right now. We’re confident.”
Tina Charles controlled the paint with 20 points and 14 rebounds for the Huskies (37-0), who advanced to their eighth Final Four since 2000. They will meet Baylor in the semifinals Sunday night.
The 40-point victory was the largest margin ever in a regional final.
Jacinta Monroe had 15 points for the Seminoles (29-6), who set a school record for victories while going deeper in the NCAA Tournament than any Florida State team.
Kalana Greene added 15 points for Connecticut.
