UConn Huskies survive in 2OT to beat NC State, make 14th consecutive Final Four

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — The UConn’s women’s basketball team saw its streak of consecutive Final Four appearances extended to 14 Monday night, as the No. 2 seed Huskies defeated No. 1 seed NC State 91-87 in a double-overtime instant classic in the Bridgeport Regional final.

It was the first double-overtime game in the Elite Eight or later in the history of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. The game featured nine ties and 13 lead changes by the time the final buzzer sounded.

“It’s one of the best games I’ve ever been a part of since I’ve been at UConn,” said UConn coach Geno Auriemma, who has guided the Huskies to 22 Final Fours overall. “It was just amazing the way the 10 kids that are on the court are playing for their lives. Nobody wants to lose, and everybody is making big play after big play, and nobody backed down from the moment. It’s a shame one of us had to lose, right? It would be great if both of us could go.”

The Huskies will face No. 1 seed Stanford on Friday at 9:30 p.m. ET in Minneapolis.

UConn’s Paige Bueckers, who missed 19 games earlier this season due to a knee injury, looked like her reigning national player of the year self with 27 points on 10-of-15 shooting from the field. After scoring just four points in the first half, she took over offensively after the break, making her next eight shots from the field across the third and fourth quarters and both overtimes (shooting 8 for 9 in all), as well as going a perfect 6 for 6 from the free throw line.

“Two days ago I said, ‘Win or go home,’ but we won and I’m still going home,” said Bueckers, who grew up 10 miles outside the site of the Final Four. “This is…