TCU matched up with potential Cinderella, Virginia in the Sweet 16. The Frogs' duo of Olivia Miles and Marta Suarez ended the Cavaliers' storybook season in dominant fashion.
TCU women's basketball found itself back in the Sweet 16 for the second straight season. The Horned Frogs took on Virginia, the lone double-digit seed left standing, on Saturday with a chance at another Elite 8.
After needing overtime to fend off Washington in the prior game, TCU fended off the Cavaliers in a 79-69 victory. The Horned Frogs got a big game from their leader Olivia Miles, but another unsung hero stepped up in the team's biggest moments.
Senior forward Marta Suarez made a statement in the win-or-go home affair. She tallied a career-high 33 points, which also led all scorers, and grabbed 10 rebounds. Her heroics helped TCU take control of the game late after a battle throughout the first half.
While Suarez is no slouch, averaging around 17 points per game this season, her nuclear output against the Hoos was unexpected. In the previous two rounds of the tournament, she scored 20 points combined. Despite the unforeseen nature, Suarez showed out and earned one of the most impressive showcases this postseason.
On the other hand, Miles dished out a 28 point, 10 rebound and eight assist effort to go alongside Suarez. It was her highest point total since dropping 40 on Baylor in their Feb. 12 meeting. Without the magic of Suarez, it easily could have been one the best performances of the tournament. Regardless, the Big 12 Player of the Year continued to show up in March for her team.
So far in the NCAA Tournament, she tallied a triple-double in the opener against UC San Diego and then followed it up with a game-high 18 points in the thriller with the Huskies.
The duo nearly outscored Virginia by themselves, tallying 61 points on the night. While that may not be the most sustainable form of basketball, it got TCU the win in an unforgettable fashion.
Following the pair's all-time showing, the Horned Frogs punched their ticket back to the Elite 8. It has been almost a carbon copy of last season's breakout run from TCU.
However, this year's squad is hoping the ending isn't the same. Last year's team, led by Hailey Van Lith, also got into the round of 8 before getting ousted by top-seeded Texas.
This year it's 3-seed TCU staring down 1-seed South Carolina. The Gamecocks are powerhouses year-in and year-out and came one game short of another national title last season. They ripped through the region to set up a date with the Horned Frogs on their revenge tour.
The Horned Frogs will most likely enter the game as heavy underdogs looking for the elusive Final Four bid. If Suarez's monster game is any indication, outside expectations will mean very little to TCU in the biggest game of their season.
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