The first two tickets were punched to the Final Four: UConn extended its record run to 13 straight appearances, and Arizona punched the program’s first-ever trip.

Top-seed UConn edged No. 2 Baylor 69-67 in both controversial and dramatic fashion. In the final seconds of the game with a one-point Husky lead, Baylor’s Dijonai Carrington drove the lane and was met at the left block by UConn’s Olivia Nelson-Ododa and Aaliyah Edwards. The senior guard put up a contested layup and wanted a foul, which was not called.

“I, personally, don’t see it as a controversial call,” Carrington said, according to Yahoo. “I’ve already seen the replay, and one girl fouled me in my face, and one girl found me on my arm.”

The Bears were starting to pull away from the Huskies in the third quarter when DiDi Richards, reigning national defensive player of year, went down with a hamstring injury. That sparked a 19-0 run for UConn, including 10 points from freshman sensation Paige Bueckers.

During the run that span from the two-minute mark of the third quarter to the 6:50 mark of the fourth, UConn went 7-of-8 from the floor, including 3-3 from beyond the 3-point line. By contrast, Baylor was 0-for-5 from the field with five turnovers, according to ESPN.

“We tried to stay together and play our basketball, no matter if we’re up 20 or down 20 or if it’s tied with 20 seconds to go,” Bueckers said. “Getting a tough win like that against one of the best teams in the country is so rewarding just to hear that final buzzer go off in the end and you make it to the Final Four. It’s really unexplainable the feeling that you get from it. It’s like a dream come true.”

Bueckers notched a game-high 28 points on 10-for-22 shooting and 3-of-7 from deep. Christyn Williams registered 21 points and seven rebounds.

Carrington led the way for the Bears with 22 points and seven boards off the bench. NaLyssa Smith tallied 14 points and 13 rebounds.

In the second game of the night, third-seeded Arizona topped No. 4 Indiana 66-53. After a back-and-forth first three quarters, the Wildcats pulled away down the stretch and outscored the Hoosiers 20-9 in the fourth quarter.

Arizona converted on nine of their 21 3-point attempts, while Indiana failed to hit any of its nine shots from beyond the arc.

Aari McDonald led the way once again with 33 points and 10 rebounds. Trinity Baptiste also tallied a double-double with 12 points and 10 boards.

“Aari played a different role for us,” Arizona head coach Adia Barnes told ESPN’s LaChina Robinson. “I asked her to do everything. She has done everything the whole time she’s been here. And I’m just proud of her. I’m proud of all these young women around her. They fight, and they play for her. It’s just amazing.”

Mackenzie Holmes posted 20 points and eight rebounds for the Hoosiers. Grace Berger scored 15 points as well.

The game featured the two most recent WNIT champions (prior to this year) as Arizona won it in 2019, and Indiana did so in 2018.

UConn and Arizona are scheduled to square off in one national semifinal Friday. The other two spots in the Final Four are set to be secured Tuesday night.