NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament 2017: Friday Sweet 16 Scores, Updated Bracket

The 2017 NCAA women's tournament kicked off the Sweet 16 on Friday night with regional semifinals in the Oklahoma City and Lexington sections of the bracket. Baylor and Notre Dame, two of the top threats to dominant Connecticut, headlined the action.

Although the undefeated Huskies have retained their favorite status, they aren't a lock to take home this year's title. That's in large part due to the strong performances by the Lady Bears and Fighting Irish, but they needed to survive their Sweet 16 tests to keep their championship hopes alive.

Let's check out the full list of games on Friday's schedule, which will get updated through the conclusion of play. That's followed by a recap of the day's play. For an updated look at the tournament bracket, visit the NCAA's official website. 

Friday's Schedule and Results

Region	Matchup	Time (ET)/Result	TV
Lexington	(5) Ohio State vs. (1) Notre Dame	99-76 ND	ESPN
Oklahoma City	(3) Washington vs. (2) Mississippi State	75-64 MISS ST.	ESPN2
Lexington	(3) Texas vs. (2) Stanford	77-66 STAN	ESPN
Oklahoma City	(4) Louisville vs. (1) Baylor	97-63 BAY	ESPN2

Notre Dame 99, Ohio State 76

The Fighting Irish trailed by one after the first quarter but convincingly won the next three to score an impressive 23-point victory over the Buckeyes.

Arike Ogunbowale led the way with 32 points and nine rebounds. Lindsay Allen added a double-double with 16 points and 10 assists, while Erin Boley chipped in 14 points as six Notre Dame players, including all five starters, reached double figures in scoring.

Kelsey Mitchell paced Ohio State with 18 points and six dimes. Shayla Cooper also had a strong outing with nine points, 13 rebounds and four assists. The Buckeyes sputtered on offense after a strong opening quarter, however, as they shot just 42.3 percent in the contest.

Notre Dame, which shot 50 percent from three-point range and 95 percent from the charity stripe, advances to face the winner of the clash between Texas and Stanford in the regional final. The Irish should be a small favorite in either case.

Mississippi State 75, Washington 64

The Bulldogs outscored the Huskies 27-14 in the fourth quarter to survive a topsy-turvy battle and punch their ticket to the Elite eight.

Teaira McCowan was a force in the paint as she tallied 26 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks to lead Mississippi State at both ends of the floor. Victoria Vivians provided a spark off the bench with 13 points off the bench despite missing all seven of her three-point attempts in the victory.

The loss ends the remarkable collegiate career of Washington's Kelsey Plum. The all-time leading scorer in Division I women's college basketball history ended on a high note, at least individually, as she racked up 29 points, five boards and five assists.

Mississippi State got by the Huskies without having a good night for the field. If the Bulldogs play Baylor in the next round as expected, they could put together a serious upset bid if they can find their shooting stroke and McCowan continues to command the post.

Stanford 77, Texas 66

The Cardinal stormed back from a seven-point halftime deficit thanks to a terrific defensive effort to earn their spot in the Elite Eight with an double-digit victory over the Longhorns.

Erica McCall was the stalwart Stanford needed as it struggled through most of the first half, finishing with 23 points and 12 rebounds. Karlie Samuelson had a well-rounded night with 15 points, five boards and five assists, while Alanna Smith had 10 points and grabbed seven rebounds.

Ariel Atkins paced the Texas offense with 18 points. Kelsey Lang couldn't find a rhythm offensively, but still made an impact with 12 boards, four assists and four blocks. Alas, the team as a whole shot just 40 percent from the field and 66.7 from the free-throw line.

All told, it was a solid effort from the Cardinal. But they won't be able to afford another sluggish first half when they take on Notre Dame in the next round Sunday afternoon.

Baylor 97, Louisville 63

As expected, the Lady Bears jumped out to an early lead with a 25-9 first quarter and were on cruise control to the finish line against an overmatched Cardinals squad.

Nina Davis made 10 of her 15 points en route to a team-high 21 points for Baylor. Beatrice Mompremier (14 points and 13 rebounds) and Kalani Brown (12 points and 12 rebounds) both put together double-double performances in the lopsided win.

Asia Durr (21 points) made five threes for Louisville as the team's only shining star in a game where it shot just 30 percent from the field. The Cards simply had no answer for the Lady Bears' size and athleticism at either end of the floor.

Both teams still have work to do, but a potential meeting between UConn and Baylor in the Final Four is setting up to become a titanic encounter.