How many people watched Ohio State beat UConn in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament?
Even while its season ended against Virginia Tech in the Elite Eight, Ohio State helped make women's basketball history.
The Buckeyes' 73-61 win against Connecticut marked the most-viewed Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament game in women's basketball history, amounting to 2.4 million viewers per ESPN.
2023 #MarchMadness #NCAAWBB Sweet 16 viewership up 73% YOY
🏀 1.2M viewers
🏀 @OhioStateWBB-@UConnWBB: ESPN platforms most-viewed Sweet 16 game on record
🏀 @UCLAWBB-@GamecockWBB: ESPN platforms 2nd most-viewed Sweet 16 game on record
🏀 3.5B mins consumed thru Sweet 16 pic.twitter.com/j7GtYh4c8z— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) March 28, 2023
Sweet 16 viewership was up 73%, according to ESPN, with the matchup between South Carolina and UCLA marking the second-most watched regional semifinal in NCAA Tournament history with 1.8 million viewers.
Who will return for Ohio State? Which Ohio State women's basketball players will be back for the 2023-24 season?
Taylor Mikesell ends Ohio State career: 'Meant everything to me': Taylor Mikesell's Ohio State career ends in Elite Eight
Through eight games, an average of 1.2 million viewers tuned into eight NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 games, while women's basketball viewers consumed 3.5 billion minutes of game action: the most on record.
Ohio State's win against UConn snapped the Huskies' streak of 14-straight Final Four appearances.
2023 #MarchMadness #NCAAWBB Elite Eight viewership up 43% YOY
🏀 2.2M viewers
🏀 @LouisvilleWBB-@IowaWBB: ESPN's most-viewed Elite Eight game on record
🏀 Tournament-to-date viewership up 42% YOY
🏀 4.7B mins consumed thru Elite Eight pic.twitter.com/epj3GzZ97I— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) March 28, 2023
The Buckeyes' loss to Virginia Tech in the Elite Eight was one of four games to have an average of 2.2 million viewers for the most in NCAA Tournament history.
Get more Ohio State basketball news by listening to our podcasts
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State vs. UConn sets NCAA women's basketball tournament record
