Women's basketball falls to No. 5 UW-Oshkosh in Sweet 16

Bears' tournament run ends in regional semifinal loss

Mar. 17, 2026 at 9:18am

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After winning their first tournament games since 2019 in the first two rounds, the Bears were eliminated by the regional top-seeded University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh 64-43 on March 13. While the Bears failed to win the national title, simply qualifying for and advancing in the tournament was a success for WashU.

Why it matters

The Bears' tournament run, despite the loss, marks a return to the national stage for the women's basketball program after a few down years. The team's young core is poised for continued success in the coming seasons.

The details

Throughout the contest, both teams played a largely defensive game. The Bears got off to an early lead with a slow Oshkosh start, but the Titans flipped the script by halftime, doubling the Bears' point total. Oshkosh took command in the second half, outscoring the Bears 11-2 in the last five minutes of the third quarter to solidify their advantage. The Titans held WashU to just 10 points in the final quarter.

  • On March 13, the Bears were eliminated by the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh 64-43 in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
  • In the 2024-25 season, the WashU women's basketball team's year ended with a defeat to the University of Chicago.
  • In the 2025-26 campaign, the Bears exceeded preseason expectations and returned to the NCAA Tournament.

The players

Lexy Harris

A junior center who led the team in points in the loss to Oshkosh.

Jordan Rich

A senior forward who spoke in a press conference after the game.

Lisa Stone

The head coach of the WashU women's basketball team.

Amelia Rosin

A junior forward who led the team in rebounds with 8.

Sidney Rogers

A junior guard who scored 9 points in the loss.

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What they’re saying

“I love this team. From my first year to this year, they committed to changing the culture. They worked on it through the summer, through Zoom calls, team building, and mental toughness. They met the moment.”

— Lisa Stone, Head Coach (studlife.com)

“In the first half, we played a really good defensive game. Especially in the first quarter, we held the floor. Our approach at halftime was to try and get back the lead, but every time we were scoring, they were coming right back in.”

— Jordan Rich, Senior Forward (studlife.com)

“Oshkosh is a very, very good team. They're really solid, and they made it hard for us to score.”

— Lisa Stone, Head Coach (studlife.com)

“We know our capabilities now that we've made it this far. So I think that next year, we're not only going to make it back to the Sweet 16, but we're going to advance past this [round].”

— Lexy Harris, Junior Center (studlife.com)

What’s next

The Bears, with a roster primarily constructed of juniors, are poised to come back stronger next season. Harris, Rogers, Rosin, and junior guards Alyssa Hughes, Sydney Starks, and Catherine Goodwin will return, and WashU will look for an increase in production from sophomores like guard Ava Blagojevich.

The takeaway

The Bears' tournament run, despite the loss, marks a return to the national stage for the women's basketball program after a few down years. The team's young core is poised for continued success in the coming seasons, and the experience gained this year will be invaluable as they look to advance further in the tournament next year.