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UConn-NC State most watched Elite Eight game since 2006

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Paige Bueckers scored 15 points in overtime against NC State. (Photo by Khoi Ton/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

A total of 2 million viewers tuned in to watch the matchup between NC State and UConn in the Elite Eight, making it the most-watched Elite Eight game in the NCAA women’s tournament since 2006.

It’s also the most-watched NCAA women’s basketball game of 2022.

The four Elite Eight games this season averaged 1.5 million viewers on ESPN, making the Elite Eight the most-watched round since 2011 and a 29 percent increase over 2021. Monday’s matchup between Michigan and Louisville had similar viewership, posting 1.6 million viewers making it the second-most watched game of the 2022 tournament thus far.

Overall, the NCAA women’s tournament viewership is up 11 percent over 2021.

This year’s tournament has been breaking records all over the board. In addition to higher viewership, the first and second rounds broke a nearly 20-year-old attendance record. All of this comes as the NCAA is reportedly considering a change to the television rights for women’s March Madness, which would have the rights sold as a separate entity from the 28 other sports it’s normally looped in with.

The tournament continues on Friday with the Final Four. South Carolina will take on Louisville at 7 p.m. ET while UConn and Stanford will face off at 9:30 p.m. ET for a spot in the championship game.