BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — No. 5 North Texas defeated No. 4 Tulsa, 76–73, in the quarterfinals of the 2026 American Women’s Basketball Championship on Thursday afternoon at Legacy Arena at the BJCC in Birmingham, Alabama.
 
With the win, the Mean Green (19–13) advance to face No. 1 Rice in the semifinals on Thursday, March 12, at 7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT on ESPN+. This marks North Texas’ second consecutive appearance in the tournament semifinals.
 
The first quarter was a defensive battle, with the teams combining for 10 steals and 13 forced turnovers. North Texas closed the second quarter on a 16–4 run to take a 33–22 lead into halftime, capped by a Jazzy Owens-Barnett buzzer-beating mid-range jumper.
 
Both offenses surged in the third quarter, shooting a combined 67.8 percent from the field (19-for-28). After trailing by as many as 19 points in the second half, Tulsa mounted a late comeback and had a chance to tie the game on a three-point attempt at the buzzer, but Mady Cartwright’s shot missed, sealing the 76–73 win for North Texas.
 
Andi Schissler led the Mean Green with 18 points, while Owens-Barnett added 14 points and nine assists, narrowly missing a double-double.
 
Tulsa’s Hannah Riddick led all scorers with 26 points on 10-of-20 shooting, and Cartwright contributed 16 points.