Michigan downs Tennessee
Wolverines earn program’s first trip to NCAA Sweet 16
Leigha Brown scored 23 points and Naz Hillmon added 19 to lead No. 6 seed Michigan to a 70-55 win over third-seeded Tennessee on Tuesday in the women’s NCAA Tournament.
The Wolverines had been 0-5 in the second round before pulling off the victory over the Lady Vols.
Leading 18-16 with eight minutes left in the first half, Michigan (16-5) held Tennessee to just one field goal the rest of the second quarter and built a 28-19 halftime lead.
Tennessee (17-8) trailed by 15 heading into the fourth quarter and didn’t get closer than nine.
Hillmon, the Big Ten Player of the Year, also had 15 rebounds.
A trip to the Sweet 16, where the Wolverines will face either Baylor or Virginia Tech in the River Walk Region, was just another first this year. The team started 10-0 for the first time in school history. Michigan was also in the rankings all season for the first time, as well as having Hillmon be the first player to earn Allamerica honors as a second-teamer.
Rennia Davis scored 12 points to lead the Lady Vols, who were playing Michigan for the first time.
Baylor 90, Virginia Tech 48: Moon Ursin and Dijonai Carrington both had 21 points as reigning women’s national champion Baylor advanced to its 12th consecutive NCAA Sweet 16. Queen Egbo had a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds, along with seven blocked shots for the Lady Bears (27-2). Didi Richards had nine assists.
Uconn 83, Syracuse 47:
Paige Bueckers scored 20 points and Aaliyah Edwards added 19 to help No. 1 seed Uconn beat eighth-seeded Syracuse and advance to the Sweet 16 of the women’s NCAA Tournament. Once again the Huskies were missing coach Geno Auriemma, who is recovering from COVID-19. Chris Dailey filled in for the Hall of Fame coach, who celebrated his 67th birthday on Tuesday and could potentially rejoin the team this weekend for its next game. The Uconn players sang “Happy Birthday” to Auriemma earlier Tuesday in a video posted on Twitter.
Iowa 86, Kentucky 72:
Caitlin Clark finished with 35 points on 13-of-21 shooting and six 3-pointers after outscoring Kentucky on her own in the first half, and the Hawkeyes advanced to the Sweet 16. The fifth-seeded Hawkeyes (20-9) scored the game’s first 11 points — with all five starters getting a basket, Clark’s being a 3pointer. They led throughout to advance past the second round for only the third time in their 14 NCAA appearances during coach Lisa Bluder’s 21 seasons.
North Carolina State 79, South Florida 67:
Jakia Brown-turner scored 19 points and top-seeded North Carolina State shrugged off a challenge from No. 8 South Florida with a big third quarter, advancing to the Sweet 16. Jada Boyd added 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Wolfpack (22-2), who reached their third straight regional semifinal and 14th overall.
Georgia Tech 73, West Virginia 56:
Lotta-maj Lahtinen scored 22 points, Lorela Cubaj had 21 points and 12 rebounds, and No. 5 seed Georgia Tech used a big third quarter to beat No. 4 West Virginia. The Yellow Jackets needed a second-half rally in the opening round against Stephen F. Austin — the fourth-largest comeback in tournament history — but had this game well in control with a 17-point lead over the Mountaineers to start the fourth. Lahtinen was 9 of 16 from the field and struck for 17 points in the first half to dig the Yellow Jackets out of an early hole. Georgia Tech (17-8) advanced to the Sweet 16 for the second time in program history and first since 2012.
South Carolina 59, Oregon State 42:
Aliyah Boston scored 19 points and top seed South Carolina dominated after a close first quarter to beat eighth-seeded Oregon State, advancing to its seventh straight Sweet 16. The Gamecocks (24-4) led by a point after one quarter but had built a 12-point lead by halftime and were up 53-29 by the start of the fourth.
Stanford 73, Oklahoma State 62: Haley Jones scored 17 points and Stanford unleashed another barrage of 3-pointers as the overall No. 1 seed in the tournament booked yet another trip to the Sweet 16. The Cardinals made 13 3-pointers after making 15 in their firstround win. All of those against Oklahoma State came in the first three quarters as Stanford built the lead as high as 20.