No Geno, no problem as UConn rolls on
UConn did just fine without coach Geno Auriemma, with Paige Bueckers scoring 24 points to lead the topseeded Huskies to a 102-59 victory over High Point on Sunday night in the first round of the women’s NCAA Tournament.
NCAAW TOURNAMENT
Auriemma is recovering from the coronavirus and missed the opener. Associate head coach Chris Dailey filled in for the Hall of Famer, who is also going to miss the second-round game against Syracuse tomorrow in the River Walk Region.
Dailey is 11-0 filling in for Auriemma over their time together at UConn. The Huskies also were missing assistant coach Shea Ralph, who left San Antonio after one of her relatives contracted COVID-19.
Olivia Nelson-Ododa added 22 points.
Syracuse 72, South Dakota St. 55 — Emily Engstler scored 18 points and eighthseeded Syracuse pulled away to beat ninth-seeded South Dakota State.
Engstler made three 3-pointers in the fourth quarter for Syracuse.
Paiton Burckhard had 17 points for South Dakota State.
Baylor 101, Jackson St. 52 — Moon Ursin scored a careerhigh 24 points and secondseeded Baylor routed Jackson State.
All-American NaLyssa Smith added 18 points on 8-of-9 shooting and had 10 rebounds for the Bears. They will face Virginia Tech tomorrow.
Virginia Tech 70, Marquette 63 — Elizabeth Kitley had 23 points and seventh-seeded Virginia Tech built a big lead and held off 10th-seeded Marquette.
Kitley also had eight rebounds, four assists and three blocks for Virginia Tech.
Van Kleunen led Marquette with 18 points.
Tennessee 87, Middle Tennessee 62 — Rennia Davis had 24 points and 14 rebounds and No. 3 seed Tennessee used a dominant second half to beat 14thseeded Middle Tennessee.
Rae Burrell scored 22 points and Jordan Walker had nine points and 14 rebounds for Tennessee.
Tennessee will face Michigan in the second round.
Michigan 87, Florida Gulf Coast 66 — Leigha Brown scored 28 points, including 17 straight for sixth-seeded Michigan, and the Wolverines beat 11th-seed Florida Gulf Coast.
Big Ten player of the year Naz Hillmon finished with 14 points and 13 rebounds for the Wolverines.
Kierstan Bell had 25 points for Florida Gulf Coast.
Kentucky 71, Idaho St. 63 — Rhyne Howard and Chasity Patterson scored 14 points apiece and fourth-seeded Kentucky beat 13th-seeded Idaho State.
Blair Green added 10 points for the Wildcats. They will face Iowa in the second round.
Diaba Konate led the Big Sky champion Bengals with 16 points.
Iowa 87, Central Michigan 72 — Freshman Caitlin Clark, the nation’s leading scorer, had 23 points, seven rebounds and seven assists and fifth-seeded Iowa beat 12th-seeded Central Michigan.
Monika Czinano also scored 23 points for Iowa.
Micaela Kelly had 23 points for Central Michigan.
Hemisfair Region
South Carolina 79, Mercer 53 — South Carolina coach Dawn Staley got her 500th career victory when Aliyah Boston and the top-seeded Gamecocks beat Mercer.
Staley is 328-102 in 13 seasons at South Carolina, after going 172-80 in eight seasons at Temple.
Boston had 20 points and 18 rebounds for South Carolina. Victaria Saxton also scored 20 points.
The Gamecocks will play Oregon State in the second round.
Amoria Neal-Tysor had 15 points for Mercer.
Oregon St. 83, Florida St. 59
— Aleah Goodman had 24 points, five rebounds, five assists and zero turnovers, and eighth-seeded Oregon State beat ninth-seeded Florida State.
Taylor Jones added 18 points and eight rebounds for Oregon State.
Bianca Jackson had 17 points for Florida State.
Georgia Tech 54, Stephen F. Austin 52 — Lorela Cubaj recovered from a scary fall to score 14 points, including the go-ahead free throws in overtime, and fifth-seeded Georgia Tech overcame a 17point halftime deficit to beat 12th-seeded Stephen F. Austin.
The Yellow Jackets will face West Virginia.
Avery Brittingham had 16 points with 13 rebounds for the Ladyjacks.
West Virginia 77, Lehigh 53 — Kysre Gondrezick scored 26 points and fourth-seeded West Virginia beat 13thseeded Lehigh.
Kirsten Deans had 19 point, eight rebounds and five assists for West Virginia.
Emma Grothaus scored 14 points for Lehigh.
Mercado Region
N.C. State 79, North Carolina A&T 58 — Jada Boyd scored 15 of her 18 points in the second half and top-seeded North Carolina State overcame a slow start to beat 16th-seeded North Carolina.
N.C. State was making its fourth straight tournament appearance and 26th overall, but earned a No. 1 seed for the first time.
Alamo Region
Oklahoma St. 84, Wake Forest 61 — Natasha Mack had 27 points and 15 rebounds in eighth-seeded Oklahoma State’s victory over ninthseeded Wake Forest.
Mack was 13 of 22 from the field for Oklahoma State. Ja’Mee Asberry added 18 points with four 3-pointers.
Christina Morra led Wake Forest with 18 points.