No. 2 Louisville women wait out late delay, beat Clemson
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Kianna Smith scored 17 points and No. 2 Louisville, after waiting out a late delay caused by COVID-19 protocols, beat Clemson 70-45 on Sunday.
The game was supposed to begin at noon. But less than 90 minutes before the scheduled tipoff, Louisville announced the start had been pushed back two hours.
A subsequent Atlantic Coast Conference statement attributed the delay “as a result of a player undergoing further testing.”
Louisville began the game with just seven players available, with regular starters Olivia Cochran and Elizabeth Balogun not among them. They came out during the first quarter and the Cardinals eventually had 11 of its 12 players ready.
Smith bounced back after scoring a season-low five points Thursday in a win at Virginia Tech. Elizabeth Balogun added a season-high 14 for Louisville (10-0, 3-0 ACC).
The Cardinals, who went 23 days between games last month because of COVID-19 issues within the team, had a home game last Tuesday against North Carolina postponed because of virus issues within the Tar Heels. Louisville had originally been scheduled to visit Florida State on Sunday, but that game was scrubbed a week ago because the Seminoles are under COVID protocols.
The Cardinals used a 15-2 run to build a 49-30 lead with 3:16 left in the third quarter. Clemson missed all 19 of its 3-point shots in the game.
The Tigers (8-4, 3-4) were led by Hannah Hank's 11 points. Clemson made
only one of his 20 shots in the fourth quarter.
Nebraska 68, No. 23 Michigan St. 64
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Kate Cain blocked a 3-point shot with five seconds remaining and Whitney Brown followed with the clinching free throw and Nebraska upset No. 23 Michigan State 68-64 on Sunday.
The Spartans, who went cold in the fourth quarter, pulled within 67-64 on a putback by Kendall Bostic. A quick foul sent Bella Cravens to the line where she missed two free throws.
Alyza Winston's attempt to tie was blocked by Cain, allowing Nebraska to escape with a win after falling 64-62 at No. 15 Michigan on Thursday.
Isabelle Bourne scored 18 points to lead the Cornhuskers (6-4, 4-3 Big Ten Conference) and Sam Haiby added 11 with 10 rebounds.
Nia Clouden led the Spartans (8-2, 3-2), who dropped their second straight after falling to No. 12 Maryland 93-87 on Thursday, with 14 points. Tory Ozment added 11 points and Winston 10.
Michigan State had a 48-47 lead going into the fourth quarter and was up four with less than six minutes to play. That's when the Huskers went on a 9-0 run, capped by Haiby's three-point play that made it 63-58 with 3:32 to play.
Nebraska missed four free throws in the final minute but Michigan made only 1 of 6 shots in the final two minutes. The Wolverines were up 58-54 on a Janai Crooms layup at the 7:34 mark but missed their next eight shots before Clouden's basket at 3:18. UM was 7 of 21 in the fourth quarter.
The Cornhuskers made 5-of-7 3-pointers and went 16-of-32 overall to take
a 39-30 lead at halftime. Michigan came back to outscore Nebraska 18-8 in the third quarter, hitting 7-of-14 shots while Nebraska was 4-of-15 shooting with five turnovers.
Michigan State is scheduled to play at Illinois on Thursday while Nebraska is home against No. 16 Ohio State on Saturday.
Washington St. 71, No. 7 Arizona 69, OT
PULLMAN, Wash. (AP) — Charlisse Leger-Walker made a layup at the buzzer in overtime and Washington State rallied past No. 7 Arizona 71-69 on Sunday.
Leger-Walker also made a layup with two seconds left in regulation to tie it at 60, converting after a pass from sister Krystal Leger-Walker.
The sisters combined for eight of the Cougars' 11 points in overtime. Washington State (7-1, 5-1 Pac-12) beat a Top 10 team for the first time since the 2016-2017 season.
After trailing for most of the game, the Cougars went on an 11-3 run to make it 57-all with 2:45 left in the fourth quarter.
Charlisse Leger-Walker finished with 17 points and five assists. Krystal Leger-Walker had 14 points and nine assists. Bella Murekatete added 14 points for the Cougars.
Arizona (8-2, 6-2 Pac12) led by double digits for most of the game but saw its edge evaporate in the fourth quarter. Aari McDonald had 23 points and 11 rebounds for the Wildcats.
No. 12 Maryland 83, Purdue 46
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Ashley Owusu had 19 points and nine assists, Diamond Miller added 16 points and eight assists and No. 12 Maryland coasted to an 83-46 win over Purdue on Sunday.
The Terrapins shot 52% through three quarters while holding the Boilermakers to 34% for the game, forcing 17 turnovers and building a 51-35 rebounding advantage.
Katie Benzan and Chloe Bibby scored 11 points apiece and Faith Masonius grabbed 10 rebounds for Maryland (9-1, 5-0 Big Ten Conference).
Kayana Traylor topped Purdue (5-4, 2-3) with 12 points.
Maryland opened the first period with six consecutive points and closed it with eight straight for a 16-6 lead. The lead stretched to 43-22 at the half. A 17-0 run that included three 3-pointers from Benzan down the stretch of the third quarter had the lead at 35.
Maryland was without prized freshman Angel
Reese, who has a broken bone in her right ankle, but Alaysia Styles, a transfer from California, played 20 minutes and scored six points with four rebounds. Styles, a 6-foot-3 senior, played one minute in her Maryland debut in the last game.
The Terrapins are scheduled to play at Minnesota on Thursday. Purdue is home against No. 19 Indiana on Thursday.
No. 15 Michigan 70, Illinois 50
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Naz Hillmon scored 24 points and grabbed 13 rebounds and No. 15 Michigan continued its school-best star with a 70-50 win over Illinois on Sunday.
Akienreh Johnson added 17 points points and Amy Dilk 11, plus both grabbed nine rebounds, for the Wolverines (9-0, 4-0 Big Ten Conference), whose previous best start was 7-0 three different times, the last in 2015-16.
Jeanae Terry scored 17 points for the Illini (2-6, 0-5) and Kennedi Myles had 12. Illinois has lost five straight.
Hillmon scored the first five and Johnson the last four in a 9-2 run to close the first quarter for a 17-14 Michigan lead. Hillmon had four points, Dilk a 3-pointer and Johnson a layup in a 9-0 run in the second quarter that pushed the lead to 28-17 at the break.
The Illini got with seven late in the third quarter after five quick points from Terry but Hailey Brown had a three-point play and 3-pointer in the final 2 1/2 minutes to help get the lead back into double figures and the Wolverines were never threatened in the fourth quarter.