No. 11s Buffalo, Central Michigan march on
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Cierra Dillard scored 22 points, and 11th-seeded Buffalo shocked No. 3 seed Florida State 86-65 on Monday night to advance to the Sweet 16 of the women’s NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history.
The Bulls, who were one of the last four to earn an at-large berth in the 64-team field, shot 47.4 percent from the field and went 24-of-26 from the foul line. They also held the Seminoles (26-7) to 3-of-25 shooting on 3-pointers and 33.8 percent from the field.
Buffalo (29-5) won’t have far to go for the regional semifinal as it will face defending champion and second-seeded South Carolina on Saturday in Albany, N.Y.
CENTRAL MICHIGAN 95 OHIO ST. 78
Presley Hudson scored 28 points, and the 11th-seeded Chippewas stunned the thirdseeded Buckeyes in the Spokane Regional at Columbus, Ohio, to earn their first trip to the Sweet 16.
The Chippewas (30-4) had won their first tournament game in Saturday’s first-round upset of No. 6 seed LSU. With the upset of Ohio State, they advance to face No. 2 seed Oregon in Spokane, Wash., on Saturday.
All-American guard Kelsey Mitchell led Ohio State (287) with 28 points. Mitchell ended her storied career as the second-leading scorer in NCAA history, but it was wasted as the Buckeyes were denied their third straight trip to the Sweet 16. Mitchell passed Jackie Stiles and finished with 3,402 points.
CONNECTICUT 71, QUINNIPIAC 46
Napheesa Collier scored 23 points, and the top-seeded Huskies beat the ninth-seeded Bobcats, their in-state neighbors, in the Albany Regional in Storrs, Conn., to advance to a 25th straight Sweet 16.
Azura Stevens added 14 points for Connecticut (34-0), which found itself in a much slower-paced game than its 140-52 first-round rout of Saint Francis (Pa.).
DUKE 66, GEORGIA 40
Leaonna Odom scored 16 points, and the fifth-seeded Blue Devils’ defense was dominant, holding the fourth-seeded Lady Bulldogs to two secondquarter points for a rout in the Albany Regional in Athens, Ga.
Lexie Brown and Erin Mathias each had 14 points for Duke (24-8), which will play top-seeded Connecticut on Saturday.
UCLA 86, CREIGHTON 64
Jordin Canada scored 21 points to lead the third-seeded Bruins to a win over the 11thseeded Bluejays in the Kansas City Regional at Los Angeles.
MISSISSIPPI ST. 71 OKLAHOMA ST. 56
Victoria Vivians scored 23 points, and the top-seeded Bulldogs held off the ninth-seeded Cowgirls in the Kansas City Regional at Starkville, Miss.
STANFORD 90 FLORIDA GULF COAST 70
Alanna Smith scored 28 points, and the No. 4 seed Cardinal are headed back to the Lexington Regional for a third straight March after beating the scrappy 12th-seeded Eagles in Stanford, Calif.