Cooke steadies Gamecocks in OT to preserve win streak
OXFORD, Miss. — Zia Cooke scored five of her 24 points in overtime to help No. 1 South Carolina remain unbeaten with a 64-57 victory over Mississippi on Sunday.
The defending national champion Gamecocks (27-0, 14-0 Southeastern Conference) got one of their biggest scares of the season before winning their 33rd straight game. The Rebels (20-7, 9-5) never trailed by more than six points in regulation and flirted with their first win over a No. 1 team in 46 years.
Cooke had six rebounds and four assists to help offset a 7-of-18 shooting performance. Aliyah Boston added 13 points and 11 rebounds and didn’t score in the first quarter.
NO. 2 INDIANA 83, PURDUE 60
Mackenzie Holmes scored 20 points, Grace Berger added 14 points and 10 assists and the Hoosiers beat the Boilermakers at home to clinch a share of their first Big Ten regular-season title in 40 years.
Indiana (26-1, 16-1 Big Ten) won its 14th straight, matching the secondlongest winning streak in school history.
NO. 4 UTAH 74 ARIZONA STATE 69
Gianna Kneepkens scored 22 points and Jenna Johnson added 15 to push the visiting Utes to a victory over the stubborn Sun Devils.
Utah (23-3, 13-3), which had a seven-game winning streak stopped at No. 18 Arizona on Friday, struggled to put away Arizona State without post player Alissa Pili.
NO. 5 LSU 90, FLORIDA 79
Angel Reese had her ninth first-half doubledouble, Jasmine Carson had a career-high five 3-pointers before the break, and the Tigers raced past the host Gators.
Reese finished with 25 points and 16 rebounds for her 25th double-double of the season.
NO. 9 DUKE 56, VIRGINIA 52
Elizabeth Balogun scored 12 points, Taya Corosdale had 10 and the Blue Devils survived a stern test from the Cavaliers on the road.
Duke (22-4, 13-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) led only 47-45 with just over eight minutes left, but Celeste Taylor hit a 3pointer from right in front of the team’s bench to put the game out of reach.
NO. 10 NOTRE DAME 83 PITTSBURGH 43
Maddy Westbeld and Sonia Citron scored 13 points each and the Fighting Irish used a huge first-quarter push to race by the host Panthers.
Notre Dame (22-4, 13-3 ACC) went on an 18-3 burst over the final 6:47 of the opening frame to build a 16-point lead that Pittsburgh (10-17, 3-13) never really threatened.
NO. 15 OKLAHOMA 86 KANSAS 80
Madi Williams scored 23 points, Liz Scott had a double-double, and the Sooners held off the host Jayhawks.
A free throw by Zakiyah Franklin drew Kansas within 82-80 with 3:12 remaining. Neither team would score another field goal as Kansas missed its last nine shots and Oklahoma's last field goal came with 5:12 remaining.
NO. 17 TEXAS 74 WEST VIRGINIA 48
Shaylee Gonzales had 18 points, Rori Harmon scored 16 and Khadija Faye added a doubledouble to power the Longhorns over the Mountaineers in Austin.
Gonzales made half of her six 3-pointers and all seven of her free throws for Texas (21-7, 12-3 Big 12 Conference).
MEN
NO. 3 PURDUE 82 OHIO STATE 55
Zach Edey had 26 points and 11 rebounds for his 21st double-double this season to lead the Boilermakers past the Buckeyes at home.
Trey Kaufman-Renn scored 11 points and David Jenkins Jr. added nine points for Purdue (24-4, 13-4 Big Ten).
NO. 23 N.C. STATE 77 NORTH CAROLINA 69
Jarkel Joiner took over during a critical secondhalf stretch, matching his season high with 29 points to lead the Wolfpack past the rival Tar Heels in Raleigh, N.C.
Joiner had 20 of his points after the break for North Carolina State (21-7, 11-6 ACC).