Defending champ LSU struggles in opener
SOUTH CAROLINA 91, PRESBYTERIAN 39 >>
Chloe Kitts tied her career high with 21 points on 9-of-9 shooting as the No. 1 overall seed Gamecocks easily overcame the absence of starters Kamilla Cardoso and Bree Hall in the first round of the women’s NCAA Tournament.
South Carolina (33-0) moved five wins away from the 10th perfect championship season by overwhelming the Blue Hose (21-15) of the Big South Conference for a second time this season. Next comes another rematch against No. 8 seed North Carolina on Sunday.
South Carolina played without Cardoso, its leading scorer, while she served a one-game suspension for her ejection for fighting last time out at the SEC Tournament finals on March 10. Hall, who started the previous 32 games, came out in street clothes on the bench. A team spokeswoman texted that Hall was out for “precautionary reasons.”
“No, not concerned,” South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said about Hall. “It’s just something we felt like we had enough going into this game to win the game. We’ll see how she feels tomorrow. But she was fine.”
NORTH CAROLINA 59, MICHIGAN STATE 56 >>
Maria Gakdeng had 17 points and 10 rebounds and Alyssa Ustby had 16 points and 17 rebounds as the No. 8-seeded Tar Heels held off a late run to win Friday’s opener.
Deja Kelly added 13 points for North Carolina (20-12), which nearly blew a 54-42 lead in the last 3:22. Michigan State (22-9) got within 57-56 on Theryn Hallock’s 3-pointer with 5.4 seconds to go.
OHIO STATE 80, MAINE 57 >>
Jacy Sheldon had 19 points, including her 2,000th career point, and three other Buckeyes scored in double figures during the openinggame rout in Columbus. Second-seeded Ohio State advanced to play Duke on Sunday.
DUKE 72, RICHMOND 61
MIDDLE TENNESSEE 71, LOUISVILLE 69 >>
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Reigan Richardson had 25 points and seven rebounds as the Blue Devils rallied from a nine-point deficit in the second half to advance to Sunday’s second round.
Ashlon Jackson added 14 points for No. 7 seed Duke (21-11). Grace Townsend led Richmond (29-6) with 18 points.
Savannah Wheeler scored 20 of her 22 points in the second half, and the No. 11 seeded Blue Raiders overcame an 18-point, second quarter deficit for the upset. Jalynn Gregory scored 24 for MTSU (30-4), which won its 20th straight game and has not lost since falling to Grand Canyon on Dec. 30. The Blue Raiders will face defending national champion LSU on Sunday.
VIRGINIA TECH 92, MARSHALL 49 >>
Matilda Ekh scored 21 points to lead the
No. 13-seeded Hokies won in Blacksburg. Virginia Tech (25-7), which won without star center Elizabeth Kitley, who is out for the tournament with a torn ACL, will play the Baylorvanderbilt winner on Sunday.
Shaylee Gonzales scored 21 points, Taylor Jones added 18 and the No. 1 seeded Longhorns rolled in their opener in Austin.
Gonzales converted 5 of 6 3-point attempts while matching her season-high in scoring for Texas (314), which advanced to play the Alabama-florida winner on Sunday.
TEXAS 82, DREXEL 42 >>
KANSAS STATE 78, PORTLAND 65 >>
Gabby Gregory had 22 points and Ayoka Lee scored 21 as theto advance against the Colorado-drake winner.
Fourth-seeded Kansas State (26-7) built a big firsthalf lead and then kept Portland (21-13) at an arm’s reach the rest of the game.
Thursday's First Four
ARIZONA 69, AUBURN 59 >>
Freshman Jada Williams had 17 points, Helena Pueyo scored 14 of her 16 points in the second half and the Wildcats earned their fourth straight opening win in the NCAA Tournament, late Thursday night in Storrs, Conn. Arizona (18-15) advances as 11th seed to play No. 6 Syracuse today.
HOLY CROSS 72, UT MARTIN 45 >>
Senior Cara Mccormack set career highs with 23 points and seven 3-pointers, Bronagh Powercassidy added 15 points and the Crusaders Holy Cross secured their second NCAA Tournament win in program history.
Holy Cross (21-12), winners of five straight and seven of their last nine, will play top-seeded Iowa today.