Two 11 seeds take down No. 3s
Buffalo and Central Michigan are crashing the women’s Sweet 16.
The two 11 seeds from the Mid-American Conference pulled off stunning road upsets of Florida State and Ohio State on Monday night to advance to the regional semifinals for the first time in both schools’ history.
It’s the first time a school from the MAC has advanced this far since Bowling Green reached the regional semifinals in 2007.
Cierra Dillard scored 22 points as Buffalo shocked Florida State 86-65 and Central Michigan stunned Ohio State 95-78.
The Bulls, who were one of the last four to earn an atlarge berth in the 64-team field, shot 47.4% from the field and went 24 for 26 from the foul line. They also held the Seminoles to three for 25 on three-pointers and 33.8% from the field.
Stephanie Reid scored 18 points and Summer Hemphill added 17 for Buffalo.
Shakayla Thomas led Florida State with 25 points in her final game and Nausia Woolfolk added 12.
It is the first time in eight games that Florida State (26-7) has dropped an NCAA tournament contest when it has been the host.
Meanwhile, Cassie Breen threw the ball high in the air as the clock wound down and the joyous Central Michigan players jumped, screamed and hugged as they celebrated the biggest win in school history.
The Chippewas had won their first tournament game ever in Saturday’s firstround upset of No. 6 Louisiana State.
With the upset of No. 3 Ohio State, they advance to face No. 2 Oregon in Spokane, Wash., on Saturday. All-American guard Kelsey Mitchell led Ohio State (28-7) with 28 points.
Connecticut 71, Quinnipiac 46: Napheesa Collier scored 23 points and UConn beat in-state neighbor Quinnipiac to advance to a 25th straight Sweet 16. Azura Stevens added 14 points and Kia Nurse chipped in with 13 for the top-seeded and host Huskies (34-0).
Duke 66, Georgia 40: Leaonna Odom scored 16 points and fifth-seeded Duke’s defense was dominant, holding fourth-seeded Georgia to two second-quarter points. Lexie Brown and Erin Mathias each had 14 points for visiting Duke (24-8), which will play UConn in the Albany Regional on Saturday.
Mississippi State 71, Oklahoma State 56: Victoria Vivians scored 23 points, Teaira McCowan added 21 points and 18 rebounds, and top-seeded Mississippi State earned a hard-fought win over visiting Oklahoma State.
Stanford 90, Florida Gulf Coast 70: Alanna Smith scored 28 points with four three-pointers, Brittany McPhee added 17 points and nine rebounds and No. 4 seed and host Stanford is headed back to the Lexington Regional for a third straight March after beating scrappy Florida Gulf Coast.
Texas 85, Arizona State 65: Lashann Higgs scored 19 points and Brooke McCarty scored 15 as host Texas booked its fourth consecutive trip to the Sweet 16. Higgs scored 15 in the first half, and McCarty took over in the third quarter with 10 points in a 14-2 run.