South Carolina rolls into Sweet 16
Freshman Milaysia Fulwiley had 20 points including four 3-pointers, Kamilla Cardoso had a doubledouble in her return from a one-game suspension and unbeaten South Carolina powered into its 10th straight Sweet 16 with an 88-41 victory over eighthseeded North Carolina in the women’s NCAA Tournament on Sunday.
The top overall seed Gamecocks (34-0) needed everything they had to escape with single-digit wins the past two times they faced the Tar Heels (2013). This time, South Carolina used a 15-0 first-quarter run to take control and get within four victories of a perfect championship season.
Cardoso, a 6-foot-7 center from Brazil, sat out the tournament opener Friday after her ejection for fighting at the Southeastern Conference Tournament title game two weeks ago. She finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds, her 14th double-double this season.
OREGON STATE 61, NEBRASKA 51
Talia von Oelhoffen had 19 points and eight assists to help third-seeded Oregon State advanced to the Sweet 16 with a second-round victory over No. 6 Nebraska.
Raegan Beers added 10 points for the Beavers (267), who will cross the country to Albany.
Jaz Shelley had 10 points and seven assists for the Huskers (23-13), who have not advanced to the Sweet 16 since 2013. She was the lone Nebraska player in double figures.
LSU 83,
MIDDLE TENNESSEE 56
Angel Reese had 20 points and 11 rebounds and third-seeded LSU responded to a nine-point third-quarter deficit with a dominant finish to defeat upstart No. 11 seed Middle Tennessee.
Flau’jae Johnson scored 21 for the Tigers (30-5) and played central role in helping LSU surge to a comfortable second-half lead that ended the Blue Raiders’ 20game winning streak.
BAYLOR 75, VIRGINIA TECH 72
Jada Walker scored 26 of her career-high 28 points in the second half to lead Baylor to a victory over Virginia Tech in the second round of the women’s NCAA Tournament.
Fifth-seeded Bears (267) advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2021. Playing in her home state, Walker connected on 9 of 16 from the floor and 9 of 10 from the foul line.
Matilda Ekh paced fourth-seeded Virginia Tech (25-8) with 19 points, while Georgia Amoore and Clara Strack each finished with 18. Strack was once again filling in for All-american Elizabeth Kitley, who tore her ACL in the regular season finale.
DUKE 75, OHIO STATE 63
Reigan Richardson scored 28 points and added seven rebounds as No. 7 seed Duke rallied from a 16-point first-half deficit to beat No. 2 seed Ohio State and earn a spot in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2018.
Richardson hit a 3-pointer from the wing to put Duke (22-11) up 59-57 with 5:21 left. That sparked a 13-2 run by the Blue Devils that began to put the game out of reach.
Ashlon Jackson scored 13 points and Taina Mair added 11 for the Blue Devils, who move on to Portland,
Oregon to play next weekend against the winner of Syracuse and Uconn.
Cotie Mcmahon paced the Buckeyes (26-6) with 27 points.
TEXAS 65, ALABAMA 54
Aaliyah Moore matched her career best with 21 points, had 10 rebounds and made a timely defensive play in the fourth quarter to help No. 1 seed Texas beat Alabama.
Freshman Madison Booker also scored 21 for Texas, which will face the Utah-gonzaga winner in the Sweet 16 on Friday in Portland, Oregon. Booker wears No. 35 in honor of Kevin Durant, who was at the game.
Texas (32-4) has its most victories since finishing 32-3 in 1987-88.
Sarah Ashlee Barker scored 17 for Alabama (2410), a No. 8 seed, and Aaliyah Nye added 14.