Unbeaten South Carolina rolls in NCAA opener

Zia Cooke scored 11 points as No. 1 South Carolina moved five wins away from a perfect season after opening the women’s NCAA Tournament with a 72-40 victory over No. 16 seed Norfolk State on Friday in Columbia, S.C.

Aliyah Boston had seven points, nine rebounds and two blocks for the Gamecocks (33-0), who won their 39th straight game dating back to last year’s NCAA title run and moved to 11-0 in first-round games under coach Dawn Staley. They’ll face No. 8 seed South Florida on Sunday for a spot in the Sweet 16 in the Greenville, South Carolina Regional.

Kierra Wheeler led Norfolk State with 13 points.

NO. 8 SOUTH FLORIDA 67, NO. 9 MARQUETTE 65, OT

Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu scored 22 points and Elena Tsineke’s jumper with 31.2 seconds left in overtime put South Florida ahead for good in a win over Marquette in Columbia, S.C.

The Golden Eagles (22-11) had a final look to win, but Mackenzie Hare’s 3-pointer went inside the rim and rolled out with a second to play.

The Bulls (27-6), who didn’t lead for the game’s first 38 minutes, rallied several times including from 47-36 down in regulation to tie their mark for wins in a season.

Aliyah Boston and South Carolina prove too much for Norfolk State on Friday.

NO. 2 MARYLAND 93, NO. 15 HOLY CROSS 61

Abby Meyers scored 16 points and Diamond Miller added 13 points and eight rebounds as Maryland rolled to a victory over Holy Cross in College Park, Md.

The Terrapins (26-6) scored the game’s first 14 points and advanced to face seventh-seeded Arizona on Sunday. Maryland was able to give its top players plenty of rest, with Miller, Meyers and Shyanne Sellers each playing a little over half the game.

NO. 7 ARIZONA 75, NO. 10 WEST VIRGINIA 62

Cate Reese scored 25 points and Esmery Martinez hadd a double-double against her former team, helping Arizona to a victory over West Virginia in College Park, Md.

The Wildcats (22-9) started fast and never trailed, and will next play the winner of Friday’s Maryland-Holy Cross game.

The Mountaineers (19-12) eventually settled in. It was a seven-point game at halftime, and Arizona’s lead was down to three early in the third. Wildcats guard Shaina Pellington picked up her third and fourth fouls a few seconds apart in the third, but after two free throws by West Virginia made it 42-39, Arizona eventually pulled away again.

NO. 3 NOTRE DAME 82, NO. 14 SOUTHERN UTAH 56

Forward Maddy Westbeld scored 20 points and led Notre Dame to a win over Southern

Utah in South Bend, Ind.

Guard Sonia Citron chipped in 14 points and a season-high six assists. The team’s leading scorer, she transitioned into the team’s primary facilitator with second-team Associated Press All-American guard Olivia Miles out the remainder of the season with an undisclosed knee injury.

NO. 6 MICH. 71, NO. 11 UNLV 59

Emily Kiser had 18 points and 10 rebounds, Maddie Nolan added 18 points, and Michigan beat UNLV, snapping the Rebels’ 22-game winning streak in Baton Rouge, La.

Leigha Brown scored 17 points for Michigan (23-9), which had lost three of its previous four games. The Wolverines used their advantages in size and physicality to build and keep a double-digit lead for much of their opening game in the Greenville 2 region. UNLV (31-3) came up one short of the longest winning streak in program history. Its Mountain West Tournament title victory had tied a mark reached previously in the 197879 and 1989-90 seasons.

NO. 10 GEORGIA 66, NO. 7 FLORIDA STATE 54

Diamond Battles scored 21 points and Audrey Warren added 11 points as Georgia defeated Florida State in Iowa City, Iowa.

Jordan Isaacs had 10 points and

Javyn Nicholson had 13 rebounds for the Lady Bulldogs (22-11).

Florida State (23-10), a No. 7 seed, had just eight available players for the tournament. Freshman guard Ta’Niya Latson and sophomore guard O’Mariah Gordon were out for the rest of the season because of injuries.

NO.1 STANFORD 92, NO. 16 SACRED HEART 49

Haley Jones scored 17 points for a top-seeded Stanford team missing star Cameron Brink because of a stomach bug.

Freshman Talana Lepolo dished out seven assists in her NCAA debut as Stanford advances to the second round Sunday against the winner of Friday’s second game between No. 8 seed Ole Miss and ninth-seeded Gonzaga.

NO.1 VIRG. TECH 58, NO. 16 CHATT. 33

Georgia Amoore scored 22 points, Elizabeth Kitley added 12, and top-seeded Virginia Tech rolled to a 58-33 victory over No. 16 seed Chattanooga on Friday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament’s Seattle Region.

Kitley added 14 rebounds while Amoore hit five 3-pointers for the Hokies (28-4), who won their 12th consecutive game.