UCLA, Arizona State win as Pac-12 improves to 5-1
UCLA and Arizona State won first-round games Saturday, giving the Pac-12 a 5-1 record in the first round of the women’s NCAA Tournament.
Oregon and Oregon State each won Friday, when Cal lost. Stanford prevailed Saturday.
At Pauley Pavilion, Monique Billings scored 20 points and had 10 rebounds, and Kennedy Burke added 15 points to lead No. 3-seed UCLA to a 71-60 win over 14th-seeded American University.
Jordin Canada had 10 points and 11 assists for the Bruins (25-7). Cecily Carl led American (26-7) with 22 points and 10 rebounds.
Burke said UCLA needs to pick up its game in the second round against No. 11-seed Creighton after a closer-thanexpected victory.
“Today wasn’t our best game, we made too many mental errors,” Burke said. “We have to correct that.”
In Austin, Texas, Robbi Ryan scored 16 points and Kianna Ibis added 14 to lead No. 7-seed Arizona State over No. 10 Nebraska 73-62.
The Sun Devils (22-12) move to the second round for the fifth straight season — this time against No. 2 seed Texas — with a chance to make the Sweet 16 for the second time in four years. Taylor Kissinger scored 15 points for the Cornhuskers (21-11).
Both games were in the Kansas City Region.
Creighton 76, Iowa 70:
Also at Pauley Pavilion, Jaylyn Agnew scored 24 points and Sydney Lamberty added 20 for the 11th-seeded Bluejays (19-12). Megan Gustafson had 29 points and 17 rebounds for the Hawkeyes (24-8).
Texas 83, Maine 54:
Also in Austin, Jatarie White scored 17 points and the second-seeded Longhorns (27-6) used an overwhelming first half to romp over the Black Bears (23-10), who trailed 45-18 at halftime.
Mississippi St. 95, Nicholls 50:
Victoria Vivians scored 20 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead the top-seeded, host Bulldogs (33-1), who started slowly, but scored 33 points in the second quarter to take a 54-24 lead into halftime and eventually cruise to the win over the 16th-seeded Colonels (19-14) in another Kansas City Region game.
Oklahoma State 84, Syracuse 57:
Also Starkville, Miss., freshman Jaden Hobbs scored a personal-high 27 points and Loryn Goodwin and Kaylee Jensen each added 19 as the ninth-seeded Cowgirls (21-10) beat the eighth-seeded Orange (22-9).
ALBANY REGION
UConn 140, St. Francis 52:
Azura Stevens scored 26 points to lead six UConn players in double figures and the host Huskies set a record for points in an NCAA Tournament game and all-time NCAA records for points in a period (55 in the first) and a half (94 in the first). Top-seeded UConn’s 88-point margin of victory was the second biggest in tournament history. Baylor beat Texas Southern by 89 in 2017. The previous record for points in a tournament game was 121. The previous mark for points in a half was 80 and for a quarter was 45.
Quinnipiac 86, Miami 72:
Also in Storrs, Jen Fay led a balanced offense with 19 points and the ninth-seeded Bobcats (28-5) eliminated the eighth-seeded Hurricanes (21-11) for a second consecutive season. Next for the Bobcats is in-state neighbor UConn. It’s the first meeting between the schools in 20 years. Erykah Davenport led all scorers with 21 points for Miami.
Florida St. 91, Little Rock 49: Shakayla Thomas scored 26 points for the third-seeded
Seminoles (26-6), who were 35-for-60 from the field on their home court and put the game out of reach by going on a 23-0 run during an eight-minute span in the second and third quarters. Tori Lasker led the 14th-seeded Trojans (23-10) with 13 points.
Buffalo 102, S. Florida 79:
Also in Tallahassee, Fla., Cierra Dillard scored a career-high 36 points and the 11th-seeded Bulls (28-5) got their first women’s NCAA Tournament victory with an upset of the sixth-seeded Bulls (26-8), who got 28 points from Kitija Laksa. It is the first time in an NCAA Tournament game that a MAC team has gone over 100 points. It is also the first time since 1995 that Buffalo has scored more than 100 points.
Georgia 68, Mercer 63:
Caliya Robinson had 23 points and 16 rebounds and Mackenzie Engram added 21 points and 10 rebounds for the host Lady Bulldogs (26-6). The fourth seeds advanced to face Duke on Monday. Kahlia Lawrence had 23 points for the 13th-seeded Bears (30-3), who had won a school-record 27 straight, the nation’s third-longest streak.
Duke 72, Belmont 58:
Also in Athens, Ga., Leaonna Odom scored a career-high 25 points for the fifth-seeded Blue Devils (23-8), who led only 32-31 at halftime before outscoring Belmont 21-9 in the third period. Kylie Smith led the Bruins (31-4), who had won 22 in a row, with 20 points.
SPOKANE REGION
Ohio State 87, George Washington 45:
Stephanie Mavunga scored 22 points and grabbed 13 rebounds and the host Buckeyes (28-6) did not trail, took off in the second half and overwhelmed the Colonials (19-10). Third-seeded Ohio State plays Central Michigan on Monday.
Central Michigan 78, LSU 69:
Also in Columbus, Ohio, Tinara Moore scored 25 points to help the 11th-seeded Chippewas (29-4) get their first-ever women’s NCAA Tournament win. Chloe Jackson had 24 points for the sixth-seeded Tigers (19-10).