South Carolina scores 40th straight win
Aliyah Boston showed once more she's far from a one-dimensional superstar.
While South Carolina AllAmerican collected her 81st career double double with 11 points and 11 rebounds in a 76-45 victory over South Florida to advance to the Sweet 16 on Sunday, she also used her uncomparable defense to energize her team and lift them out of a slow start to keep their drive for back-toback national titles going strong.
“Just because I know my teammates are giving me their all, I want to do the same,” Boston said. “I've always had that energy on defense when I was younger and I've just kept it going now that I'm in college.”
Zia Cooke scored 21 points for the Gamecocks, who improved to 34-0, won their 40th straight game and moved four victories away from repeating as national champs. They'll head to Greenville, where they won the SEC Tournament two weeks ago, to play for a spot in the Final Four.
Boston, the program career record holder for double doubles, finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds, coming out of her final game at home to a huge ovation.
NOTRE DAME 53 MISSISSIPPI ST. 48
In South Bend, Ind., Lauren Ebo had 10 points, 18 rebounds and four blocks to help lead the Irish down the stretch.
Maddy Westbeld added nine points and 15 rebounds for the Irish, who blew an eight-point lead in the fourth quarter before making the plays down the stretch for the win.
MARYLAND 77, ARIZONA 64
In College Park, Md., Diamond Miller scored 13 of her 24 points in the third quarter to help the Terps to a victory over Wildcats.
Maryland (27-6) advances to the Sweet 16 for a third straight year and the 11th time under coach Brenda Frese.
Maryland trailed by a point after two quarters but ran past Arizona (22-10) in the second half.
Shyanne Sellers scored 15 points and Faith Masonius gave the Terps a lift with 12.
Frese was coaching against her alma mater. She played at Arizona and graduated in 1993.
GREENVILLE 2 UTAH 63, PRINCETON 56
In Salt Lake City, Alissa Pili had 28 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Utes, who made only one 3-pointer but still advanced to their first Sweet 16 since 2006.
Kaitlyn Chen scored 19 points, Grace Stone had 16 and Ellie Mitchell finished with 18 rebounds, including 10 on the offensive end, for Princeton (24-6).
Down the stretch, the game turned into an old-fashioned rockfight. The teams combined to miss 15 consecutive field goal attempts at one point, but Utah (27-4) got to the free throw line to advance and face LSU.
LSU 66, MICHIGAN 42
In Baton Rouge, La., Angel Reese dismantled the Wolverines on both ends of the court with 25 points, 24 rebounds, six blocks and three steals to lead the Tigers to victory.
Reese, a 6-foot-3 All-America forward, did most of her damage with gauze wedged under her upper lip after a shot to her mouth drew blood in the opening minutes of the game.
Alexis Morris scored 11 and LaDazhia Williams had 10 points and 10 rebounds for LSU (30-2), which never trailed and held Michigan (23-10) to its lowest point total of the season.
SEATTLE 3 VIRGINIA TECH 72 SOUTH DAKOTA ST. 60
In Blacksburg, Va., Georgia Amoore scored 21 points and the Hokies held off the Jackrabbits.
Elizabeth Kitley added 14 points and 14 rebounds for the Hokies (29-4), who won their 13th consecutive game, to advance to the Sweet 16 for just the second time in program history. They will play the winner of Monday's matchup between No. 12 seed Toledo and No. 4 seed Tennessee.
Virginia Tech also set a school record with its 29th win, breaking the mark of 28 set by the 1998-99 squad — the only other team in school history to advance to the Sweet 16.
SEATTLE 4 IOWA 74, GEORGIA 66
In Iowa City, Iowa, Caitlin Clark had 22 points and 12 assists while Monika Czinano added 20 points to help the Hawkeyes beat the Bulldogs.
Iowa (28-6) advances to the ninth Sweet Sixteen in program history.
Clark, a first-team Associated Press All-American, was held scoreless for 13 minutes in the first half, but scored 14 secondhalf points as the Hawkeyes finally shook off the 10th-seeded Lady Bulldogs (22-12).