Belmont women win OVC, first into NCAA field
EVANSVILLE, Ind.—Julie McCabe had 19 points and 10 rebounds and No. 22 Belmont became the first team to qualify for the NCAA Tournament, beating Tennessee-Martin 63-56 in overtime Saturday in the Ohio Valley Conference championship game.
Belmont (31-3) stayed alive in regulation with 3-pointers from Maura Muensterman with 14.6 seconds to go and Darby Maggard with 4.5 seconds left. The Bruins even got the final possession after forcing a five-second count on the inbound but didn't get off a last shot.
Kylee Smith and Maggard each added 15 points to helo the Bruins run their winning streak to a school- record 22 games. They've beaten OVC opponents 46 straight.
Janekia Mason had 23 points and 13 rebounds for the second-seeded Skyhawks (19-14). They missed their last three shots in regulation and first five in overtime.
No. 3 BAYLOR 83, KANSAS STATE 54
OKLAHOMA CITY—Kalani Brown scored 26 points and Baylor beat Kansas State in the Big 12 quarterfinals.
Brown, a 6-foot-7 center who was named Big 12 Player of the Year this week, made 9 of 12 shots and had 13 rebounds. Dekeiya Cohen had 19 points, and Juicy Landrum added 14 for the Lady Bears (29-1). They shot 50.8 percent from the floor en route to their 26th straight victory.
Baylor will face TCU in the semifinals.
Kayla Goth scored 24 points for Kansas State (16-15).
No. 4 LOUISVILLE 64, No. 23 N.C. STATE 59
GREENSBORO, N.C.—Sam Fuehring scored 15 points and Louisville held off North Carolina State in the Atlantic Coast Conference semifinals.
The top-seeded Cardinals (31-2) will face No. 5 Notre Dame in the final,
Chelsea Nelson scored 20 points for the Wolfpack (24-8).
No. 5 NOTRE DAME 90, No. 11 FLORIDA STATE 80
GREENSBORO, N.C.—Marina Mabrey scored a season-high 27 points in Notre Dame's comeback victory over Florida State in the Atlantic Coast Conference semifinals.
The second-seeded Fighting Irish (29-2) rallied from eight down in the third quarter in their pursuit of a record-tying fifth straight tournament title. They will face No. 4 Louisville in the title game.
Shakayla Thomas had 24 points for the Seminoles (25-6).
No. 7 TEXAS 81, IOWA STATE 69
OKLAHOMA CITY—Ariel Atkins scored 25 points and Texas beat Iowa State in the Big 12 quarterfinals.
Atkins made 10 of 15 field goals and 5 of 6 3-pointers. Jatarie White had 18 points and 12 rebounds, and Brooke McCarty added 12 points and seven assists to help the Longhorns (25-5) advanced to play the Oklahoma State-West Virginia winner.
Emily Durr and Bridget Carleton each scored 25 points for the Cyclones (3-18).
No. 13 OHIO STATE 90, MINNESOTA 88
INDIANAPOLIS— Ke l s ey Mitchell scored 30 points, and Stephanie Mavunga had 26 points, a Big Ten Tournament-record 21 rebounds and seven blocks in Ohio State's semifinal victory.
The top-seeded Buckeyes didn't secure a spot in the championship game until Carlie Wagner's 12-foot jumper from the right of the lane bounced off the rim as time expired.
Ohio State (26-6) will face the Maryland-Nebraska winner for the title.
Kenisha Bell had 27 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds for Minnesota (23-8). Wagner had 26.
No. 21 GREEN BAY 62,
NORTHERN KENTUCKY 49
DETROIT—Allie LeClaire scored 17 of her 21 points in the second half and Green Bay pulled away from Northern Kentucky in the Horizon League quarterfinals.
The top-seeded Phoenix (273) will play the winner of the Youngstown State-Milwaukee game Sunday in the semifinals Monday.
Molly Glick had 16 points for Northern Kentucky (9-22).