Gamecocks oust upstart Buffalo

ALBANY, N.Y. — Alexis Jennings scored 20 points, A’ja Wilson added 20 points and 13 rebounds, and South Carolina beat Buffalo 79-63 on Saturday to keep alive its quest to defend its title.

Second-seeded South Carolina (29-6), whose only losses this year have come against ranked teams, will face topseeded and unbeaten UConn.

Upstart Buffalo (29-6), just the third MidAmerican Conference school to reach the Sweet 16, was among the final four teams to earn an at-large spot. It was the program’s second tournament appearance after a first-round exit two years ago.

The Gamecocks, who have won six straight, defeated North Carolina A&T and Virginia by double digits in the first two rounds, holding both to under 60 points as they stayed on track to make a third Final Four in four seasons. But those performances had flaws — 19 turnovers in one — that coach Dawn Staley focused on correcting. They didn’t on Saturday — South Carolina had 26 turnovers — but in the end it didn’t matter.

OREGON 83, CENTRAL MICHIGAN 69: Ruthy Hebard had 23 points and 14 rebounds, Sabrina Ionescu just missed another tripledouble with 16 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, and second-seeded Oregon (33-4) beat No. 11 seed Central Michigan (30-5) in a Spokane Region semifinal. Lexi Bando added 14 points for Oregon, which earned a second consecutive trip to the Elite Eight with its 12th win in a row.

The Ducks will play topseeded Notre Dame in the regional final on Monday. Tinara Moore had 23 points and 14 rebounds for Central Michigan.