Thomas leads FSU into second round

ALBANY REGION

NO. 3 FLORIDA STATE 91, NO. 14 LITTLE ROCK 49: At Tallahassee, Fla., Shakayla Thomas scored 26 points for the Seminoles.

It was a tournament high for Thomas, eclipsing the 23 she scored against Western Illinois in the first round last year. Thomas, a 5-foot-11 senior forward who was playing in her 12th NCAA Tournament game, was 11 of 15 from the field in 19 minutes. She scored Florida State’s first six points and had 16 in the first half as the host team was ahead 53-30 at halftime.

The Seminoles (26-6), who were 35 of 60 from the field, put the game out of reach by going on a 23-0 run during an 8-minute span in the second and third quarters.

NO. 4 GEORGIA 68, NO. 13 MERCER 63: At Athens, Ga., Caliya Robinson had 23 points and 16 rebounds and Mackenzie Engram added 21 points and 10 rebounds for Georgia.

Que Morrison finished with 10 points and nine rebounds for the fourthseeded Lady Bulldogs (26-6), who advanced to face Duke on Monday night.

Kahlia Lawrence scored 23 points and KeKe Calloway had 15 for No. 13 seed Mercer (30-3). The Bears had won a school-record 27 straight, the nation’s thirdlongest active streak.

NO. 5 DUKE 72, NO. 12 BELMONT 58: At Athens, Ga., Leaonna Odom scored a career-high 25 points, including nine in Duke’s dominant third period.

Duke (23-8) led only 32-31 at halftime before outscoring Belmont 21-9 in the third period.

Kylie Smith led Belmont with 20 points.

NO. 11 BUFFALO 102, NO. 6 SOUTH FLORIDA 79: At Tallahassee, Fla., Cierra Dillard scored a career-high 36 points and Buffalo got its first women’s NCAA Tournament victory.

It is the first time in an NCAA Tournament game that a Mid-American Conference team has gone over 100 points. It is also the first time since 1995 that Buffalo has scored more than 100 points.

Buffalo, which is making its second NCAA appearance, trailed 29-18 midway through the second quarter but went on a 20-7 run the remainder of the quarter to take a 43-38 lead at halftime. Wilkins had eight points during the run and Stephanie Reid added six.

SPOKANE REGION

NO. 3 OHIO STATE 87, NO. 14 GEORGE WASHINGTON 45: At Columbus, Ohio, Stephanie Mavunga scored 22 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for Ohio State.

Alexa Hart had 12 points and Kelsey Mitchell added 11 points and seven rebounds as the Buckeyes (28-6) never trailed, took off in the second half and overwhelmed the Colonials (19-10), who had earned a tournament bid by winning the Atlantic 10 Tournament.

NO. 11 CENTRAL MICHIGAN 78, NO. 6 LSU 69: At Columbus, Ohio, Tinara Moore scored 25 points to help Central Michigan get its first women’s NCAA Tournament win.

The Chippewas, who had lost in their first three trips to the NCAAs, got in the tournament for the first time in five years by upsetting Buffalo in the MidAmerican Conference Tournament.

KANSAS CITY REGION

NO. 1 MISSISSIPPI STATE 95, NO. 16 NICHOLLS 50: At Starkville, Miss., Victoria Vivians scored 20 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead Mississippi State past Nicholls.

Mississippi State (33-1) started the game slowly, but scored 33 points in the second quarter to take a 54-24 lead into halftime and eventually cruise to the win. Teaira McCowan scored 18 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. Blair Schaefer also scored 18 points.

NO. 3 UCLA 71, NO. 14 AMERICAN 60: Monique Billings scored 20 points and had 10 rebounds, Kennedy Burke added 15 points to lead the Bruins to this first-round win.

NO. 9 OKLAHOMA STATE 84, NO. 8 SYRACUSE 57: Freshman Jaden Hobbs scored a career-high 27 points, Loryn Goodwin and Kaylee Jensen added 19 and Oklahoma State beat Syracuse.

NO. 7 ARIZONA STATE 73, NO. 10 NEBRASKA 62: Robbi Ryan scored 16 points and Kianna Ibis added 14 to lead Arizona State.

No. 2 TEXAS 83, No. 15 MAINE 54: At Austin, Texas, Jatarie White scored 17 points and Texas used an overwhelming first half to romp to a win over Maine.

No. 11 CREIGHTON 76, No. 6 IOWA 70: At Los Angeles, Jaylyn Agnew scored 24 points and Sydney Lamberty added 20 to lead Creighton to a win over Iowa.

LEXINGTON REGION

NO. 12 FGCU 80, NO. 5 MISSOURI 70: China Dow scored 21 points and played stingy defense in the paint against Missouri star Sophie Cunningham, and Florida Gulf Coast pulled off the upset.

No. 4 STANFORD 82, No. 13 GONZAGA 68: At Stanford, Calif., Alanna Smith scored 20 points, freshman Kiana Williams made a sensational women's NCAA Tournament debut, and Stanford beat cold-shooting Gonzaga.