The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
PRESEASON DELIVERY
ALAMO REGION
Angel Baker made a goahead 3-pointer with 29.1 seconds left, and No. 13 Wright State beat No. 4 Arkansas, 66-62, on March 22in the biggest upset so far in the first round of the women’s NCAA Tournament. Jada Roberson made two free throws with 8.1 seconds left to seal the victory for the Horizon League Tournament champions. Baker scored 26 points to help the Raiders (19-7) become the first No. 13seed to beat a No. 4 since 2012. Chelsea Dungee had 27 points for Arkansas (19-9). • Lindsey Pulliam scored 25 points to lead seventhseeded Northwestern to the school’s first women’s NCAA Tournament victory in 28 years, 62-51 over UCF. Northwestern (16-8) is in the tournament for the first time since 2015and just the third time since 1993, when the Wildcats beat Georgia Tech before falling to Tennessee in the second round. The Knights (16-5) sustained a huge blow midway through the second quarter when they lost secondleading scorer Diamond Battles to what appeared to be a right knee injury. Masseny Kaba led UCF with 14 points and 13 rebounds.
• Jenna Staiti scored each of her 19 points in the second half, helping Georgia overcome a slow start to beat Drexel, 67-53.
Que Morrison had 11 points, 12 rebounds and a careerhigh eight assists for the Bulldogs (21-6). Hannah Nihill led Drexel (14-9) with 22 points, going 2 of 7 from 3-point range. Keishana Washington, the Dragons’ second-leading scorer, was held to seven points on 2-of-12 shooting.
• Brice Calip had 18 points and Missouri State used a huge third-quarter run to beat UC Davis, 70-51. Jasmine Franklin added 17 points and 17 rebounds, helping No. 5 seed Missouri State dominate inside. Missouri State will face No. 13 Wright State after it advanced with an upset win against Arkansas.
MERCADO REGION
• Belmont freshman Destinee Wells had 25 points and seven assists, and the 12th-seeded Bruins earned their first victory ever in the women’s NCAA Tournament, 64-59 over Gonzaga. Belmont (21-5), which had been 0-5in the NCAA Tournament, plays No. 4 seed Indiana in the second round Wednesday in the Mercado Region.
Jill Townsend had 17 points for Gonzaga (23-4).
• Jordan Nixon scored nine points over the final six minutes, and No. 2 seed Texas A&M escaped an upset bid by No. 15 Troy, 84-80. Destiny Pitts made four free throws over the final 6 seconds, giving the Aggies the last cushion they needed to avoid what would have ranked among the biggest surprises in tournament history. No 15seed has ever beaten a No. 2.
Nixon finished with 21 points. Ciera Johnson had 16 points and 14 rebounds for the Aggies (24-2). Texas A&M will face Iowa State in the second round. Alexus Dye scored 26 points for Troy (22-6), but fouled out with 31 seconds to play.
• Paisley Johnson Harding scored 28 points, leading 11th-seeded BYU to a 6966win against No. 6seed Rutgers.
Shaylee Gonzales had 17 points for the Cougars (19-5) on 3-for-17 shooting. Lauren Gustin finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Next up for BYU is No. 3 seed Arizona in a secondround Mercado Region game.
Arella Guirantes scored 30 points for the Scarlet Knights (14-5). Diamond Johnson had 13.
• Ashley Joens scored 33 points, powering Iowa State to a 79-75 win over Michigan State.
Madison Wise had 13 points and 11rebounds for the Cyclones (17-10), and Kristin Scott added 12points. Michigan State pulled within one on Alyza Winston’s layup with 25 seconds left, but Lexi Donarski made two foul shots and Joens also made a free throw to help Iowa State close it out. Nia Clouden scored 16points for the Spartans (15-9).
• Grace Berger scored 13 of her 20points in the first half, and No. 4 seed Indiana held 13th-seeded VCU to 22.8% shooting in a 63-32 decision.
Ali Patberg had 17 points for Indiana (19-5), and Mackenzie Holmes finished with 14 points, seven rebounds and five blocks.
Next up for Indiana is Belmont in the second round in the Mercado Region. Chloe Bloom and Sam Robinson each scored eight points for VCU (16-11).
• Aari McDonald scored 20 points and Trinity Baptiste had 18, sending Arizona to a runaway win over Stony Brook,79-44.
Cate Reese scored 16 points for the third-seeded Wildcats (17-5), who will take on 11th-seeded BYU.
Asiah Dingle scored 14 points for the Seawolves (15-6), who shot 29% from the field and turned it over 25 times.
HEMISFAIR REGION
• Jordan Lewis had 32 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, helping Alabama to an 80-71victory over North Carolina.
It was a triumphant return to the NCAAs for the Crimson Tide, who were playing their first game in the tournament since 1999. Hannah Barber had 14 points for Alabama (17-9), and Jasmine Walker finished with 13.
Stephanie Watts led North Carolina (13-11) with a season-high 29 points, hitting seven 3-pointers.
• Ashley Owusu had 20 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, helping Maryland to a 98-45victory over Mount St. Mary’s. Diamond Miller added 19 points for second-seeded Maryland (25-2), which will take a 14-game win streak into a second-round game with seventh-seeded Alabama in the Hemesfair Region on Wednesday. Chloe Bibby had 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Michaela Harrison, Aryna Taylor and Bridget Birkhead each scored eight for Mount St. Mary’s (17-7).