Clark, No. 1 seed Iowa open with win over Holy Cross
Caitlin Clark struggled to make shots early, but finished with 27 points and 10 assists as Albany 2 Regional top-seeded Iowa defeated visiting 16th-seeded Holy Cross 91-65 in a women’s NCAA tournament first-round game Saturday.
Kate Martin also had a double-double with 15 points and 14 rebounds for the Hawkeyes (30-4).
Clark was just 8 of 19 from the field and 3 of 9 in 3-pointers.
She finished with her 65th career double-double, and added eight rebounds.
The Hawkeyes had a 10-0 run midway through the first quarter that didn’t bother the Crusaders (2113), who were within 23-21 at the end of the quarter.
The Hawkeyes then outscored Holy Cross 25-9 in the second quarter, holding the Crusaders to just 1of-12 shooting.
Albany 1 Regional
INDIANA 89, FAIRFIELD 56 >> Sara Scalia scored 27 points to lead the fourth-seeded Hoosiers (25-5) to a victory over the No. 13 Stags (31-2), who saw their 29-game winning streak come to an end.
NOTRE DAME 81, KENT STATE 67 >> Sonia Citron scored 29 points and Hannah Hidalgo added 14 points and 11 assists to help the No. 2-seeded Fighting Irish beat the 15th-seeded Golden Flashes (21-11).
Notre Dame (27-6) used an 18-0 run on the way to building a 22-5 lead.
OKLAHOMA 73, FLORIDA GULF COAST 70 >> Skylar Vann scored 24 points and the fifth-seeded Sooners held off the No. 12 seed Eagles.
Payton Verhulst gave Oklahoma (23-9) a 7270 lead on a turnaround jumper in the paint with 48 seconds remaining.
Emani Jefferson led Florida Gulf Coast (29-5) with 22 points and 12 rebounds. MISSISSIPPI 67, MARQUETTE 55 >> Madison Scott scored 20 points and the seventh-seeded Rebels (24-8) defeated the 10th-seeded Golden Eagles (23-9).
Portland 3 Regional
UCONN 86, JACKSON STATE 64 >> Paige Bueckers scored 28 points and freshman Ashlynn Shade added 26 as the No. 3 seed Huskies celebrated coach Geno Auriemma’s 70th birthday with a win over the 14th-seeded Tigers (26-7).
Aaliyah Edwards had 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Huskies (30-5).
KANSAS 81, MICHIGAN 72, OT >> Zakiyah Franklin scored 22 points, including a tying 3-pointer with 12 seconds left in regulation, and the Jayhawks topped the ninthseeded Wolverines (20-14) in overtime.
Taiyanna Jackson had 14 points and eight rebounds for the eighth-seeded Jayhawks (20-12).
Kansas rallied in the fourth quarter, outscoring Michigan 23-14. Then Kansas controlled the five-minute extra session, 14-5. SYRACUSE 74, ARIZONA 69 >> Dyaisha Fair scored 32 points to lead the sixthseeded Orange (24-7) to a come-from-behind win over the No. 11 seed Wildcats.
Syracuse rallied after trailing 66-61 with 3:16 left.
Skyler Jones had 24 points for Arizona (18-16).
Portland 4 Regional
TENNESSEE 92, GREEN BAY 63 >> Rickea Jackson scored 26 points and the sixth-seeded Volunteers (20-12) rolled past the 11th-seeded Phoenix (27-7).
N.C. STATE 64, CHATTANOOGA 45 >> Aziaha James scored each of her 19 points in the second half, and the thirdseeded Wolfpack (28-6) pulled away from the No. 14 seed Mocs (28-5).
Late Friday
OREGON STATE 73, EASTERN WASHINGTON 51 >> Raegan Beers had 19 points and nine rebounds before she was hurt at the end of the third quarter and the third-seeded Beavers (257) advanced to today’s second round with a victory at home in Corvallis in the Albany Regional.
Beers, who was averaging 17.7 points and 10.4 rebounds this season, fell to the court as time expired in the third quarter, clutching her right ankle and crying in pain.
NEBRASKA 61, TEXAS A&M 59 >> Alexis Markowski had 16 points and six rebounds and the sixth-seeded Cornhuskers (23-11) held off the No. 11 Aggies at Corvallis in the Albany Regional.
COLORADO 86, DRAKE 72 >> Aaronette Vonleh had 18 points and 10 rebounds to lead the fifth-seeded Buffaloes (23-9) in the Albany Regional over the No.12 seed Bulldogs (29-6).
STANFORD 79, NORFOLK STATE 50 >> Cameron Brink had 17 points, 15 rebounds and blocked six more shots to add to her nation-leading total, as the second-seeded Cardinal won at home in the Portland Regional.
Kiki Iriafen added 17 points and nine rebounds for Stanford (29-5).
IOWA STATE 93, MARYLAND 86 >> Freshman Audi Crooks scored a career-high 40 points on 18-for-20 shooting in her sensational NCAA Tournament debut, and the No. 7-seeded Cyclones (21-11) rallied from 20 points down against the 10th-seeded Terps in the Portland Regional at Stanford.