Louisville, NC State stay unbeaten
Tennessee throttles Kentucky 70-53
WINSTON SALEM, N.C., Jan 25, (AP): Dana Evans hit a driving shot for the go-ahead three-point play with 8.0 seconds left to help top-ranked Louisville barely avoid a huge upset by holding off Wake Forest 65-63.
Evans’ driving shot against Gina Conti and free throw finally gave the Cardinals their winning margin. But Louisville had to survive a final shot from the Demon Deacons, with Ivana Raca missing a 3-pointer from the right at the horn that would’ve given Wake Forest its first-ever win against a No. 1-ranked opponent.
Instead, the Cardinals survived to remain unbeaten less than a week after ascending to the top spot in the AP Top 25 poll for the first time.
Evans scored 25 points for Louisville (14-0, 7-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), who trailed by nine midway through the fourth quarter before going on a 14-2 run to push back in front and set up a tense finish.
Conti scored 13 points while Raca had 12 to lead the Demon Deacons (7-6, 4-5), who erased an early ninepoint deficit by getting on the boards.
N.C. State 89, Virginia Tech 87 In Raleigh, N.C., Kai Crutchfield scored 10 of her 20 points in the last 4-½ minutes, Jakia Brown-Turner finished with 23 points and North Carolina State rallied from 14 points down in the fourth quarter to remain undefeated, beating Virginia Tech.
The Wolfpack (11-0, 6-0 ACC) hadn’t played since Jan 3, and the three-week layoff showed.
Georgia Amoore’s 3-pointer with 4.4 seconds to play for Virginia Tech (7-7, 2-7) cut the gap to 88-87 before Raina Perez hit a free throw for the Wolfpack. A heave from near midcourt was well off the mark.
S. Carolina 69, LSU 65
Williams knocked down five 3-pointers on the way to 16 points, and Stanford bounced back from consecutive defeats and its lone two losses of the season to beat USC.
Freshman Cameron Brink grabbed nine rebounds and Anna Wilson seven boards and eight points as the Cardinal held a 53-22 advantage on the glass.
66
In Columbia, Mo., N’dea Jones and Ciera Johnson led a balanced attack with 14 points apiece and Jones grabbed 18 rebounds as Texas A&M held off Missouri.
Jordan Nixon and Distiny Pitts each made a pair of free throws in the final 15 seconds to seal the win.
Texas A&M 70, Missouri Tennessee 70, Kentucky 53
In Knoxville, Tenn., Tamari Key scored a career-high 19 points on 8-of10 shooting, Rennia Davis added 15 points and a career-high 20 rebounds, and Tennessee throttled Kentucky.
The Lady Vols (10-3, 4-1 SEC) took control in the third quarter when Key scored the first six points of the second half to start an 11-1 run for a 38-23 lead.
Oregon 69, Washington 52
In Eugene, Ore., Sedona Prince scored 16 points and blocked five shots, Lydia Giomi added a doubledouble off the bench and Oregon defeated Washington.