Clark leads Iowa to win over Michigan in Big Ten
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Caitlin Clark had 28 points to pad her all-time NCAA scoring total and matched a season high with 15 assists to lead third-ranked Iowa past Michigan 95-68 in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals on Saturday.
Hannah Stuelke scored 16 points, Kate Martin added 13 and Sydney Affolter had the best all-around game with 12 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and two steals as the Hawkeyes (28-4) moved within one win of a third straight conference tournament title.
Iowa will play Nebraska for the championship on Sunday. The fifth-seeded Huskers beat eighth-seeded Maryland on Saturday to reach the final for the first time in 10 years.
No. 9 UCONN 86, PROVIDENCE 53
UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Paige Bueckers scored 29 points and top-seeded Connecticut (27-5) beat ninth-seeded Providence 86-53 in the Big East quarterfinals despite losing star center Aaliyah Edwards while up by just six points in the second half.
Freshman KK Arnold added 17 points and the Huskies, who went undefeated in the Big East during the regular season, advanced to a conference semifinal for the 36th straight season.
Edwards had 12 points before leaving the game in the second half with a facial injury. Her status for the rest of the tournament was unclear after the game.
UConn entered the tournament with just eight available players, having already dealt with five season-ending injuries.
Grace Efosa had 23 points and eight rebounds for Providence, which finished the season at 13-20.
No. 10 NORTH CAROLINA STATE 69, FLORIDA STATE 43
GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — Aziaha James scored 23 points, Mimi Collins added 17 points and 13 rebounds and North Carolina State beat Florida State to advance to the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game for the fourth time in five seasons.
River Baldwin chipped in with seven points and 11 rebounds for second-seeded NC State, which has rattled off four straight wins since consecutive double-digit road losses at North Carolina and Duke last month.
NC State outrebounded Florida State 58-32 and held the Seminoles to 25% shooting from the field.
No. 14 NOTRE DAME 82, VIRGINIA TECH 53
GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — Sonia Citron scored 19 points, Maddy Westbeld added 18 and Notre Dame defeated Virginia Tech in the first semifinal of the ACC Tournament.
The fourth-seeded Irish were 9 of 14 on 3-pointers and shot 52% overall to hand the Hokies, who were without threetime ACC Player of the Year Elizabeth Kitley, the worst loss ever by a top seed in the tournament. Kitley injured a knee in the regular-season finale.
Notre Dame, in the championship game for the first time since 2019, faces 10th-ranked North Carolina State.
Hannah Hidalgo scored 15 points for the Irish (25-6), who have won seven straight, the last four over ranked Virginia Tech, who they have beaten six straight, and Louisville. Anna DeWolfe added 14 points, hitting 4 of 5 on 3-pointers.
Georgia Amoore scored 24 points for Virginia Tech (24-7), which shot just 30%.