South Carolina keeps UT women from upset
AUSTIN — A’ja Wilson didn’t feel any pressure, just the call of responsibility. With teammate Alaina Coates hampered by foul trouble, Wilson took over.
Wilson scored a careerbest 31 points and had 12 rebounds and four blocks to help No. 3 South Carolina beat No. 14 Texas 76-67 on Thursday night in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge.
Wilson, a junior, scored nine points in the fourth quarter. Kaela Davis added 12 points, and Tyasha Harris had 10 for the Gamecocks (6-0). Coates scored just six points, nearly 11 fewer than her average, in 22 minutes.
”It’s kind of tough when your partner is in foul trouble,” Wilson said. “But you have to let the game come to you, and that’s what it did today.”
Kelsey Lang had 15 points, 12 rebounds and six blocks for Texas (2-3), but she spent much of the game in foul trouble, some of it incurred while guarding Wilson.
“I definitely need to play smarter on defense and not put myself in the position where I have to come out of the game because of fouls,” Lang said.
Ariel Atkins added 14 points for Texas, and Joyner Holmes had 11.
Texas led by two points late in the third quarter. But South Carolina finished the period with a 10-2 run, helped along the way by five straight missed free throws by Texas.
The Longhorns hit just 7 of 14 free throws, while South Carolina hit 30-of-40.
CONNECTICUT 91 DEPAUL 46
Kia Nurse scored a career-high 33 points, and the No. 2 Huskies routed the No. 15 Blue Demons for their 81st win in a row.
Nurse hit 12 of her 16 shots, including her first nine and was 6-of-9 from 3-point range.
Napheesa Collier added 18 points, and Katie Lou Samuelson had 16 for the host Huskies (6-0).
BAYLOR 79 ABILENE CHRISTIAN 34
Nina Davis scored 18 points, and the fourthranked Lady Bears stretched their home winning streak to 46 games.
Kalani Brown added 15 points and 11 rebounds, and Khadijiah Cave had 12 points on 6-of-7 shooting. Baylor (8-1) hasn’t lost at home since March 2014.
The Lady Bears never trailed, jumping out to a 14-3 lead in the first 6 minutes of the game. The Wildcats had turnovers on five of their first eight possessions.
MARYLAND 78 LOUISVILLE 72
Kaila Charles scored the go-ahead basket with 2:20 remaining, and Destiny Slocum followed with seven points for the visiting Terrapins in the ACC/ Big Ten Challenge.
Shatori Walker-Kimbrough scored 26 points for Maryland (7-0). Asia Durr scored 20 points for the Carindals (6-2).
MIAMI 94 OHIO ST. 89
Keyona Hayes scored 23 points, Jessica Thomas added 16, and the No. 18 Hurricanes outlasted the No. 9 Buckeyes in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
Ohio State’s Sierra Calhoun hit a 3-pointer at the regulation buzzer to tie it at 84. Hayes’ 3-pointer with 2:30 left in overtime put visiting Miami (6-1) ahead to stay in the game, which featured 13 lead changes.
STANFORD 77 CAL ST.-BAKERSFIELD 56
Erica McCall had 18 points and 12 rebounds to lead the No. 11 Cardinal past the host Roadrunners and her father, coach Greg McCall.
Karli Samuelson added 14 points for Stanford (71). Brittany Sims and Aja Williams each scored 13 for Bakersfield (1-5).
WASHINGTON 101 GRAND CANYON 66
Chantel Osahor had a career-high 25 points on 9-of-10 shooting and added 14 rebounds and six assists for the No. 13 Huskies on the road.
Kelsey Plum had 28 points and eight assists for the Huskies (7-1). Marina Laramie had 24 points for Grand Canyon (3-4).
KENTUCKY 82 OKLAHOMA 68
Makayla Epps had 30 points, and Maci Morris scored 11 of her careerhigh 19 in the second half for the No. 17 Wildcats (6-1) in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge.
Peyton Little had five 3-pointers and 19 points for the No. 12 Sooners (5-1).
KANSAS ST. 71, AUBURN 66
Kindred Wesemann scored 16 points and the Wildcats made 12 of 18 free throws in the fourth quarter to turn back the No. 23 Tigers in the SEC/ Big 12 Challenge.
Breanna Lewis had 13 points and nine rebounds for the Wildcats (7-0). Katie Frerking led the Tigers (6-2) with 22 points.
Men GONZAGA 97 MISSISSIPPI VALLEY ST. 63
Josh Perkins and Silas Melson had 15 points apiece as the No. 8 Bulldogs remained undefeated and kept visiting Delta Devils winless.
All of Perkins’ points came on five first-half 3s.
CINCINNATI 55, IOWA ST. 54
Jacob Evans III made two free throws with 20 seconds left in overtime, and the visiting Bearcats sent the No. 19 Cyclones to their second straight loss.
SOUTH CAROLINA 68 VERMONT 50
PJ Dozier had a careerhigh 21 points at home, and the No. 20 Gamecocks improved to 7-0 for a second straight season.
FLORIDA 91 NORTH FLORIDA 60
Chris Chiozza had 16 points and nine assists, and Justin Leon added 13 points for the No. 24 Gators on the road.