South Carolina keeps run alive
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Aliyah Boston’s dominance in the NCAA Tournament has reached levels not seen in a half-century.
Boston had 28 points, including all 13 for topseeded South Carolina in the fourth quarter, and 22 rebounds to send the Gamecocks to the Elite Eight with a 69-61 victory over North Carolina on Friday night.
Along with her first-ever 20-20 game in three college seasons, Boston was the first player — male or female — to have 25 or more points, 20 or more boards and shoot better than 90 percent at the foul line since UCLA’s Bill Walton did it in 1972 Final Four against Louisville, according to Stats Perform.
It’s a relentless attitude to succeed that Boston has maintained all year.
“Just keeping dominance on my mind,” said Boston, who was 12-of-13 from the foul line and had her 27th straight game with a double-double.
And in the final quarter as No. 5 seed North Carolina cut a 13-point lead to four, Boston continually bailed the tournament favorites out of trouble.
Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley said it was simply the best player in the game playing her best at the most important time.
“She’s been that for us all season long, but she showed up on the biggest stage at the biggest game,” Staley said.
The Gamecocks (32-2) will take on 10th-seeded Creighton on Sunday in the Greensboro Regional for a spot in the Final Four. It’s South Carolina’s fifth Elite Eight in the past eight NCAA Tournaments.
Deja Kelly led North Carolina (25-7) with 23 points.
CREIGHTON 76 IOWA STATE 68
Morgan Maly scored a career-high 21 points to help the 10th-seeded Bluejays beat the Cyclones, matching the lowest ever seed to reach a women’s NCAA Tournament regional final.
Tatum Rembao added 19 for Creighton (23-9), which entered the Greensboro Regional semifinals savoring the program’s first run to the Sweet 16. Now, Creighton has joined Lamar in 1991 and Oregon in 2017 as No. 10 seeds that pushed to the Elite Eight.
Creighton shot 55 percent after halftime with six 3-pointers.
Emily Ryan had 22 points, eight rebounds and six assists to lead Iowa State (28-7), which shot just 38 percent. Ashley
Joens had 14 points but made just three of 11 shots and got much of her production at the line (7-of-7).
STANFORD 72 MARYLAND 66
Lexie Hull scored 19 points in her hometown, Haley Jones added 17 points and 10 rebounds, and the top-seeded Cardinal rolled into the Spokane Regional final with a win over the fourth-seeded Terrapins.
Meeting in the NCAAs for the first time since the schools played in the same building in the 2008 Elite Eight, defending national champion Stanford (31-3) dominated Maryland for the first three quarters. The Terrapins (23-9) trimmed the deficit to 68-59 with 1:41 left, but couldn’t get much closer.
Stanford will face No. 2 seed Texas in the regional final Sunday night. It’s Stanford’s 21st Elite Eight under coach Tara VanDerveer.
Angel Reese led Maryland with 25 points.