South Carolina routs Arkansas, moves to 30-0
GREENVILLE, S.C. — Victaria Saxton has willingly played a supporting role in South Carolina’s starting lineup, letting talented teammates like Aliyah Boston and Zia Cooke lead the way for the defending national champions.
She got a starring spot against Arkansas at the Southeastern Conference tournament.
Saxton scored 19 points and Boston had her 79th career double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds as No. 1 South Carolina improved to 30-0 with a 93-66 victory on Friday.
The Gamecocks, who’ve won 36 straight, took control early and used their talented, tall lineup to advance to the SEC semifinals Saturday where they’ll play fourthseeded Mississippi. The Rebels ended the longshot hopes of 13th-seeded Texas A&M, 77-60.
Arkansas (21-12) will now sweat things out until Selection Sunday on March 12, on bubble watch as one of the last four teams out according to the latest projections by ESPN.COM.
Staley thought the Razorbacks had done more than enough to make the field of 68. “I agree with her,” Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors said.
South Carolina won’t have such worries, the last undefeated who reached 30 wins for the sixth time in the past nine seasons.
The Gamecocks, who lead the country in rebounding margin, were at it again against the Razorbacks. South Carolina outrebounded Arkansas 74-17 in a 92-46 victory two months ago. The Gamecocks couldn’t quite reach that same margin this time, but had a healthy control of things down low with 51 boards to Arkansas’ 26.
Kierra Fletcher added 12 points for the Gamecocks. Saxton hit eight of 10 shots in 20 minutes. Boston had a season-high five assists and tied her season best with four of South Carolina’s eight blocks.
Laeticia Amihere scored 16 points, all in the second half, as the Gamecocks poured it on. Kamilla Cardoso had 14 points and eight rebounds off the bench.
The Gamecocks’ defense bottled up Arkansas’ leading scorer Erryn Barnum for a second time this year. She was 3 of 11 for 11 points in the January loss at South Carolina and was 2 of 13 for eight points in this one.
Saylor Poffenberger had 22 points to lead Arkansas.
NO. 2 INDIANA 94 MICHIGAN STATE 85
In Minneapolis, Mackenzie Holmes scored 27 points and Sara Scalia added 20 as the secondranked and top-seeded Hoosiers overcame a slow start in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament on Friday.
Chloe Moore-mcneil had 19 points and 11 assists for the Hoosiers (27-2), while Yarden Garzon added 12 points and five rebounds.
Kamaria Mcdaniel pumped in a season-high 32 points for ninth-seeded Michigan State (16-14).
NO. 10 NOTRE DAME 66 NORTH CAROLINA ST. 60
In Greensboro, N.C., Sonia Citron had a season-high 28 points to help the Fighting Irish (25-4) beat the three-time reigning champion Wolfpack in the quarterfinals at the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament.
Maddy Westbeld added 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Fighting Irish, the top seed. Notre Dame opened the tournament without injured star guard Olivia Miles, but emerged from a grinding second period in which both teams struggled to make shots by coming out of halftime strong to wrestle away control.
Aziaha James and Saniya Rivers each scored 14 points to lead the eighth-seeded Wolfpack (20-11).
NO. 14 OHIO STATE 81 MICHIGAN 79
Freshman Cotie Mcmahon had 28 points, 11 rebounds and four assists in her Big Ten Tournament debut as the Buckeyes (24-6) beat the Wolverines (22-9) for the third time this season. It was the first time Ohio State beat Michigan three times in a season. Leigha Brown had 19 points for Michigan (22-9).