Bama, LSU advance to SEC final; Ohio State to face Illinois for Big Ten title today,

Seventh-ranked Maryland’s scoring depth and impressive skill were once again on display in a 10484 rout of Iowa to claim a second consecutive Big Ten Tournament championship on Saturday.

How impressive? Coach Brenda Frese suggests these Terrapins (24-2) have more offensive potency and depth than her 2006 national championship squad. “I love where this team is at right now,” Frese said.

There’s a reason Maryland has reached the Big Ten title game in each of the seven seasons since joining the conference, and won six of seven regular-season titles. The nation’s No. 1 offense, which entered this week averaging 93.1 points, comes at an opponent fast and is relentless. “We just play hard as soon as we step on the court and it becomes fun,” said Most Outstanding Player Diamond Miller, who scored 15 points and had six assists.

The Terps have won 13 in a row, all by double digits, to earn consideration for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Chloe Bibby led the Terps with 21 points.

Iowa (18-9) was led by Monika Czinano and Big Ten Freshman of the Year Caitlin Clark, who had 22 and 21 points, respectively.

No. 6 Baylor 66, Texas 55: NaLyssa Smith had 21 points and 14 rebounds, and the Lady Bears won in the Big 12 Tournament semifinals in Kansas City, Missouri.

After trailing by 14 in the fourth quarter, the Longhorns (18-9) got within five. But Smith drilled a 3-pointer in the closing minute to help the Lady Bears hold on. Queen Egbo had 10 points and 18 rebounds for Baylor (24-2). Moon Ursin scored 19 points, and Dijonai Harrington had 14.

Baylor will play in its ninth straight Big 12 Tournament final today against West Virginia.

Joanne Allen-Taylor led the Longhorns with 22 points. Celeste Taylor had 18.

The Lady Bears were too much in the paint for Texas, outrebounding the Longhorns 51-29, 22 on the offensive glass. Baylor also scored 36 in the paint and had 28 second-chance points.

“Rebounding and defending will win you a lot of games, along with second-chance points,” Baylor coach Kim Mulkey said. “They are physical and there were spurts we didn’t execute very well.”

Texas center Charli Collier, a projected top pick in this year’s WNBA draft, played just two minutes in the first quarter after being called for two early fouls. She averaged over 20 points per game this season but averaged fewer than six in three games against Baylor.

No. 17 West Virginia 59, Oklahoma St. 50: Esmery Martinez scored 19 points and grabbed 15 rebounds and West Virginia’s reigning hero Kirsten Deans hit another critical shot as the Mountaineers held off the Cowgirls in the semifinals of the Big 12 Tournament.

The Mountaineers had a 17-point lead after a Kari Niblack jumper with 8:57 to play. But the Cowgirls came back with 11 straight points to reduce their deficit to 54-48 with 5:07 left.

Kysre Gondrezick scored 17 points for the Mountaineers (21-5) and Deans had 11.

Natasha Mack had 19 points, nine rebounds, eight rebounds and three steals for the Cowgirls (18-8).

West Virginia missed 12 of 14 in the fourth quarter and turned the ball over five times.

Oklahoma State couldn’t capitalize because of 4-of-15 shooting. The Cowgirls finished 2 of 19 from 3-point range; shooting 31.6% from the field.