Top-seeded Gamecocks bounce USF
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Zia Cooke scored 21 points and Aliyah Boston had her 81st career double double as top-seeded South Carolina shook off a slow start to power past eighth-seeded South Florida and into the Sweet 16 with a 76-45 victory Sunday.
The Gamecocks improved to 34-0 with their 40th straight win overall and moved four victories away from a second straight national title. They'll head to Greenville, where they won the Southeastern Conference Tournament two weeks ago, to play for a spot in the Final Four. Boston, the program career record holder for double doubles, finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds, coming out of her final game at home to a huge ovation.
South Florida (27-7) entered looking for a program-record 28th win this season and its first berth in the Sweet 16, but after a feisty start, couldn't hang with the Gamecocks.
Elena Tsineke, just 5-of-16 shooting in Friday's OT win over Marquette, scored seven of the Bulls' first 10 points on the way to a 16-12, first quarter lead in front of an edgy crowd on South Carolina's home court.
But Boston, the All-American and two-time Southeastern Conference player of the year, took things over in the second period.
Tsinkeke led the Bulls with 20 points. Fankam Mendjiadeu was held to just four points on 2-of-9 shooting.
Maryland 77, Arizona 64: Diamond Miller scored 13 of her 24 points in the third quarter to help second-seeded and host Maryland to a victory over seventh-seeded Arizona.
The Terrapins (27-6) advance to the Sweet 16 for a third straight year and the 11th time under coach Brenda Frese.
Maryland trailed by a point after two quarters but ran past the Wildcats (2210) in the second half.
Shyanne Sellers scored 15 points and Faith Masonius gave the Terps a lift with 12.
Cate Reese led Arizona with 19 points. Iowa 74, Georgia 66: Caitlin Clark had 22 points and 12 assists while Monika Czinano added 20 points to help host Iowa beat Georgia.
The Hawkeyes (28-6), the No. 2 seed in Seattle Regional 4, advance to the ninth Sweet Sixteen in program history.
Gabbie Marshall added 15 points and McKenna Warnock had 14 for Iowa, which erased the memory of last season's second-round home loss to No. 10 seed Creighton.
Clark, a first-team Associated Press All-American, was held scoreless for 13 minutes in the first half, but scored 14 second-half points as the Hawkeyes finally shook off the 10th-seeded Lady Bulldogs (22-12). She made just 6 of 17 shots, but either scored or assisted on nearly every point by the Hawkeyes in the second half.
Diamond Battles led Georgia with 21 points. Brittney Smith and Javyn Nicholson each had 12 points.
Notre Dame 53, Mississippi State 48: Lauren Ebo had 10 points, 18 rebounds and four blocks to help host Notre Dame beat Mississippi State.
Maddy Westbeld added nine points and 15 rebounds for the Irish, who blew an eight-point lead in the fourth quarter before making the plays down the stretch for the win.
Mississippi State scored eight straight points to open the fourth quarter and tie the game at 41.
Ebo scored the first Irish basket of the final period on an offensive putback with 4:38 remaining.
The Irish regained the lead for good on a pair of KK Bransford free throws with 3:49 left in the game, which gave Notre Dame a 45-43 advantage. The Irish held onto the lead the rest of the way.
Virginia Tech 72, South Dakota State 60: Georgia Amoore scored 21
points and top seed Virginia Tech held off No. 9 seed South Dakota State.
Elizabeth Kitley added 14 points and 14 rebounds for the Hokies (29-4), who won their 13th consecutive game, to advance to the Sweet 16 for just the second time in program history. They will play the winner of Monday's matchup between No. 12 seed Toledo and No. 4 seed Tennessee.
Virginia Tech also set a school record with its 29th win, breaking the mark of 28 set by the 1998-99 squad – the only other team in school history to advance to the Sweet 16.
Myah Selland led South Dakota State (29-6) with 17 points and nine rebounds.
The Jackrabbits entered the game with a 22-game winning streak, but aided by a raucous home crowd, the Hokies – who set a school record with their 16th home victory this season – jumped on the Jackrabbits early and never trailed.
Virginia Tech held South Dakota State scoreless for the final 7:03 of the first quarter in taking a 19-7 lead, and then used a 10-0 run early in the second quarter to grab a 20-point advantage.
South Dakota State made things interesting late in the fourth quarter, cutting the Virginia Tech lead to 66-56 on a three-point play by Selland with 3:13 remaining.
But Amoore hit two of her seven 3pointers in the final two minutes to seal the game.
Taylor Soule added 13 points for Virginia Tech and Kayana Traylor finished with 11.