JuJu Watkins scores 22 and top-seeded USC routs UNCG 71-25 in 1st round
JuJu Watkins scored 22 points and top-seeded Southern California led all the way in routing 16th-seeded UNC Greensboro 71-25 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday.
The Trojans (29-3) advanced to the second round to play either eighth-seeded California or ninth-seeded Mississippi State on Monday at Galen Center.
Watkins appeared to hurt her left hand early in the second quarter, occasionally shaking out her fingers. Then in the third, the star sophomore came up limping on her left leg and winced. She hit a 3-pointer and sat for the final 3:39 before returning briefly in the fourth.
The Spartans came out confidently, holding the Trojans to 12 points in the first quarter after missing their first five shots and trailing 8-0.
UNCG closed within two early in the second quarter before USC blew the game open. The Trojans outscored the Spartans 16-3 while limiting them to three free throws. The Trojans' pressure defense forced eight turnovers and the Spartans were 0 of 11 from the field and 0 of 5 from 3-point range. USC led 28-11 at halftime.
UCONN 103, ARKANSAS STATE 34
STORRS, Conn. (AP) — Azzi Fudd had 21 of her 27 points in the first half as second-seeded UConn rolled to a win over Arkansas State.
Freshman Sarah Strong added 20 points and 12 rebounds, five assists and five blocks in her NCAA Tournament debut. Most of those came in the first half when UConn jumped out to a 66-16 advantage at the half, playing nearly flawless basketball.
The Huskies had runs of 22-0, 12-0 and 13-0 in the first half as UConn won its 31st consecutive first-round game.
UConn (32-3) scored 34 points in the first quarter, making all 11 of its two-point shots. Many of those were layups coming off the press.
Arkansas State (21-11), which likes to apply pressure itself, had no answer for the Huskies.
Crislyn Rose led the Red Wolves with seven points. The team shot 17% from the field (12-for-70), including going 7-for-40 from behind the arc.
OKALHOMA 81, FLORIDA GULF COAST 58
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Raegan Beers had 25 points and 18 rebounds, and No. 3 seed Oklahoma dominated the fourth quarter to beat 14th-seeded Florida Gulf Coast.
The Sooners led 55-48 entering the fourth, then outscored the Eagles 26-10 in the final period.
Beers, a 6-foot-4 center, towered over a team with no starter taller than 5-9. She helped the Sooners outrebound the Eagles 72-35.
Skylar Vann scored 24 points and Payton Verhulst added 13 points, six rebounds and six assists for the Sooners (26-7).
Emani Jefferson, the Atlantic Sun Player of the Year who had 22 points and 12 rebounds against the Sooners last year, had 12 points and eight rebounds in the rematch while spending much of the day in foul trouble. She made 3 of 11 field goals.
Dolly Cairns scored 15 points for the Eagles (30-4), who had won 23 straight. Florida Gulf Coast shot 23.6% from the field and made 8 of 41 3-pointers (19.5%).
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 74, OKLAHOMA STATE 68
STORRS, Conn. (AP) — Madison Mathiowetz scored all 15 of her points in the second half as 10th-seeded South Dakota State erased a double-digit deficit to top No. 7 seed Oklahoma State.
Brooklyn Meyer had 19 points and eight rebounds, Paige Meyer had 16 points, eight rebounds and six assists and Haleigh Timmer added 11 points for South Dakota State (30-3).
Stailee Heard had 20 points and Anna Gret Asi had 16 points for Oklahoma State (25-7).
Oklahoma State took its first double-digit lead on a basket by Alexia Smith with 7:38 left in the third quarter. Paige Meyer scored nine points as the Jackrabbits scored 17 of the next 24 points.
A three-point play by Meyer gave South Dakota State the 44-43 lead with 2:57 left in the quarter. South Dakota State took a two-point advantage into the fourth quarter on a driving layup by Mathiowetz to beat the third-quarter buzzer.
IOWA 92, MURRAY STATE 57
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Freshman Ava Heiden scored a career-high 15 points and grabbed seven rebounds, and sixth-seeded Iowa rolled past No. 11 seed Murray State.
Lucy Olsen had 12 points and a career-high 12 assists for the Hawkeyes (23-10). They scored a season high in points in the first tournament win for first-year Iowa coach Jan Jensen, a longtime assistant who was promoted after Lisa Bluder retired.
Murray State's Katelyn Young, who averaged 22.2 points heading into the NCAA Tournament, left the game early in the third quarter with an ankle injury and did not return. She finished with six points and seven rebounds in 20 minutes.
Halli Poock scored 15 points and Ava Learn added eight points and 10 rebounds before fouling out for Murray State (25-8). The Racers, who entered the game averaging a nation-leading 87.8 points per game, shot just 30.6% from the field and posted their lowest point total of the season.
NC STATE 75, VERMONT 55
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) —Zoe Brooks scored 19 points and N.C. State finally took control in the second half to beat Vermont.
Saniya Rivers and Aziaha James added 15 points apiece for the second-seeded Wolfpack, who reached the Final Four last year.
Keira Hanson scored 21 points off the bench, Catherine Gilwee had 13 and Nikola Priede added 11 for No. 15 seed Vermont (21-13).
Vermont pulled ahead 27-24 midway through the second quarter on Hanson's 3-pointer. The Wolfpack scored the last six points of the half for a 35-33 edge.
The Wolfpack saved their best stretch for late in the game, outscoring Vermont 23-9 in the fourth quarter.
ALABAMA 81, GREENBAY 67
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Aaliyah Nye scored 23 points and Zaay Green added 22 to lead fifth-seeded Alabama to a victory over 12th-seeded Green Bay.
The Crimson Tide (24-8) ended Green Bay's 22-game winning streak and now advances to the second round to face either Maryland or Norfolk State on Monday. Maddy Schreiber scored 14 points for the Phoenix (29-6).
Green Bay kept the game close through most of the first half, but the Horizon League champion allowed six straight points to end the second quarter and trailed 38-29. The Crimson Tide — who earned their highest seed since 1999 — now have a chance to achieve another March Madness breakthrough. They haven't made the Sweet 16 since 1998.
Alabama pushed its lead to 13 in the third quarter. The margin was down to five early in the fourth, but Nye connected from 3-point range to help repel that Green Bay push.
WEST VIRGINIA 78, COLUMBIA 59
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — JJ Quinerly scored 27 points, Jordan Harrison matched a career-high with 23 and sixth-seeded West Virginia led wire-to-wire in a victory over 11th-seeded Columbia.
Quinerly also had seven of the Mountaineers' 17 steals.
The Mountaineers (25-7) advance to face the winner of No. 3 North Carolina and No. 14 Oregon State on Monday. West Virginia will be looking for its first Sweet 16 appearance since 1992.
West Virginia's full-court press was a constant source of frustration for Columbia, which was coming off its first tournament win in program history. The Lions committed 11 turnovers in the first quarter, more than they had in all of Thursday's First Four win over Washington, and 25 overall.
Columbia (24-7) was led by Cecelia Collins' 16 points. Riley Weiss scored 14, and Kitty Henderson contributed 13 points and nine rebounds.
UCONN 103, ARKANSAS STATE 34
STORRS, Conn. (AP) — Azzi Fudd had 21 of her 27 points in the first half as second-seeded UConn rolled to a win over Arkansas State.
Freshman Sarah Strong added 20 points and 12 rebounds, five assists and five blocks in her NCAA Tournament debut. Most of those came in the first half when UConn jumped out to a 66-16 advantage at the half, playing nearly flawless basketball.
The Huskies had runs of 22-0, 12-0 and 13-0 in the first half as UConn won its 31st consecutive first-round game.
UConn (32-3) scored 34 points in the first quarter, making all 11 of its two-point shots. Many of those were layups coming off the press.
Arkansas State (21-11), which likes to apply pressure itself, had no answer for the Huskies.
Crislyn Rose led the Red Wolves with seven points. The team shot 17% from the field (12-for-70), including going 7-for-40 from behind the arc.
OKALHOMA 81, FLORIDA GULF COAST 58
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Raegan Beers had 25 points and 18 rebounds, and No. 3 seed Oklahoma dominated the fourth quarter to beat 14th-seeded Florida Gulf Coast.
The Sooners led 55-48 entering the fourth, then outscored the Eagles 26-10 in the final period.
Beers, a 6-foot-4 center, towered over a team with no starter taller than 5-9. She helped the Sooners outrebound the Eagles 72-35.
Skylar Vann scored 24 points and Payton Verhulst added 13 points, six rebounds and six assists for the Sooners (26-7).
Emani Jefferson, the Atlantic Sun Player of the Year who had 22 points and 12 rebounds against the Sooners last year, had 12 points and eight rebounds in the rematch while spending much of the day in foul trouble. She made 3 of 11 field goals.
Dolly Cairns scored 15 points for the Eagles (30-4), who had won 23 straight. Florida Gulf Coast shot 23.6% from the field and made 8 of 41 3-pointers (19.5%).
