NCAA Norfolk St South Carolina Basketball

South Carolina guard Kierra Fletcher drives against Norfolk State guard Deja Francis during a first-round NCAA Tournament game Friday in Columbia, S.C. Sean Rayford/Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Zia Cooke scored 11 points as No. 1 South Carolina moved five wins away from a perfect season, opening the women’s NCAA Tournament with a 72-40 victory over No. 16 seed Norfolk State on Friday.

Aliyah Boston had seven points, nine rebounds and two blocks for the Gamecocks (33-0), who won their 39th straight game dating back to last year’s NCAA title run and moved to 11-0 in first-round games under Coach Dawn Staley. They’ll face No. 8 seed South Florida on Sunday for a spot in the Sweet 16 of the Greenville Regional.

This was a colossal mismatch from the tip, like so many other South Carolina games this season.

South Carolina did its best to end any drama early as Boston and Cooke scored five points apiece in the opening quarter for a 20-7 lead. It was 34-18 at halftime, and the lead swelled to 30 points after three quarters.

SOUTH FLORIDA 67, MARQUETTE 65: Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu scored 22 points, and Elena Tsineke’s jumper with 31.2 seconds left in overtime put eighth-seeded South Florida (27-6) ahead for good in a victory over No. 9 seed Marquette (22-11) in Columbia, South Carolina

Marquette had a final chance to win it, but Mackenzie Hare’s 3-pointer went inside the rim and rolled out with a second to play.

Advertisement

South Florida didn’t lead for the game’s first 38 minutes, but rallied from a 47-36 deficit.

ARIZONA 75, WEST VIRGINIA 62: Cate Reese scored 25 points and Esmery Martinez had a double-double against her former team, helping seventh-seeded Arizona (22-9) to a victory over 10th-seeded West Virginia (19-12) in College Park, Maryland.

The Wildcats (22-9) started fast and never trailed. They’ll play No. 2 Maryland in the second round.

MARYLAND 93, HOLY CROSS 61: Abby Meyers scored 16 points, and Diamond Miller added 13 points and eight rebounds as second-seeded Maryland (26-6) rolled over 15th-seeded Holy Cross (24-9) in College Park, Maryland.

The Terrapins scored the game’s first 14 points and were able to give their top players plenty of rest, with Miller, Meyers and Shyanne Sellers each playing a little over half the game. Sellers had 13 points and eight assists. Brinae Alexander led Maryland in scoring with 18 points.

MICHIGAN 71, UNLV 59: Emily Kiser had 18 points and 10 rebounds, Maddie Nolan added 18 points, and sixth-seeded Michigan (23-9) beat 11th-seeded UNLV (31-3) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, snapping the Rebels’ 22-game winning streak.

Advertisement

The Wolverines used their advantages in size and physicality to build and keep a double-digit lead for much of the game.

LSU 73, HAWAII 50: Angel Reese had 34 points and 15 rebounds – her 29th double-double this season – and third-seeded LSU (29-2) defeated No. 14 seed Hawaii (18-15) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Flau’Jae Johnson scored 10 points for LSU, which raced to a double-digit lead in the first quarter and maintained a comfortable lead most of the way.

The Tigers advanced to a second-round match-up on Sunday with sixth-seeded Michigan.

NOTRE DAME 82, SOUTHERN UTAH 56: Maddy Westbeld scored 20 points to lead No. 3 seed Notre Dame (26-5) past 14th-seeded Southern Utah (23-10) in South Bend, Indiana.

Lauren Ebo had a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Advertisement

MISSISSIPPI STATE 81, CREIGHTON 66: Jerkaila Jordan scored 20 points and led No. 11 seed Mississippi State (23-10) to a win against No. 6 Creighton in South Bend, Indiana.

Jessika Carter, Mississippi State’s 6-foot-5 center, took advantage of the Bluejays’ undersized front court, with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Lauren Jensen scored 22 points to lead Creighton.

Mississippi State will face Notre Dame in the second round on Sunday.

UTAH 103, GARDINER-WEBB 77: Alissa Pili tallied 33 points, eight rebounds and eight assists to power second-seeded Utah (26-4) past 15th-seeded Gardner-Webb (29-5) in Salt Lake City.

Jenna Johnson added 20 points and five assists for the Utes, who ended Gardner-Webb’s 21-game winning streak.

Advertisement

SEATTLE REGIONAL

GEORGIA 66, FLORIDA STATE 54: Diamond Battles scored 21 points and Audrey Warren added 11 points as 10th-seeded Georgia (22-11) defeated No. 7 Florida State (23-10) in Iowa City, Iowa.

Georgia led 43-40 with 2:03 left in the third quarter before going on a 14-0 run that extended three minutes into the fourth quarter. Florida State would get no closer than 10 the rest of the game.

Florida State had just eight available players for the tournament. The university announced on Thursday morning that freshman guard Ta’Niya Latson and sophomore guard O’Mariah Gordon were out for the rest of the season because of injuries.

IOWA 95, SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA 43: Caitlin Clark had 26 points and 12 assists and Monika Czinano added 22 points as second-seeded Iowa (27-6) routed No. 15 Southeastern Louisiana (21-10) in Iowa City, Iowa.

Iowa will play Georgia in the second round on Sunday.

Advertisement

Clark, an Associated Press first-team All-American who was third in the nation in scoring at 27 points per game, added seven rebounds. She was 9 of 14 from the field.

Czinano, third in the nation in field-goal percentage after leading the nation in that category the last two seasons, was 10 of 12 from the field.

VIRGINIA TECH 58, CHATTANOOGA 33: Georgia Amoore scored 22 points, Elizabeth Kitley added 12, and top-seeded Virginia Tech (28-4) rolled to a victory over No. 16 seed Chattanooga (20-13) in Blacksburg, Virginia.

STANFORD 92, SACRED HEART 49: Haley Jones scored 17 points for a top-seeded Stanford (29-5) team missing star Cameron Brink because of a stomach bug, and the Cardinal advanced by beating 16th-seeded Sacred Heart (19-14) in Stanford, California.


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.