UConn rolls past Holy Cross
UConn guard Paige Bueckers (5) drives to the basket as Holy Cross guard Simone Foreman (24) defends in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024, in Storrs, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
STORRS, Conn. (AP) — Freshman Sarah Strong scored 22 points and No. 2 UConn outscored Holy Cross by 30 points in the second half of an 88-52 victory on Tuesday night.
Kaitlyn Chen scored 14 points and Paige Bueckers added 11 points, seven rebounds and five assists for UConn (7-0), which led 33-27 at the break and shot 7 for 12 from 3-point distance in the second half.
Lindsay Berger scored 12 points and Kaitlyn Flanagan added 10 points for Holy Cross (4-4).
Azzi Fudd made her first start of the season for UConn after missing the first three games of the season as she recovered from a knee injury that limited her to just two games during the 2023-24 season. Fudd scored seven points in 18 minutes.
NO. 6 SOUTHERN CAL 94, CALIFORNIA BAPTIST 52
LOS ANGELES (AP) — JuJu Watkins hit a school record and career-high nine 3-pointers and scored 40 points as No. 6 Southern California routed Cal Baptist.
The Trojans (7-1) earned their third consecutive blowout victory since losing to then-No. 6 Notre Dame 74-61 on Saturday.
Kiki Iriafen added 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Trojans. Talia von Oelhoffen had 14 points and six assists and Rayah Marshall had 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Watkins had just five points in the first quarter before heating up. She tied her career best with her sixth 3 in the third and added three more before she sat down with 4:08 remaining in the game.
Grace Schmidt led the Lancers (0-9) with 12 points and seven rebounds.
NO. 7 MARYLAND 87, MOUNT ST. MARY’S 52
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Christina Dalce scored 13 points, and No. 7 Maryland remained unbeaten with a victory over Mount St. Mary’s.
The Terrapins (9-0) are off to their best start since 2018-19, when they won their first 12 games. Maryland held the Mountaineers (0-6) to 19 points in the first half and pulled out to a big lead in the second quarter.
Shyanne Sellers and Allie Kubek scored 12 points apiece for the Terps, and Saylor Poffenbarger and Kaylene Smikle added 10 each.
Jo Raflo led Mount St. Mary’s with 10.
Maryland shot 52% from the field while holding the Mountaineers to 34%.
NO. 13 KANSAS STATE 90, EASTERN ILLINOIS 43
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Ayoka Lee scored 15 points and became Kansas State’s all-time leading scorer as the 13th-ranked Wildcats blasted Eastern Illinois 90-43 on Tuesday night.
Lee scored her 13th point on a layup at the 6:59 mark of the third quarter to give her 2,334 points, one more than Kendra Wecker had in her career that ended in 2005.
Zyanna Walker led the Wildcats (8-1) with 16 points, matching her career high, to go with a career-high 10 assists, four rebounds, four steals and two blocks. Taryn Sides scored 12 points and Jaelyn Glenn and Kennedy Taylor had 11 each.
Kiyley Flowers had nine points to pace the Panthers (2-4), who shot 28%.
NO. 20 IOWA STATE 92, SOUTH CAROLINA UPSTATE 35
AMES, Iowa (AP) — Audi Crooks scored 15 points and grabbed 13 rebounds and Addy Brown scored 14 points and 20th-ranked Iowa State beat South Carolina Upstate.
Aili Tanke scored 12 points and reserve Kelsey Jones added 11 points for the Cyclones (7-2) who won their sixth-home contest of the season.
The Cyclones made 15 of 40 (37.5%) from 3-point range. Iowa State finished 11 of 20 (55%) from the foul line.
Jeni Levine scored nine points for SC Upstate (2-8).
NO. 25 NEBRASKA 69, LINDENWOOD 48
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Alexis Markowski had five of her 11 points in the last 5 1/2 minutes and No. 25 Nebraska closed the game on a 16-0 run to defeat Lindenwood.
The Cornhuskers (7-1) didn’t take the lead for good until Logan Nissley hit a 3-pointer in the middle of the third quarter for a 37-34 lead. Britt Prince had a 3-pointer in the last minute of the quarter for a 46-41 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
The Lions (4-3) hit their last field goal at the 6:54 mark to pull within 51-45 and after a Markowski layup they had a free throw at 5:48 for a five-point difference. Markowski started the run with two free throws. Prince had a 3-point and a layup.
The Lions missed their last 10 shots.
Prince led Nebraska with 14 points. Callin Hake had 12 points and Petra Bozan 10. Markowski also grabbed 11 rebounds.
Lindenwood gave the Cornhuskers trouble without a double-figure scorer. Ellie Brueggemann led the way with nine points but nine different players contributed.