Maryland beats Crimson Tide in 2 OTs
Maryland guard Sarah Te-Biasu powers into the paint past Alabama guard/forward Aaliyah Nye to score a layup in front of forward Christabel Ezumah in the second round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Monday, March 24, 2025, in College Park, Md. (Karl Merton Ferron/The Baltimore Sun via AP)
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Sarah Te-Biasu made a tying 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter, then scored eight of her 26 points in the second overtime to help fourth-seeded Maryland outlast fifth-seeded Alabama 111-108 on Monday to advance to the Sweet 16 of the women’s NCAA Tournament.
The Terrapins (25-7) advance to play top-seeded South Carolina, but to get there they had to overcome a career-high 45 points by Alabama’s Sarah Ashlee Barker — and a 17-point Crimson Tide lead in the third quarter.
After Te-Biasu forced the first overtime with her 3-pointer, Barker was fouled shooting a 3 with 0.7 seconds left in OT. She calmly swished all three attempts to tie it at 96 and send the game to a second extra session.
It was surely the game of the tournament so far, and the only time in four second-round matchups that a No. 4 seed was able to take advantage of home court and beat the No. 5 seed. There has never been a Sweet 16 in the women’s NCAA Tournament without at least one No. 4 seed.
NORTH CAROLINA 58, WEST VIRGINIA 47
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Alyssa Ustby scored 16 of her 21 points after halftime to help North Carolina beat West Virginia in the second round of the women’s NCAA Tournament.
The fifth-year senior’s big night included 10 third-quarter points for the third-seeded Tar Heels (29-7), who reached the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2022. North Carolina will face Duke in a regional semifinal in Birmingham, Alabama — the first meeting between the rivals in the women’s March Madness bracket.
Lexi Donarski and Reniya Kelly each scored 11 points for UNC, which shot just 37.9% but locked down defensively while scoring 23 points off turnovers in the Tar Heels’ first hosting opportunity since 2015.
BIRMINGHAM REGIONAL 3
TEXAS 65, ILLINOIS 48
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Madison Booker scored 20 points and No. 1-seed Texas used a smothering defense to earn a victory over No. 8 Illinois on Monday, sending the Longhorns to the Sweet 16 of the women’s NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in the last five seasons.
Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda added 19 points for Texas (33-3), which will meet Southeastern Conference rival No. 5 Tennessee (24-9) in Birmingham, Alabama, on Saturday.
Texas outscored Illinois 18-6 in the second quarter, then broke the game open at the start of the third when the Longhorns stretched the lead to 24 after steals by Booker and Rori Harmon led to quick baskets.
Texas’ relentless ball pressure harassed Illinois (22-10) the entire game, and the Longhorns scored 23 points off 20 Illini turnovers. All of it was keyed by Harmon, who had four steals and locked down Illinois guard Genesis Bryant, who had six turnovers.
SPOKANE REGIONAL 1
NC STATE 83, MICHIGAN ST. 49
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Aziaha James scored 26 points and second-seeded N.C. State made an NCAA Tournament program-record 15 shots from 3-point range in a victory over seventh-seeded Michigan State in the women’s second round Monday.
James connected for six 3s and Madison Hayes, who had 17 points, drilled five 3-pointers. Saniya Rivers added 17 points and 11 assists and Zamareya Jones had 12 points for the Wolfpack (28-6).
N.C. State will meet either Florida State or LSU in a Sweet 16 matchup on Friday in Spokane, Washington. The Wolfpack will be in the Sweet 16 for the sixth time in coach Wes Moore’s 12 seasons.
LSU 101, FLORIDA ST. 71
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Mikaylah Williams scored 28 points and Aneesah Morrow added 26 points and 11 rebounds, leading Flau’Jae Johnson and LSU to a runaway victory over Florida State in the second round of the women’s NCAA Tournament.
Sa’Myah Smith had a season-high 20 points and 12 rebounds for LSU (30-5), which blew open what had been a 50-49 game at halftime by outscoring the Seminoles 31-6 in the third quarter.
Johnson, who played just seven minutes in the first half after apparently reaggravating a right shin injury, returned to start the second half and stirred the home crowd into a frenzy with a series of electrifying plays.
She began by dribbling across the paint in transition and hitting a right-handed hook off the glass while being fouled — a three-point play that gave LSU a 59-51 lead.
SPOKANE REGIONAL 4
OKLAHOMA 96, IOWA 62
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Skylar Vann scored 17 points, Payton Verhulst added 16 and No. 3 seed Oklahoma cruised into the Sweet 16 of the women’s NCAA Tournament, dispatching No. 6 seed Iowa.
Raegan Beers had 11 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks in just 18 minutes for the Sooners.
Oklahoma coach Jennie Baranczyk beat her alma mater and advanced past the second round for the first time in her four years with the Sooners. Oklahoma (27-7) will play UConn or South Dakota State on Saturday in Spokane, Washington.
UCONN 91, S. DAKOTA ST. 57
STORRS, Conn. (AP) — Paige Bueckers matched her career high with 34 points in her home finale, and second-seeded UConn reached its 31st straight Sweet 16 in the women’s NCAA Tournament, beating No. 10 seed South Dakota State.
Having said goodbye to her adoring fans at Gampel Pavilion, Bueckers, a senior who is expected to be the top overall pick in the WNBA draft, turns her attention toward trying to bring UConn its 12th national title and first since 2016.
Azzi Fudd scored 17 points and Sarah Strong finished with 15 points, seven rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks for the Huskies (33-3), who will face Oklahoma in a regional semifinal in Spokane, Washington.
Paige Meyer had 16 points for South Dakota State (30-4).
SOUTHERN CAL 96, MISSISSIPPI ST. 59
LOS ANGELES (AP) — JuJu Watkins went down with a gruesome-looking knee injury five minutes into Monday night’s game. Top-seeded Southern California kept going without its star player, pummeling Mississippi State to reach the Sweet 16 of the women’s NCAA Tournament for the second straight year.
Watkins scored three points on free throws before injuring her right knee. The crowd went silent as she writhed in pain and clutched her knee while her teammates looked on helplessly and coach Lindsay Gottlieb rushed to her side. Watkins was carried off the floor by multiple people.
Her teammates were terrific in her absence. They kept their poise while building leads of 28-8 after one quarter, 50-27 at halftime and 75-42 after three.
Kiki Iriafen, a Stanford graduate transfer, scored a season-high 36 points on 16-of-22 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds. She left with 6:29 remaining and the crowd chanting, “Kiki! Kiki!” Freshman Avery Howell added 18 points, hitting four 3-pointers.
The Bulldogs were led by Jerkaila Jordan with 17 points.
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