GREENSBORO, N.C. — Creighton took down a No. 6 seed, Colorado. It defeated second-seeded Iowa. Now it has grow to be the rare No. 10 seed to reach the round of 8.
Creighton delivered its 3rd consecutive upset by beating the No. 4 seed Iowa Point out, 76-68, on Friday night time in the N.C.A.A. women’s tournament. The Bluejays will engage in South Carolina on Sunday for a place in the Closing 4.
Iowa Condition left route following route open for Creighton, and the Bluejays’ young, sharp offense moved correct in. On defense, Creighton denied within baskets for Iowa Condition.
This was already Creighton’s initial excursion to the round of 16 in method historical past. Creighton was a person of two No. 10 seeds continue to in the field in the spherical of 16 right after an upset acquire more than next-seeded Iowa in the next spherical. The other No. 10 seed, South Dakota, performs No. 3 Michigan on Saturday in the Wichita location.
The Cyclones and Bluejays relied greatly on their outside shooters: Blended, the two teams attempted 50 3-tips.
Creighton pulled away in the 3rd quarter and led by as quite a few as 13 factors in the fourth. Guard Morgan Maly led the Bluejays with 21 points.
Ashley Joens, a senior guard for Iowa Condition who was a next team all-American, sat out a great deal of the initial fifty percent soon after committing two fouls. Emily Ryan as an alternative led the Cyclones with 22 points.
The Bluejays enable the clock run out and greeted a little but ecstatic team of Creighton fans, sealing their gain with a ceremonial spritz of bubbles on the court docket.
“This staff carries on to amaze me,” Mentor Jim Flanery stated. “We’re so happy of how they’ve developed, what form of battle they have and how they enjoy for each other.”
The crowd was a great deal diminished soon after the Greensboro Coliseum drew community lovers for the South Carolina vs. North Carolina recreation. An energetic Iowa Point out band experienced distractions prepared for Creighton at each and every push.
But just one supporter favored stuck about: Dawn Staley, South Carolina’s mentor, greeted followers in the stands just before getting a seat courtside to evaluate up the crew that her Gamecocks would be facing on Sunday.
— Remy Tumin
Aliyah Boston dominates for the Gamecocks.
There could be only just one winner in the fight of the Carolinas.
No. 1-seeded South Carolina, hungry for its very first national championship title in 5 yrs, edged fifth-seeded North Carolina in the spherical of 16 in the N.C.A.A. women’s event, defeating the Tar Heels, 69-61, on Friday night time.
Though the Tar Heels have been on a disruptive path in the Greensboro area, sending fourth-seeded Arizona packing on its dwelling court in the next round, the young group was no match for the depth of the Gamecocks. Aliyah Boston, the star junior forward who has been the centerpiece of her team, secured her 27th consecutive double-double with 28 details and 22 rebounds, and the senior ahead Victaria Saxton delivered when her workforce required her most with 14 rebounds and two critical blocks.
Boston secured all 13 points for South Carolina in the fourth quarter.
But the acquire did not occur conveniently. South Carolina struggled to maintain up with the speedy Tar Heels in the 1st 50 percent as they frequently drove downcourt, keeping low and quick down the lane. The Gamecocks authorized 23 details in the very first quarter. Deja Kelly, North Carolina’s sophomore guard, danced around South Carolina’s protection to lead her group with 23 factors.
But Destanni Henderson and Zia Cooke responded with the speed and scoring the Gamecocks essential to stay afloat. Henderson finished with 13 points and Cooke scored 15, ending the second quarter on her back again soon after a productive bounce shot. When they skipped a basket, Boston came in and completed it off with two, 3, occasionally four Tar Heels practically hanging off her.
“That was a tough game — hats off to North Carolina for participating in an particularly productive basketball video game,” Mentor Dawn Staley mentioned. “They pushed us to the limit.”
The sport was the 3rd Sweet 16 matchup amongst the courses given that 2014, and North Carolina’s to start with overall look in the third round considering that 2015, when it lost to South Carolina. The Gamecocks will next experience Creighton.
Gamecock and Tar Heel supporters alike filled the Greensboro Coliseum, just a 3-hour drive from Columbia, S.C., and an hour’s generate from Chapel Hill, N.C., building a sea of gentle blue and pink towards South Carolina’s neon eco-friendly and pink sneakers.
The Gamecocks were searching for redemption just after losing to Stanford previous calendar year in the semifinals by two points. But coming into Friday’s activity, a Gamecock acquire was considerably from a guaranteed wager. Although their ferocious defense, just one of the ideal in the event, has denied its level of competition all over again and once more, the Gamecocks’ offense has struggled to change drives to factors.
“This displays it is only likely to get more durable and tougher,” Cooke mentioned following the recreation. “We have maintain our foot on the gas the entire time.”
— Remy Tumin
Texas elbows previous Ohio State in a actual physical game.
SPOKANE, Wash. — Texas advanced to the spherical of 8 for the next straight match with a 66-63 victory about Ohio State on Friday, aided by decisive enjoy from its senior guard Joanne Allen-Taylor and the team’s go-to post players, Lauren Ebo and Aaliyah Moore.
The Buckeyes’ ideal two scorers all time, Jacy Sheldon and Taylor Mikesell, mixed for 36 details, not enough to defeat the Longhorns’ physical protection.
The No. 2-seeded Longhorns took an early guide, staying ahead right until Texas’ position guard, the freshman Rori Harmon, picked up two fouls in the to start with quarter when a demand and a blocking contact didn’t go her way in swift succession.
From that position, it started out to glance as if sixth-seeded Ohio Condition could possibly beat Texas at its own sport, pressing the Longhorns from baseline to baseline just about every time they inbounded the ball. Texas Mentor Vic Schaefer stated that the push “is just who we are” ahead of the activity, but it was the Buckeyes who threatened turnovers each
and every time the Longhorns experienced to take the ball throughout halfcourt.
The Buckeyes finished the initially quarter with a 4-level guide thanks in massive element to Sheldon, who stored obtaining methods to rating even when possibilities to shoot were being difficult to occur by.
Allen-Taylor, who finished the initial half with 13 factors and additional 4 in the next, permitted Texas to go into the locker space with a lead by muscling to the basket with just three seconds still left and coming away with the bucket and the foul. That she was equipped to escape the 1st 50 percent with no a one personal foul was significantly notable, specified how bodily the activity was to that level. The groups combined for just a single successful 3-pointer in the first fifty percent, and gamers had to fight for each endeavor whether or not it was over and above the arc or inside of it.
“Her possessing a excellent day, it’s significant for us,” guard Aliyah Matharu mentioned of Allen-Taylor. “I really feel like now she was on. When she’s on, why not give her the ball?”
The Longhorns discovered a tiny momentum midway by way of the 3rd quarter, forcing turnovers and scoring off them even though having 2nd-likelihood points. But Ohio State’s senior guard Braxtin Miller strike all but just one shot she attempted that quarter, scoring 8 points and keeping Texas from acquiring snug.
Nonetheless, the Buckeyes began to glance a very little fewer energized and started to lay off their comprehensive-court docket press. Moving into the remaining frame, Texas had stretched its direct to 5 details.
Texas would lead by as several as 10 details, until finally Ohio Condition pressured a series of turnovers that introduced the video game proper again in reach with just 4 minutes remaining. The Longhorns’ direct shrank to 1 level as the match clock wound down, and the Buckeyes had the ball. But Texas was in a position to use the defense that has been its calling card all time very long, pressure a turnover and make its free of charge throws to seal the get.
— Natalie Weiner
Stanford cruises earlier Maryland.
No. 1-seeded Stanford looked much better than at any time on Friday night as it cruised to its 23rd straight victory, lengthening the longest energetic successful streak in Division I.
Stanford, the reigning nationwide champion, defeat fourth-seeded Maryland, 72-66, to earn a vacation to the Spokane regional ultimate. For the second consecutive year, the Terrapins will head house soon after the Sweet 16. The Cardinal will go on to confront Texas in the Spokane regional last on Sunday.
Stanford guard Haley Jones proved to be a issue early on for the Terrapins, sinking a 3-pointer for the game’s initial basket and scoring 8 factors in the first quarter. The Cardinal appeared so in command of both equally ends of the floor that Fran Belibi almost replicated her dunk from Stanford’s 1st-round match, blocking Chloe Bibby’s 3-point shot and racing to the other finish to lay in a finger roll.
Maryland was capable to stifle Stanford’s offensive output relatively in the 2nd quarter, but could not translate its stops into effective possessions. Then Stanford would uncover a way to get the ball to its 6-foot-4 sophomore Cameron Brink miles away from the basket, and she would nevertheless make a 3-position shot — and Maryland’s tough operate on defense would abruptly appear meaningless.
“I imagine we observed some seriously superior spurts,” said Stanford Coach Tara VanDerveer. “But I feel we can do much better.”
Stanford’s Hull twins, Lexie and Lacie, grew up in Spokane. When they strike their initially shots of the game within a 30-2nd span late in the initially fifty percent, the arena erupted. Stanford took its greatest guide of the game to that stage, cementing the feeling that the Cardinal have been previously staunchly in regulate of the consequence. They led 39-23 at halftime.
The Terrapins were being fighting to get again in the recreation early in the 3rd quarter, when guard Diamond Miller picked up her fourth particular foul as she was fighting for a leap ball. From that level the activity started off to get out of hand, with Stanford’s lead stretching to 26 points late in the 3rd.
Nevertheless Maryland pulled within just 6 details down the extend, it only served to make the dominating Stanford acquire seem a minor closer on paper than it was. Jones concluded with 17 details and 10 rebounds, and Lexie Hull completed the hometown tour as Stanford’s leading scorer with 19 points.
— Natalie Weiner