No. 1 seed Southern California potentially suffered a big loss while earning a lopsided, 96-59 win in its second-round NCAA Tournament matchup vs. No. 9 seed Mississippi State on Monday in Spokane Region 4.
All-American forward and national Player of the Year candidate JuJu Watkins crumpled to the floor midway through the first quarter, holding her right knee. USC teammates and staff helped Watkins to the locker room, and she did not return.
While they await word on Watkins’ status, the Trojans (30-3) rallied behind the play of Kiki Iriafen. She shot 16-of-22 from the floor en route to 36 points and grabbed nine rebounds to help USC advance to a Sweet 16 matchup with Kansas State. Avery Howell hit 4-of-9 from 3-point range and scored 18 points off the bench. Rayah Marshall added 12 points for USC and snared nine rebounds. Malia Samuels, who was taken to the locker room in the second quarter after she was hit in the head on a hard foul, returned to the game in the second half.
Mississippi State (22-12) committed 20 turnovers that USC turned into 27 points. The Bulldogs allowed the game’s first 11 points, and were overmatched from then on.
No. 2 UConn 91, No. 10 South Dakota State 57
Paige Bueckers scored 34 points and the Huskies cruised past the Jackrabbits in Storrs, Conn., in Spokane Region 4.
Bueckers shot 14-for-21 from the floor, including 5-of-8 for an 11-point third quarter as the Huskies (33-3) took command. Her 3-pointer with 7:27 to go in the period ignited a 14-0 run, and UConn opened up a 28-point lead. The Huskies’ advantage grew to as many as 40 points early in the fourth quarter. Azzi Fudd scored 17 points for UConn will face No. 3 Oklahoma in the Sweet 16 of Spokane Region 4.
Paige Meyer scored 16 points as the lone double-figure-point scorer for South Dakota State (30-4). The Jackrabbits shot 9-of-22 from 3-point range, but were forced into 25 turnovers that UConn converted into 35 points.
No. 3 LSU 101, No. 6 Florida State 71
Mikaylah Williams shot 10-of-12 from the floor and scored 12 of her game-high 28 points in the pivotal third quarter of the Tigers’ romp over the Seminoles in Baton Rouge, La.
Monday’s win sends LSU (30-5) to its third consecutive Sweet 16. It will face No. 2 North Carolina State in Spokane Region 1. Three Tigers went for at least 20 points, with Aneesah Morrow and Sa’Myah Smith both registering double-doubles. Morrow posted 26 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists, while Smith finished with 20 points and 12 rebounds while also doling out six assists.
The Seminoles (24-9) managed just 27-of-76 shooting for the game, while the Tigers went 41-of-73. Ta’Niya Latson put up 30 points and seven rebounds for Florida State.
No. 2 North Carolina State 83, No. 7 Michigan State 49
Aziaha James pumped in six 3-pointers and scored a game-high 26 points as the Wolfpack stomped the Spartans in Raleigh, N.C.
The Wolfpack (28-6) made 15 3-pointers, setting an NCAA Tournament program record. Saniya Rivers just missed a triple-double with 17 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds, while Madison Hayes added 17 points and nine rebounds. Zamareya Jones came off the bench to net 12 points in just 12 minutes.
Grace VanSlooten scored 15 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for the Spartans (22-10), who made just 19 of 58 shots from the floor and only 4 of 15 3-point attempts.
No. 3 Oklahoma 96, No. 6 Iowa 62
The Sooners overwhelmed the Hawkeyes in all phases in the second half of their victory in Norman, Okla., advancing to the Sweet 16 in Spokane Region 4.
The Sooners (27-7) led by 11 points at halftime but used a 30-16 third quarter to truly take over. All eight of the team’s made field goals in the period were assisted, with Skylar Vann on the scoring end of four. She went 4-for-4 in the period for 12 points, part of her team-high 17.
Raegan Beers also scored 11 points to join Vann, Payton Verhulst (16), Sahara Williams (13), Liz Scott (11) and Zya Vann (10) in double-figures. Beers’ 13 rebounds led six Sooners with at least five.
Lucy Olsen scored a game-high 20 points for the Hawkeyes (23-11).
–Field Level Media
