Kiki Rice recorded 24 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists to lead No. 2 UCLA to a 78-67 victory over No. 6 UConn on Friday night in the Cayman Islands Classic at George Town, Cayman Islands.
Charisma Osborne added 18 points on six 3-pointers for UCLA (5-0), which scored a win over the Huskies for the first time in eight meetings between the schools. Lauren Betts added 13 points and seven rebounds for the Bruins.
Paige Bueckers made five 3-pointers and scored 31 points for UConn (3-2). KK Arnold and Aubrey Griffin added 11 points apiece for the Huskies.
UCLA led 28-12 after the first quarter, but the Huskies outplayed the Bruins in the second quarter to trail just 39-34 at halftime. UCLA dominated the third quarter with a 22-8 edge as UConn shot just 1-for-15. The Bruins led 61-42 entering the fourth and cruised the rest of the way.
UCLA made 12 of 25 from 3-point range and shot 45.8 percent overall. The Huskies shot just 33.3 percent and made 9 of 23 from behind the arc.
No. 1 South Carolina 101, Mississippi Valley State 19
The Gamecocks set a program record for the fewest points allowed in a game as the dominant Gamecocks routed the visiting Devilettes in Columbia, S.C.
Seven players scored in double figures for the Gamecocks (5-0). MiLaysia Fulwiley had 17 points and five assists. Raven Johnson tallied 12 points, eight rebounds, five assists and five steals. Kamilla Cardoso added 14 points, 10 boards and five blocks. In her first game back from an injury, Te-Hina Paopao had 10 points and eight rebounds.
For the Devilettes (1-5), Sh’Diamond McKnight had eight points and five boards. Mississippi Valley State shot just 8-of-67 from the floor, an 11.9 percent clip. The result was also the largest margin of victory for the Gamecocks during Dawn Staley’s tenure as head coach.
No. 3 Colorado 96, Kentucky 53
Aaronette Vonleh scored 19 points as the Buffaloes bested the Wildcats at the Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Colorado (6-0) also had 15 points from Jaylyn Sherrod, 11 from Kindyll Wetta and 10 points apiece from Tameiya Sadler and Quay Miller. Eniya Russell had 14 points for Kenutcky (2-4).
The Wildcats led by as many as seven points in the first half, but Colorado bounced back and then pulled away in the second half by outscoring Kentucky 51-19. The Wildcats shot 1-of-10 from 3-point land while the Buffs knocked down five shots from deep.
No. 4 Stanford 100, No. 13 Florida State 88
Kiki Iriafen recorded 30 points and 17 rebounds to lead the Cardinal past the Seminoles in the championship game of the Ball Dawgs Classic at Henderson, Nev.
Cameron Brink produced 19 points, nine rebounds and six blocked shots before fouling out for Stanford (6-0). Hannah Jump scored 17 points and Elena Bosgana added 16 for the Cardinal, who held a 55-45 rebounding advantage.
Ta’Niya Latson scored 23 points and O’Mariah Gordon added 19 for Florida State (5-1). Sara Bejedi scored 13 points, Alexis Tucker added 12 and Makayla Timpson had 10 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots.
No. 5 Iowa 98, Purdue Fort Wayne 59
Caitlin Clark recorded 29 points, eight assists and three steals to lead the Hawkeyes to the easy win over the Mastodons in the quarterfinals of the Gulf Coast Showcase at Estero, Fla.
Clark made 6 of 9 3-point attempts for the Hawkeyes (5-1), who led by as many as 44 points. Sharon Goodman added 16 points and Hannah Stuelke had 13 for Iowa.
Ameila Bromenschenkel had 16 points and six rebounds and Erin Woodson scored 12 points for Purdue Fort Wayne (2-2).
No. 7 LSU 99, Niagara 65
Aneesah Morrow scored a season-high 28 points as the Tigers ran away from the Purple Eagles at the Cayman Islands Classic.
Morrow also had 10 rebounds for her second double-double of the season. Hailey Van Lith added 20 points and seven assists, while Mikaylah Williams scored 19 points and Flau’Jae Johnson added 14 points and eight boards for LSU (6-1). Chardonnay Hartley led Niagara (2-3) with 16 points.
For the third straight game, All-American forward Angel Reese did not appear for LSU. According to an ESPN report, it is believed that neither she or guard Kateri Poole traveled with the Tigers to the Cayman Islands. Additionally for LSU, Sa’Myah Smith exited the game late with an apparent lower-body injury.
LSU led by as many as 42 points and forced Niagara into 30 turnovers.
No. 9 Virginia Tech 59, Kansas 58
Elizabeth Kitley matched her season high of 31 points and established season bests of 18 rebounds and five blocked shots to help the Hokies stave off an upset bid at the Cayman Islands Classic at George Town, Cayman Islands.
It marked the second straight game in which Kitley had 30-plus points and 10-plus rebounds for the Hokies (4-1). Georgia Amoore added 14 points and seven assists and hit the decisive 3-pointer with 2:57 remaining. Neither team scored again.
S’Mya Nichols had 13 points and Zakiyah Franklin added 12 for the Jayhawks (2-2). Ryan Cobbins missed the potential game-winning shot with a second to play.
No. 10 North Carolina State 79, Cincinnati 45
Madison Hayes recorded 16 points and 12 rebounds to help the Wolfpack (6-0) cruise past the Bearcats in the Paradise Jam at St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.
Aziaha James had 13 points and Zoe Brooks scored 12 as North Carolina State led by as many as 36 points. Hayes made three 3-pointers for the Wolfpack, who face No. 3 Colorado on Saturday.
Malea Williams scored 15 points for Cincinnati (2-3). The Bearcats shot just 24.2 percent of the field and made only 5 of 27 3-point attempts.
No. 10 Utah 98, Merrimack 34
Alissa Pili scored 22 points and Kennady McQueen added 18 on six 3-pointers as the Utes routed the Warriors at Salt Lake City.
Matyson Wilke notched 11 points and five steals while Reese Ross had 10 points and 11 assists for Utah, which held a 50-28 rebounding advantage. The Utes (5-1) made 17 3-pointers in 45 attempts and shot 48.5 percent overall.
Cadence Johnson scored eight points for Merrimack (1-5), which trailed 55-15 at halftime. The Warriors shot 27.5 percent from the field and committed 25 turnovers.
No. 12 Texas 101, High Point 39
Shaylee Gonzales scored 15 points and Aaliyah Moore added 13 to help the Longhorns roll past the Panthers in the Paradise Jam at St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.
Amina Muhammad had 12 points and seven rebounds and Madison Booker scored 11 points for Texas (6-0). The Longhorns shot 61.3 percent from the field and held a 54-28 edge in points in the paint.
Nakyah Terrell and Anna Hager scored 10 apiece for High Point (3-3), which shot 32.7 percent from the field and committed 27 turnovers.
No. 14 Baylor 124, McNeese 44
Bella Fontleroy had 19 points and seven rebounds as the Lady Bears routed the Cowgirls in Waco, Texas.
Fontleroy was one of seven players to score in double digits for Baylor (4-0), and she also had three assists and three steals. Dre’Una Edwards stood out with a double-double of 15 points and 13 rebounds to go along with five assists. Yaya Felder had 13 points and was a perfect 3-of-3 from behind the arc.
Boston Berry had 12 points and six rebounds for McNeese (2-5).
No. 16 Kansas State 77, Western Kentucky 61
Serena Sundell had 21 points as the Wildcats defeated the Hilltoppers at the Gulf Coast Showcase in Estero, Fla.
Kansas State (5-0) also got 16 points from Ayoka Lee, and nine rebounds, seven points and five assists from Gabby Gregory. Acacia Hayes led Western Kentucky (5-2) with 29 points on 11-of-15 shooting.
The Wildcats were effective inside, winning the rebounding margin by 18 and outscoring the Hilltoppers by 16 points in the paint. Kansas State shot 51.7 percent from the floor while holding WKU to 33.3 percent. The Wildcats will face No. 18 North Carolina on Saturday in the second round of the showcase.
No. 17 Notre Dame 90, Ball State 59
Hannah Hidalgo produced 25 points, eight steals, seven assists and five rebounds to lead the Fighting Irish past the Cardinals at Muncie, Ind.
Anna DeWolfe added 17 points and Natalija Marshall had 12 for Notre Dame (5-1). The Fighting Irish shot 57.4 percent from the field, had a commanding 48-20 rebounding advantage and led by as many as 37 in the wire-to-wire victory.
Ally Becki and Madelyn Bischoff had 11 points apiece for Ball State (5-1), which drew a school-record 5,442 fans for in-state Notre Dame’s first visit to the city since 1981.
No. 18 North Carolina 54, Vermont 51
With 1:47 left to play, Kayla McPherson’s layup in traffic gave the Tar Heels their first lead of the second half over the Catamounts. Deja Kelly then sank a jumper, and she and Lexi Donarski flushed free throws to give UNC a hard-fought victory at the Gulf Coast Showcase in Estero, Fla.
Alyssa Ustby powered the Tar Heels (5-0) with a double-double of 15 points and 10 boards, while Kelly had 18 points and nine rebounds. Emma Utterback led Vermont (3-2) with 18 points and five assists.
Vermont led for more than 31 minutes and by as many as 13 points. UNC closed the gap by outscoring the Catamounts 24-12 in the fourth quarter.
Alabama 78, No. 20 Louisville 73
Sarah Ashlee Barker had 18 points and seven rebounds as the Crimson Tide remained unbeaten while handing the Cardinals their first loss of the season in the Betty Chancellor Classic in Katy, Texas.
Alabama (6-0) also got 14 points and seven rebounds from Jessica Timmons, 13 points from Karly Weathers and 12 apiece from Loyal McQueen and Aaliyah Nye. For Louisville (4-1), Nyla Harris had 18 points and eight rebounds while Sydney Taylor scored 17. Nina Rickards added a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds off the bench for the Cardinals.
The game was tied 63-63 with 4:30 left to play when Barker swished a 3-pointer to put the Tide ahead. The Cards knotted the score up again with about 30 seconds left, and then Nye hit a 3-pointer from the left wing. Alabama iced the game by sinking all six of its free throws — including four by Nye — in the final moments of the contest.
No. 23 Washington State 90, UMass 48
Eleonora Villa notched 15 points as one of five Cougars to score in double figures as they topped the Minutewomen at the Cancun Challenge in Mexico.
Bella Murekatete had 13 points, Alex Covill scored 12 and Beyonce Bea and Charlisse Leger-Walker had 11 apiece as Washington State improved to 7-0. Stefanie Kulesza led UMass (1-6) with 20 points and 11 rebounds.
UMass led briefly by three points in the first quarter after a 3-pointer from Kristin Williams, but then Washington State broke off an 18-2 run to end the quarter. The Cougars led by as many as 44 points and shot 53.8 percent from the floor.
No. 25 Mississippi State 81, Clemson 78
Jerkaila Jordan scored 24 points to lead the Bulldogs past the Tigers in the Van Chancellor Classic at Katy, Texas.
Jessika Carter added 12 points and Lauren Park-Lane added 11 points and 10 assists for Mississippi State (6-0). Debreasha Powe also scored 11 points for the Bulldogs.
Ruby Whitehorn scored 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting for Clemson (4-2). Amari Robinson added 19 for the Tigers.
–Field Level Media
