Women's Top 25 roundup: Florida Gulf Coast upsets No. 18 UNC

 

[November 27, 2023]  A career-high-tying 22 points from Maria Gakdeng wasn't enough as No. 18 North Carolina was upset by Florida Gulf Coast 65-64 on Sunday at the Gulf Coast Showcase in Estero, Fla.

North Carolina (5-2) had the ball with 7.9 seconds left, but Deja Kelly's attempt from mid-range bounced off the rim. Gakdeng shot a perfect 8-of-8 from the floor and 6-of-6 from the charity stripe, and also grabbed nine rebounds for the Tar Heels, while Kelly had 24 points.

Dolly Cairns scored 18 points to power the Eagles (5-2), while Maddie Antenucci added 15 points. Kierra Adams -- who had seven points off the bench -- scored what proved to be the game-winner on a floater as the shot clock expired.

FGCU shot 11-of-27 from 3-point range for a 40.7 percent clip. Likely to haunt UNC were nine missed free throws. The Tar Heels also committed 15 turnovers to just eight assists.

UNC's schedule doesn't get any easier as it hosts No. 1 South Carolina on Thursday in the inaugural ACC-SEC Challenge.

No. 4 Stanford 79, Albany 35

Cameron Brink piled up 21 points, 19 rebounds and four blocks as the host Cardinal beat the Great Danes.

Hannah Jump added 16 points for Stanford (7-0), while Kiki Iriafen and Elena Bosgana each scored 11 points. Kayla Cooper had 16 points to lead Albany (4-2) -- where longtime Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer played one season of basketball.

Stanford led start-to-finish, going ahead by as many as 46 points. The Cardinal knocked down 10 3-pointers and won the rebounding battle 52-23.

No. 5 Iowa 77, No. 16 Kansas State 70

Ten days after losing to the Wildcats on their home floor, the Hawkeyes got revenge at the Gulf Coast Showcase in Estero, Fla., by besting Kansas State in the championship game behind 32 points and six assists from Caitlin Clark.

In the win for the Hawkeyes (7-1), Clark shot 7 of 16 from 3-point range and also had five rebounds and three steals. Molly Davis added 13 points for Iowa, while Kate Martin added 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Kansas State (6-1) was powered by Ayoka Lee and Serena Sundell in its first loss of the season, as each player notched 18 points. Lee also had seven rebounds, while Sundell chipped in six boards and six assists.

The Wildcats led by two points in the third quarter, but then Iowa closed the frame on a 20-7 run.

Kansas State missed seven of 11 free throws and forced only six Iowa turnovers.

No. 14 Baylor 93, Alcorn State 47

Yaya Felder scored 16 points as the host Lady Bears topped the Lady Braves in Waco, Texas.

Baylor (5-0) also got 15 points from Sarah Andrews, 11 points from Jana Van Gytenbeek and 11 points, seven rebounds and five assists from Aijha Blackwell. Alcorn State (0-4) was led by Nakia Cheatham's 13 points.

After a brief two-point Alcorn State lead, Baylor broke off a 24-4 run to take the lead for good. The Lady Bears shot 55.2 percent from the floor and knocked down 11 3-pointers. Baylor also won the rebounding battle 35-19.

No. 15 Ohio State 83, Cornell 40

The Buckeyes had 10 different players score as they raced past the visiting Big Red in Columbus, Ohio.

Cotie McMahon and Rebeka Mikulasikova each scored 14 points for the Buckeyes (5-1), while Jacy Sheldon had 10 points, and Taylor Thierry stuffed the stat sheet with 13 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals. Summer Parker-Hall led Cornell (2-4) with 13 points.

Ohio State led by 11 points after the first quarter, then outscored Cornell 23-2 in the second quarter to take a sizable lead into halftime. The Buckeyes had 24 assists to just seven turnovers while forcing the Big Red into 26 turnovers and holding them to 1-of-12 from 3-point land.

No. 20 Louisville 81, Gonzaga 70

Kiki Jefferson scored 21 points as the Cardinals closed the Betty Chancellor Classic with a win over the Bulldogs in Katy, Texas.

Louisville (6-1) also got 16 points and five assists from Nina Rickards and 13 points from Jayda Curry. Gonzaga (6-2) was led by Yvonne Ejim's 23 points and seven rebounds, while Brynna Maxwell added 16 points.

Gonzaga led by two points heading into the second quarter, but Louisville outscored the Bulldogs 28-15 in that frame to take an 11-point advantage into halftime. The Cardinals recorded 10 steals and forced Gonzaga into 21 turnovers.

No. 25 Mississippi State 102,Tulsa 58

Debreasha Powe scored 24 points and Darrione Rogers added 22 as the Bulldogs routed the Golden Hurricane in Katy, Texas, at the Van Chancellor Classic.

Mississippi State (8-0) also got two double-doubles from supporting players: Lauren Park-Lane had 14 points and 10 assists, and Jerkaila Jordan tallied 10 points and 13 boards in the victory.

Temira Poindexter led Tulsa (5-2) with 23 points.

The Bulldogs led by 18 at halftime and coasted from there. Mississippi State shot 51.4 percent from the floor and 48.3 percent - 14 of 29 -- from 3-point land. Powe hit six shots from behind the arc.

--Field Level Media

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