Women’s NCAA Tournament roundup: Caitlin Clark makes history in Iowa's win

 

[March 26, 2024]  Caitlin Clark scored 32 points while breaking the single-season NCAA scoring record and No. 1 seed Iowa escaped with a 64-54 win over No. 8 seed West Virginia in the second round of the Women's NCAA Tournament on Monday in Iowa City.

The Hawkeyes (31-4) advance to play No. 5 seed Colorado in the Sweet 16 on Saturday in a Region 2 semifinal at Albany, N.Y. Iowa closed the game on a 12-2 run to secure the victory.

JJ Quinerly scored 15 points to lead West Virginia (25-8). Kyah Watson added 13 points and a team-high seven rebounds.

Clark made history in the final home game of her collegiate career. She needed 29 points to surpass Kelsey Plum, who scored 1,109 points during her senior season with Washington during the 2016-17 campaign.

With 21.3 seconds remaining, Clark set the record by knocking down a free throw. She made three more free throws in the closing seconds to give her 1,113 points for the season entering this weekend's matchup against Colorado.

No. 2 UCLA 67, No. 7 Creighton 63

Kiki Rice scored 24 points on 7-for-13 shooting and the Bruins rallied for a win over the Bluejays in the second round of the Women's NCAA Tournament in Los Angeles.

Lauren Betts added 20 points and 10 rebounds for UCLA (27-6). The Bruins advanced to Region 2 semifinals, where they will tip off against No. 3 seed LSU -- the defending national champion -- on Saturday in Albany, N.Y.

Lauren Jensen scored 20 points to lead Creighton (26-6). Morgan Maly finished with 18 points, and Emma Ronsiek chipped in 14.

ALBANY 1 REGION

No. 2 Notre Dame 71, No. 7 Ole Miss 56

Maddy Westbeld scored a game-high 20 points as the Fighting Irish defeated the Rebels in South Bend, Ind., to punch their ticket to the Albany Region 1 semifinals.

It's the third consecutive season that Notre Dame (28-6) has made the Sweet 16 under fourth-year coach Niele Ivey. Sonia Citron added 17 points and game highs of 10 rebounds and six assists for the Irish, and Hannah Hidalgo contributed 19 points and four steals.

Kennedy Todd-Williams and Madison Scott each scored 15 for Ole Miss (24-9).

No. 4 Indiana 75, No. 5 Oklahoma 68

Mackenzie Holmes poured in 29 points to help the Hoosiers beat the Sooners in Bloomington, Ind., in an Albany Region 1 second-round game.

The Hoosiers (26-5) are in the Sweet 16 for the third time in four seasons and will face undefeated No. 1 South Carolina on Friday in Albany, N.Y.

Also key for Indiana was the play of Sydney Parrish, who had 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Sara Scalia added 12 points.

Skylar Vann scored 20 points for Oklahoma (23-10) while Aubrey Joens scored 16 off the bench.

PORTLAND 3 REGION

No. 3 UConn 72, No. 6 Syracuse 64

Paige Bueckers scored 32 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, Ashlynn Shade shot 5 of 9 from 3-point range en route to 19 points and the Huskies clinched their 30th consecutive Sweet 16 with a home defeat of the Orange in the Women's NCAA Tournament Portland 3 region in Storrs, Conn.

Mar 25, 2024; Iowa City, IA, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark (22) shoots the ball as West Virginia Mountaineers guard Jayla Hemingway (0) defends during the second quarter of the NCAA second round game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

KK Arnold made both of her attempts from beyond the arc on the night on the way to 10 points for UConn (31-5). Bueckers also made a game-high four steals. Aaliyah Edwards posted 11 points and 11 rebounds in the win.

Dyaisha Fair led Syracuse with 20 points, dished six assists and made three steals. Sophie Burrows and Georgia Woolley each netted 18 points for Syracuse (24-8).

No. 1 USC 73, No. 8 Kansas 55

The Trojans rode a key run into the fourth quarter and pushed past the Jayhawks in Los Angeles, sending USC to its first Sweet 16 since 1994.

The Trojans' JuJu Watkins, who scored a game-high 28 points, put up five straight points late in the third quarter after Kansas pulled to within one point. The burst ignited a 17-3 run that extended deep into the fourth period for the Trojans (28-5), who will face fifth-seeded Baylor in the Sweet 16 on Saturday in Portland, Ore.

Kansas (20-13) shot just 3 of 10 from long distance and 20 of 56 (35.7 percent) from the floor in total. The Trojans made 25 of their 67 field-goal attempts (37.3 percent).

PORTLAND 4 REGION

No. 3 North Carolina State 79, No. 6 Tennessee 72

Aziaha James poured in 22 points as the Wolfpack outlasted the Lady Volunteers in a second-round game at Raleigh, N.C.

Saniya Rivers added 20 points for NC State while Zoe Brooks hit for 16 and River Baldwin scored 11. The Wolfpack (29-6) advance to the Sweet 16 and will face second-seeded Stanford on Friday at Portland, Ore.

Rickea Jackson racked up a season-high 33 points and took 10 rebounds for the Lady Vols (20-13).

No. 4 Gonzaga 77, No. 5 Utah 66

Kayleigh Truong scored 21 points and Yvonne Ejim racked up 17 points and 13 rebounds as the Bulldogs defeated the Utes in Spokane, Wash.

The Bulldogs (32-3) advance to the Sweet 16 where they will face No. 1-seeded Texas on Friday in Portland, Ore. The 32 wins are an all-time high for the Gonzaga program, which will make its first appearance in a regional semifinal since 2015.

Alissa Pili led all scorers with 35 points while Kennady McQueen added 12 for Utah (23-11).

--Field Level Media

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