Canada's Laeticia Amihere helps lead No. 1 South Carolina past Georgia Tech to reach Elite 8
Mississauga, Ont., native scores 15 points, collects 7 rebounds in 76-65 victory
Zia Cooke scored 17 points to lead top-seed South Carolina to a 76-65 win over fifth-seeded Georgia Tech on Sunday and reach the Elite Eight.
It's the third time in the past four women's NCAA Tournaments that the Gamecocks have at least reached the regional finals. South Carolina won the national championship in 2017.
Mississauga, Ont., native Laeticia Amihere scored 15 points for South Carolina while also contributing seven rebounds and an assist.
After going scoreless in the first half, Aliyah Boston had the first seven points in the third quarter as South Carolina (25-4) went on a 14-6 run to start the period. That lengthened a four-point halftime lead to double digits. The All-America sophomore forward finished with nine points.
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The Yellow Jackets (17-9) made a run in the fourth quarter to get within 69-63, but five consecutive points — the last coming on a 3-pointer from Cooke with 3 minutes left — sealed the win. She was 5 for 6 from behind the arc.
Lotta-Maj Lahtinen scored 20 points to lead Georgia Tech.
Texas edges out Maryland
Charli Collier scored 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as No. 6 Texas shut down No. 2 Maryland's high-powered offence for a 64-61 win Sunday night that sent the Longhorns to the Elite Eight as the lowest seed still alive in the women's NCAA Tournament.
The Terrapins had the highest-scoring offence in the country during the regular season and averaged 99 points in the first two rounds before running into a Texas defensive wall that slowed the pace to a grinding halt.
Texas tied it at 59-59 on Celeste Taylor's jumper in the final minute, then took the lead when Kyra Lambert scooped up a loose ball near midcourt and coasted in for a layup with 45 seconds left.
After Maryland's Diamond Miller missed a twisting layup, Lauren Ebo snagged the rebound and quickly fired the ball to Lambert who was fouled. She made one of two free throws before Maryland's Katie Benzan missed a 3-pointer. Celeste Taylor then made one of two free throws for a four-point lead.
Texas (21-9) advances to Tuesday's Hemisfair Region final against No. 1 South Carolina, which beat fifth-seeded Georgia Tech earlier Sunday.
A win there would send Texas to the Final Four for the first time since 2003. And they would get there with first-year coach Vic Schaefer, who left a powerhouse program at Mississippi State to build another with the Longhorns.
Stanford romp into Elite Eight
Missouri State had waited two years to get another crack at the Sweet 16 and Stanford, only to watch the Cardinal turn their rematch into a romp.
Hannah Jump scored 17 points off the bench and top seed Stanford strolled past the No. 5 Lady Bears 89-62 to earn a spot in the Elite Eight of the women's NCAA Tournament for the 21st time.
Stanford led by 23 at halftime and by as much as 38 in the fourth quarter as the Cardinal kept up their post-season barrage of 3-pointers by making 15.
The Cardinal (28-2) have made at least 13 from long range in each of their three tournament games. Jump led the way Sunday with five.
"We try to ride the hot hand," said Kiana Williams, Stanford's career leader in 3-pointers who made four and scored 16 points. "It's hard to guard us because you can't just focus on one person."
Louisville beat Oregon
Dana Evans scored 29 points and No. 2 seed Louisville advanced to the Elite Eight of the women's NCAA Tournament with a 60-42 win over sixth-seeded Oregon.
The Cardinals will face top seed Stanford on Tuesday night in the Alamo Region final.
Louisville (26-3) continued its stellar defensive play, holding Oregon (15-9) to 14 points in the first half, including six in the second quarter.
Evans provided the offence. After going scoreless in the first quarter, the All-America guard started to heat up. Oregon had freshman Maddie Scherr guarding her in the opening period before she hurt her ankle and had to come out of the game. Evans responded by scoring 13 points in the second and ended the period with a nifty drive and dish right before the buzzer to give Louisville a 29-14 advantage at the break.
Oregon rallied in the second half, cutting its deficit to 10 after three quarters. The Ducks were down 41-33 with 50 seconds left in the third after two free throws by Nyara Sabally. But she went down with a left ankle injury 20 seconds later when she stepped on a teammate's foot. Sabally had to be helped off the court. She didn't return and finished with 14 points.
The Ducks got within 43-37 early in the fourth quarter, but seven straight points by Evans — including two deep 3-pointers — started a 13-0 run that put the game away.
Evans capped her night with a fast-break layup off a spectacular behind-the-back pass from Mykasa Robinson, who stole the ball with a minute left.
Oregon was trying to get to its fourth straight Elite Eight and second consecutive Final Four. The Ducks had struggled heading into the NCAA Tournament, dropping five of six before getting to Texas.
