From combined dispatches
GREENSBORO
No. 4 Virginia 86, No. 13 UC Santa Barbara 52
NORFOLK — Lyndra Littles scored 17 points, and the Cavaliers (24-9) used a 16-0 run early in the second half to break open their first-round game against the Gauchos (23-8) last night, then kept pouring it on to win in the Greensboro Region.
The victory sets the Cavaliers up for a showdown with Old Dominion for state bragging rights tomorrow night.
No. 5 Old Dominion 82, No. 12 Liberty 62
NORFOLK — Shahida Williams scored 20 points on 10-for-11 shooting as the Monarchs (30-4) ended its six-game losing streak in the NCAA tournament with a victory against the Flames (28-4).
Megan Frazee led Liberty with 19 points. Rachel McLeod had 11 and Molly Frazee 10.
No. 1 Connecticut 89, No. 16 Cornell 47
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — Maya Moore scored 17 points to lead a balanced offense as the Huskies (33-1) beat the Big Red (20-9).
UConn hasn’t won a first-round game by fewer than 23 points since 1995, the year the Huskies won the first of their five national titles.
No. 8 Texas 72, No. 9 Minnesota 55
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — Brittainy Raven scored 19 points as the Longhorns (22-12) routed the Golden Gophers (20-12).
SPOKANE
No. 8 Nebraska 61, No. 9 Xavier 58
Kelsey Griffin scored a season-high tying 26 points as the Cornhuskers (21-11) held off a furious comeback by the Musketeers (24-9) in a first-round victory at Comcast Center.
Tay Hester had 13 points and Cory Montgomery 12 to help Nebraska earn a matchup with top-seeded Maryland. Jerri Taylor scored 19 points for Xavier, the Atlantic 10 champions.
NEW ORLEANS
No. 1 North Carolina 85, No. 16 Bucknell 50
NORFOLK — Beginning their pursuit of a third straight trip to the Final Four, the Tar Heels (31-2) opened the game with a 21-2 run, then sloppily coasted to a victory over the Bison (16-16).
LaToya Pringle had 19 points, and Erlana Larkins and Rashanda McCants had 15 each as North Carolina won its 14th straight.
No. 8 Georgia 67, No. 9 Iowa 61
NORFOLK — Tasha Humphrey made a go-ahead turnaround jumper with 58 seconds left, and Ashley Houts hit eight free throws in the final 41 seconds as the Bulldogs (23-9) outlasted the Hawkeyes (21-11). Georgia will be seeking its sixth consecutive trip to the regional semifinals when it plays top-seeded North Carolina tomorrow.
Angel Robinson led the Bulldogs with 17 points and 11 rebounds.
Kristi Smith led Iowa with 17 points, and Wendy Ausdemore had 16.
No. 4 Louisville 81, No. 13 Miami (Ohio) 67
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — Angel McCoughtry scored 20 points as the Cardinals (25-9) beat the RedHawks (23-11).
McCoughtry, the Big East’s leading scorer at almost 24 points a game, came in averaging just 13 points in three NCAA tournament games. She had 14 at halftime yesterday.
Chauntise Wright led Louisville with 21 and seven rebounds.
Amanda Jackson led MAC champion Miami with 22 points, including 16 in the second half.
No. 5 Kansas State 69, No. 12 Chattanooga 59
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — Little-used reserve Kelsey Nelson scored a career-high 20 points to help the Wildcats (22-9) snap the 24-game winning streak of the Mocs.
Kansas State coach Deb Patterson was forced to turn to Nelson with Kimberly Dietz out with a knee injury she suffered in the Wildcats’ loss to Iowa State in the Big 12 tournament. Dietz had been averaging almost 14 points.
Laura Hall scored 19 points for Chattanooga.
OKLAHOMA CITY
No. 3 Duke 78, No. 14 Murray State 57
Wanisha Smith scored 16 points, and the Blue Devils (24-9) never trailed, cruising past the Racers (24-8) at Comcast Center.
No. 6 Arizona State 61, No. 11 Temple 54
Lauren Lacey opened the second half with two straight baskets to ignite a 13-point run, and the Sun Devils (22-10) pulled away to a victory over the Owls (21-13) at Comcast Center.
No. 4 Oklahoma 69, No. 13 Illinois State 61
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Sooners (22-8) started the second half with a 13-0 run, then held off a late rally to beat the Redbirds (26-7).
No. 5 Notre Dame 75, No. 12 SMU 62
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Ashley Barlow had 20 points, a career-high 12 rebounds, four steals and three assists, leading the Fighting Irish (24-8) past the Mustangs (24-9).
No. 1 Tennessee 94, No. 16 Oral Roberts 55
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Freshman Angie Bjorklund hit four 3-pointers and finished with 16 points to lead the Volunteers (31-2) to their customary first-round rout by beating the Golden Eagles (19-14).
No. 9 Purdue 66, No. 8 Utah 59
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Kalika France and FahKara Malone scored 17 points each as the Boilermakers (19-14) beat the Utes (27-5).
Please read our comment policy before commenting.