NCAA women's basketball tournament roundup: Top-seed N.C. State cruises past Kansas State
North Carolina State's Kayla Jones (25) reacts after a 3-point basket during the first half of a college basketball game against Kansas State in the second round of the NCAA tournament in Raleigh, N.C., Monday, March 21, 2022. Credit: AP
Kayla Jones scored 18 points to help top-seeded host North Carolina State beat Kansas State, 89-57, in Monday’s second round of the NCAA Tournament, earning a fourth straight trip to the Sweet 16.
Raina Perez and Diamond Johnson each added 15 points for the Wolfpack (31-3), who won their 12th straight game behind a dominating second-quarter performance.
N.C. State shot 55% and made 9 of 19 three-pointers, romping to a lopsided win in front of a loud Reynolds Coliseum crowd for the final time this season.
By the end, all 13 players who entered the game for N.C. State had scored. And that sent N.C. State to Saturday’s regional semifinal against Notre Dame.
Tennessee 70, Belmont 67: Sara Puckett hit a three-pointer with 17.5 seconds left as the fourth-seeded Lady Vols held off neighbor Belmont to advance to their first Sweet 16 since 2016. The Lady Vols (25-8) improved to 23-1 on their home floor in the second round of a women’s NCAA Tournament they’ve played in all 40. They earned the program’s 29th Sweet 16 berth and will meet top-seeded Louisville on Saturday in the regional semifinal in Wichita.
Notre Dame 108, Oklahoma 64: Dara Mabrey scored a season-high 29 points to help No. 5 seed Notre Dame earn a spot in the Sweet 16.
Mabrey made 11 of 19 field goals, including seven three-pointers. Sonia Citron scored 25 points and Maya Dodson added 20 for Notre Dame (24-8).
According to Stats by STATS, Notre Dame became the first team, men’s or women’s, to beat a higher-seeded team by at least 40 points.
Taylor Robertson scored 19 points for No. 4 Oklahoma (25-9).
Michigan 64, Villanova 49: Naz Hillmon had 27 points, 11 rebounds and five steals to help third-seeded Michigan pull away and beat No. 11 Villanova. The Wolverines (24-6) earned a second straight trip to the Sweet 16 and will face 10th-seeded South Dakota on Saturday in the Wichita Region.
Michigan took control with a 10-0 run over the end of the third quarter and start of the fourth, turning what was a closely contested game into a lopsided victory.
