No. 1 Gamecocks open strong on road over No. 5 N.C. State
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Zia Cooke scored 17 points and top-ranked South Carolina never trailed in its 66-57 win over No. 5 North Carolina State on Tuesday night, earning an impressive road win in a marquee season-opening matchup of Final Four contenders.
The Gamecocks scored the first six points and offered a composed response any time the Wolfpack tried to make a move. Cooke paced an offensive team effort that shot 49%, while preseason Associated Press All-American Aliyah Boston controlled the paint and helped shut down Elissa Cunane - N.C. State´s star and the preseason Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year.
Boston finished with eight points, six rebounds and five blocks for South Carolina.
Raina Perez and Jakia Brown-Turner were the only Wolfpack players to find any type of offensive rhythm, each finishing with 18 points. Cunane finished with eight points on 4-for-11 shooting with three rebounds despite failing to hit a basket until the third quarter - a major problem for an offense that relies on her as the interior presence surrounded by capable shooters.
NO. 11 MICHIGAN 67, IUPUI 62, OT
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) - Naz Hillmon scored 30 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, Leigha Brown added 18 points and Michigan held off IUPUI in overtime.
South Carolina's Zia Cooke (1) shoots over North Carolina State's Camille Hobby (41) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021 in Raleigh, N.C. (AP Photo/Karl B. DeBlaker)
Hillmon, the consensus Big Ten player of the year last season, scored five points in a 7-0 run to open the extra period and Michigan held on from there.
Brown hit a 3-pointer, made a layup, and converted a three-point play in a 12-2 run to close the second quarter that made it 32-24 at halftime and gave the Wolverines the lead for good.
Rachel McLimore had 21 points, Macee Williams added 17 and Anna Mortag scored 10 for IUPUI.
The Jaguars trailed by as many as 13 points in the third quarter and trailed 54-45 midway through the fourth. McLimore scored eight points and Williams five during a 13-4 run to close regulation and force overtime.
NO. 13 KENTUCKY 81, PRESBYTERIAN 53
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - Dre´una Edwards scored 20 points, Treasure Hunt added 18 off the bench and Kentucky overcame a slow start to defeat Presbyterian.
The Blue Hose led 25-15 after one quarter, hitting 9 of 11 shots, but Kentucky´s preseason All-American Rhyne Howard it a 3-pointer at the buzzer to put the Wildcats on top 38-37 at halftime.
Kentucky then went on to score the first 19 points of the second half, with 10 point from Edwards and four by Howard. It was 67-43 entering the fourth quarter.
Howard finished with 15 points.
Kentucky shot 62.5% in the second half, 52% overall, better than its 8 for 19 performance from the foul line (42%).
Presbyterian was led by Trinity Johnson with 11 points. The Blue Hose shot just 29% in the second half.
NO. 17 GEORGIA TECH 74, CENTRAL MICHIGAN 40
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. (AP) - Digna Strautmane and Derea Hermosa combined for 37 points on 17-of-20 shooting and Georgia Tech rolled over Central Michigan.
Strautmane, a fifth-year player who transferred from Syracuse, was 8 of 10 with two 3-pointers for 19 points and Hermosa went 8 of 10 for 18.
Eylia Love added 15 points for the Yellowjackets, who gave second-year coach Nell Fortner her 200th collegiate win. In addition to stops at Purdue and Auburn, Fortner coach in the WNBA and guided the United States to gold medal in the 2000 Olympics.
Jahari Smith scored 14 points for Central Michigan, which shot just 25.5% (12 of 47).
NO. 22 ARIZONA 87, CSU NORTHRIDGE 44
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) -- Cate Reese and Aaronette Vonleh both scored 14 points as Arizona coasted over Cal State Northridge.
Vonleh, a freshman, was 5 for 5 in the second quarter when the Wildcats outscored the Matadors 32-13 for a 47-18 halftime lead. Vonleh finished 7 of 8 from the field and led Arizona with six rebounds.
Sam Thomas added 13 points for the Wildcats, who lost to Pac-12 Conference rival Stanford in the NCAA championship game last season. The Wildcats are the first team to make the Final Four after missing the previous 10-plus NCAA Tournaments.
Jordyn Jackson and Kayanna Spriggs each had nine points for Northridge.
NO. 24 VIRGINIA TECH 76, DAVIDSON 57
BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) - Aisha Sheppard hit 7-of-10 3-pointers and scored 25 points to lead Virginia Tech over Davidson in the season opener.
Purdue transfer Kayana Taylor added 18 points for the Hokies, who have won 61 straight nonconference home games and eight straight season openers.
Shepherd started a 13-0 run with back-to-back 3-pointers plus two free throws and Traylor ended it with a 3 and a fastbreak layup to give the Hokies a 17-2 lead just past the midpoint of the first quarter.
It was 46-22 at the half and the Wildcats made a little run in the third quarter with a 13-3 surge but never got any closer.
Adelaide Fuller paced the Wildcats with 15 points.
NO. 25 TEXAS 131, NEW ORLEANS 36
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Kydall Hunter hit seven 3-pointers in her collegiate debut and Texas routed New Orleans.
Aliyah Matharu added 18 points, Joanne Allen-Taylor had 15, DeYona Gaston 12 and Latasha Lattimore 11 for the Longhorns. Hunter was 7 of 8 behind the arc and 10 of 13 overall.
The 131 points and 95-point margin of victory were second only to a 135-37 win over Centenary on Dec. 15, 2000.
Brianna Ellis led New Orleans with 19 points.
