OKLAHOMA CITY REGIONAL
Notre Dame 79, Oklahoma 75 (OT)
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Notre Dame’s Charel Allen saw the mismatch inside and didn’t hesitate.
The 5-foot-11 guard drove repeatedly to the basket, and right into the heart of Oklahoma’s defense — 6-4 Courtney Paris and 6-3 Ashley Paris — Tuesday night.
Allen scored a career-high 35 points and made all the big plays to rally Notre Dame from a late seven-point deficit as the Irish beat Oklahoma in overtime.
“I just had the mentality that we were not leaving here without a win because I have never been to the Sweet 16,” the senior said.
Allen hit 10-of-21 shots, all 12 free throws and when the Irish needed her late, she did it all: force turnovers, score, draw fouls and even block shots.
Courtney Paris, last year’s national player of the year, finished with 24 points — all in the final 34 minutes after being shut out for nearly 12 — and 16 rebounds. The performance extended her incredible streak to 92 straight games with a double-double.
Tennessee 78, Purdue 52
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Pat Summitt became the first coach in Division I basketball — men’s or women’s — to join the tourney’s 100-win club in a game that was never in doubt.
Duke 67, Arizona State 59
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Chante Black scored a career-high 26 points and had 13 rebounds, and the Blue Devils never trailed despite ThunderRidge High School graduate Abby Waner being held to four points.
GREENSBORO REGIONAL
Old Dominion 88, Virginia 85 (OT)
NORFOLK, Va. – The littlest player made the biggest shot for Old Dominion. Then one of the tallest made sure it would be enough to win a thrilling game.
Jazzmin Walters made a 3-pointer with 4.8 seconds left in overtime, and Tiffany Green blocked a tying 3-point attempt just before the buzzer.
Old Dominion fell behind 85-81 in overtime, but closed the game on a 7-0 run. Walters started it with a free throw, Jessica Canady added a three-point play with 1:25 to go, and the 5-2 Walters made a shot from her hip just before the shot-clock buzzer to send the Lady Monarchs’ crowd into a frenzy.
“Once I got the ball, I just let it fly,” Walters said of her third 3-pointer. “That play wasn’t set up for me to score, but it ended up that way.”
It got even louder when the 6-2 Green met Lyndra Littles at the top of the key and blocked her shot. Littles, who scored 29 points, collected the rejection and tried again, but her second effort came up well short and the wild contest was finished.
“I thought Littles during the last five minutes of the game was phenomenal,” Old Dominion coach Wendy Larry said. “She played with a different passion and energy. But this little engine that could was relentless, too,” she added, meaning Walters.
Connecticut 89, Texas 55
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – Maya Moore, Connecticut’s fabulous freshman, scored 24 points and the Huskies shot a blistering 60 percent from the field.
NEW ORLEANS REGIONAL
Louisville 80, Kansas State 63
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – Angel McCoughtry scored 24 and Candyce Bingham added 12 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists as the Cardinals, on their 12th try, finally made it out of the second round.
North Carolina 80, Georgia 66
NORFOLK, Va. – Rashanda McCants scored 23 points and Erlana Larkins added 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Tar Heels, who used a 20-0 run spanning the halves to open a 13-point lead that climbed as high 16.
SPOKANE REGIONAL
Maryland 76, Nebraska 64
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Marissa Coleman and Kristi Toliver had 19 points apiece, Crystal Langhorne had 18 points and 12 rebounds, and the Terrapins held off Nebraska after blowing a 15-point lead.
