JuJu Watkins compiled 38 points, 11 rebounds, eight blocked shots and five assists as No. 6 Southern California knocked off the last remaining undefeated team in the country, beating No. 1 UCLA 71-60 on Thursday at Los Angeles.
Kiki Iriafen added 13 points for host USC (22-2, 12-1 Big Ten). The victory moved the Trojans into first place in the Big Ten, ahead of UCLA (23-1, 11-1). USC recorded its first victory over a No. 1 team in the country since getting past Louisiana Tech in the 1983 national championship game.
Lauren Betts logged 18 points and 13 rebounds while Kiki Rice added 15 points for the Bruins, who had won all but one game by at least 10 points this season.
USC led by 14 points in the first half before UCLA went on a 14-1 run to tie the score in the second quarter. The Bruins led by as many as seven points in the third quarter before the Trojans took charge, eventually closing the game on a 16-4 run.
No. 2 Notre Dame 88, Pitt 57
Olivia Miles poured in 28 points and Sonia Citron scored 19 of her 22 points in the first half as the Fighting Irish rolled over the host Panthers in the Atlantic Coast Conference matchup. Miles shot 10-for-16 from the field.
Liatu King had 11 points for Notre Dame (22-2, 13-0 ACC), which was up 49-33 at halftime en route to its 17th consecutive win. Irish star Hannah Hidalgo, who began the day averaging 25.9 points per game, went just 3-for-17 from the field and finished with 11 points.
Khadija Faye had a big game for Pitt (11-15, 3-10), finishing with 23 points, 16 rebounds, four steals and two blocks. Mikayla Johnson notched 15 points and Marley Washenitz had 13.
No. 3 Texas 67, No. 8 Kentucky 49
Madison Booker and reserve Kyla Oldacre both scored 19 points and the Longhorns were in control most of the way while defeating the Wildcats in Lexington, Ky.
Texas (25-2, 11-1 Southeastern Conference) thrived on defense, never allowing more than 14 points in a quarter. The Longhorns needed the stingy defense because they shot 38.2 percent from the field, including 1-for-12 on 3-point attempts.
Taylor Jones added 15 points and eight rebounds for Texas. Booker had eight rebounds, and Oldacre chipped in seven boards. Georgia Amoore led Kentucky (19-4, 8-3) with 14 points, Teonni Key followed with 12 and Dazia Lawrence had 11, but the trio combined to shoot 14-for-37 from the floor.
No. 4 South Carolina 101, Florida 63
Joyce Edwards pumped in 28 points on 10-for-17 shooting in the Gamecocks’ romp over the Gators in the Southeastern Conference contest in Columbia, S.C.
Te-Hina Paopao added 14 points and MiLaysia Fulwiley had 13 for the Gamecocks (23-2, 11-1 SEC), who rang up a 62-32 halftime lead. South Carolina made 21 of 22 on free throws in advance of Sunday’s nonconference home matchup with No. 7 UConn.
Liv McGill and Ra Shaya Kyle both posted 15 points for Florida (12-13, 3-8), which shot 33.3 percent from the floor.
No. 9 Ohio State 87, Minnesota 84 (OT)
Cotie McMahon racked up 25 points as the Buckeyes recovered from squandering a late lead in regulation to snap their two-game skid by prevailing over the Golden Gophers in the Big Ten battle in Columbus, Ohio.
Grace Grocholski’s 3-pointer for Minnesota with eight seconds left in the fourth quarter forced overtime to cap a 13-1 run. Ohio State (21-3, 10-3 Big Ten), which led 35-30 at halftime, also received 16 points from reserve Ava Watson and 10 points apiece from Jaloni Cambridge and Taylor Thierry.
The Golden Gophers scored 10 straight points to close within 73-71 with 34 seconds left before Madison Greene split a pair of free throws to put Ohio State ahead by three. Sophie Hart scored 21 points for Minnesota (19-7, 7-7). Amaya Battle chipped in 17 and Annika Stewart 12.
No. 10 North Carolina State 76, Miami 74
Madison Hayes scored 19 points with a season-high four 3-pointers and Zoe Brooks weaved through traffic for a go-ahead layup with 46 seconds remaining as the Wolfpack survived an Atlantic Coast Conference threat from the Hurricanes in Raleigh, N.C.
Aziaha James scored 15 points and Tilda Trygger added 10 for the Wolfpack (20-4, 12-1 ACC), who extended their winning streak to nine games while prevailing for the 16th time in their past 17. Hayes surpassed 1,000 points for her career.
Haley Cavinder scored 20 points with eight rebounds and six assists and Natalija Marshall added 17 points as the Hurricanes (13-11, 3-10) lost their third straight game.
No. 12 North Carolina 67, Virginia Tech 62
Reniya Kelly matched her career high with 20 points and the Tar Heels prevailed in their first home game since Jan. 26, knocking off the Hokies in the Atlantic Coast Conference meeting in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Kelly sank two clinching free throws with four seconds left as North Carolina scored the final five points of the game. Lexi Donarski added 15 points for North Carolina (22-4, 10-3 ACC), which reached the 10-win mark in league play for the fourth straight season. Alyssa Ustby pulled in 16 rebounds.
Carys Baker had 17 points and seven rebounds and Matilda Ekh notched 13 points for Virginia Tech (16-9, 7-7), which went scoreless in the final 2:51.
No. 13 Duke 72, Wake Forest 47
Toby Fournier scored 17 points and Oluchi Okananwa added 15 as the Blue Devils leaned into their defense to earn the victory over the Demon Deacons at Winston-Salem, N.C.
Duke (20-5, 11-2 ACC) scored 41 points off 33 Wake Forest turnovers as Jadyn Donovan recorded four steals while Delaney Thomas had three.
Rylie Theuerkauf scored 11 points for Wake Forest (8-16, 1-12), which went 1 of 8 from 3-point range in the second half and had three offensive rebounds for the game.
No. 15 Tennessee 99, Auburn 61
Jewel Spear scored 17 points, Ruby Whitehorn had 15 and Zee Spearman added 14 as the Lady Vols rolled past the Tigers at Knoxville, Tenn., in their highest-scoring conference game this season.
Kaniya Boyd scored 11 points on 4-of-4 shooting off the bench and Talaysia Cooper added 10 as Tennessee (18-6, 5-6 SEC) shot 55.7 percent overall and made half of its 28 attempts from 3-point range.
DeYona Gaston scored 24 points and grabbed 12 rebounds and Yuting Deng added 13 points for Auburn (12-13, 3-9), which fell to 2-8 in road games.
Nebraska 91, No. 17 Maryland 71
Alexis Markowski scored 20 points and pulled down 11 rebounds for her ninth double-double and Alberte Rimdal added 15 points as the Cornhuskers ended a three-game losing streak with a victory over the Terrapins at College Park, Md.
Britt Prince scored 13 points and dished out eight assists while Logan Nissley and Jessica Petrie each added 11 points as Nebraska (17-8, 8-6 Big Ten) shot 50.7 percent from the floor and 57.1 percent (12 of 21) from 3-point range while holding a 42-25 rebounding advantage.
Shyanne Sellers scored 23 points for Maryland (19-6, 9-5), which dropped to 3-5 since Jan. 20.
Clemson 68, No. 19 Georgia Tech 61
Tessa Miller posted 18 points on 8-for-11 shooting and added eight rebounds as the Tigers completed an Atlantic Coast Conference upset of the Yellow Jackets.
Maddi Cluse added 14 points and Hannah Kohn 13 points for Clemson (12-13, 5-9 ACC). The Tigers, who were playing their third consecutive ranked opponent, led 37-26 at halftime and pulled out a victory despite 16 turnovers. They shot 50 percent from the field.
Kara Dunn scored 18 points, hitting four 3-pointers, to lead Georgia Tech (20-5, 8-5). The Yellow Jackets took 34 of their 67 shots from 3-point range but made only eight treys. Tonie Morgan and Kayla Blackshear each had 11 points.
Louisville 83, No. 23 Florida State 69
Tajianna Roberts amassed 17 points and 10 rebounds and Jayda Curry also had 17 points as the Cardinals won their third consecutive game, defeating the Seminoles in Tallahassee, Fla.
Nyla Harris scored 14 points with nine rebounds for Louisville (18-7, 11-3 ACC), while Imari Berry added 11 points and Olivia Cochran had nine rebounds to reach 1,000 for her career.
Ta’Niya Latson scored 29 points, O’Mariah Gordon had 15 and Makayla Timpson had 10 for Florida State (19-6, 9-4), which went 3 of 20 (15 percent) from 3-point range and lost its second straight following a six-game winning streak.
–Field Level Media
