The NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament is in full swing with several exciting matchups, including a game between the No. 1 seed Stanford Cardinal and No. 16 seed Sacred Heart Pioneers. Stanford has a lot of experience and is favored to win, led by two-time All-American Haley Jones. They are missing leading scorer and rebounder Cameron Brink due to an illness, but they still have a lot of strength. In another game, Mississippi State is looking to pull off a notable upset against a Creighton team that went to the Elite Eight last year. Mississippi’s Jerkaila Jordan leads all scorers with 15 points, and she is a perfect three-for-three from beyond the arc. Angel Reese led LSU to a comfortable victory over Hawaii, recording 34 points, 15 rebounds, two assists, three steals, and three blocks. LSU shot at 43.5% from the field, while Hawaii struggled to shoot just 30.8%. Virginia Tech is advancing to the Round of 32 after a resounding win over Chattanooga. Georgia Amoore led the way with a team-high 22 points and five 3-pointers, and Elizabeth Kitley added 12 points and 14 rebounds.
2023 NCAA Women’s Tournament: Day 1 Results of First Round
The first day of the NCAA Women’s Tournament provided plenty of excitement, with two games standing out in particular. Princeton’s Grace Stone was the hero of the night, sinking a game-winning jumper with just four seconds remaining to send her team to the next round. Stone was unstoppable throughout the game, scoring 22 points and making five 3-pointers. Kaitlyn Chen also put up 22 points for Princeton and added seven rebounds and four assists. With both their men’s and women’s teams advancing, it’s been a great start for the Princeton Tigers.
Ole Miss also had a remarkable performance in their game against Gonzaga. The Rebels made seven 3-pointers and held Gonzaga to just 28.8% shooting from the field, which is significantly below their average. Junior forward Snudda Collins was the standout player, contributing 15 points and three 3-pointers off the bench. Their impressive defense limited Gonzaga to a season-low of 48 points, and Ole Miss earned their first appearance in the second round since 2007. However, the Rebels face a tough challenge against top-seeded Stanford on Sunday.
In the Princeton vs. NC State game, Princeton’s trio of Grace Stone, Julia Cunningham, and Kaitlyn Chen combined for 45 points, putting up a strong fight against the Wolfpack. Although they trail by four heading into the final quarter, they have shown their potential and given NC State a tough time. Meanwhile, Mimi Collins is having a great night for NC State, scoring 12 points on 5 of 6 shooting, along with four rebounds.
At halftime, Ole Miss had built up momentum with a 17-5 run, outshooting Gonzaga and forcing seven turnovers. Snudda Collins continued her excellent performance with ten points, while Gonzaga struggled to find their rhythm. However, Gonzaga finished the half strong with Saniya Rivers scoring a steal and layup at the buzzer to take a six-point lead. Mimi Collins and Madison Hayes provided a boost for the Wolfpack’s offense with 10 points each off the bench.
Overall, it was an eventful Day 1 of the NCAA Women’s Tournament, with many surprises and upsets. Fans can look forward to more thrilling games in the coming days as the tournament progresses.
NCAA Women’s Tournament: USC, South Dakota State, and Utah Make Waves in the First Round
The NCAA Women’s Tournament has been filled with thrilling moments and close calls, with USC and South Dakota State delivering a nail-biting game that went into overtime. Despite Destiny Littleton’s impressive 3-pointer that tied the game for USC, South Dakota State held on and won the game with a final score of 64-59. Myah Selland led the Jackrabbits with 29 points and almost a double-double with nine rebounds. The team’s strong defense was key to their victory, holding USC to under 31.3% shooting from the field. This win marks the first time South Dakota State has made it to the second round since 2019, and they are currently on a 22-game winning streak.
Meanwhile, Utah had a dominant offensive performance in their game against Gardner-Webb. The Utes shot nearly 60% from the field and had three players scoring in double digits: Gianna Kneepkens with 17 points, Jenna Johnson with 20 points, and Alissa Pili with 33 points. Despite Jhessyka Williams’ 20-point effort for Gardner-Webb, Utah came out on top with a 85-53 victory.
In another close game, Princeton put up a good fight against NC State, but ultimately fell short with a final score of 79-70. The Wolfpack were missing their top scorer Diamond Johnson due to an ankle injury, but they still managed to come out on top thanks to strong performances from Jakia Brown-Turner and Jada Boyd.
Looking ahead to the next round, South Dakota State will face Syracuse, while Utah will take on Arizona. With the tournament heating up, fans can expect more thrilling moments in the days to come.
Stanford Dominates, Utah’s Offensive Clinic Continues, and USC and South Dakota State Struggle to Score
Stanford’s dominance in the NCAA Women’s Tournament continues as they clinched their 100th win in the Big Dance, the third most in NCAA history. Although Sacred Heart put up a fight in the first quarter, Stanford’s offense took over and secured their spot in the Round of 32 for the 23rd consecutive year. Despite being without their leading rebounder and top scorer Cameron Brink, who was out with an illness, Stanford pulled off a blowout victory by shooting at 49.3% from the field and holding Sacred Heart to 30.5%. Haley Jones led the team with 17 points and six rebounds, while Ny’Ceara Pryor was Sacred Heart’s top scorer with 12 points.
Meanwhile, Utah continued their offensive clinic against Gardner-Webb, scoring 20 points in the second quarter and increasing their lead to 48-31 at halftime. Alissa Pili had a standout performance with 31 points, four rebounds, four assists, a steal, and a block. Despite Christina Deng’s three 3-pointers, Gardner-Webb was unable to keep up with Utah’s dominant offense.
On the other hand, USC and South Dakota State struggled to score in their matchup, with both teams shooting under 35% from the field. The Trojans managed to hang on to their lead in the second quarter despite a 7-0 run by the Jackrabbits. USC’s Rayah Marshall led the team with five blocks, while Myah Selland was South Dakota State’s top scorer with nine points.
Looking ahead to the next round, Stanford will face Oklahoma State, Utah will take on Rutgers, USC will face Georgia, and South Dakota State will go against Syracuse. As the tournament heats up, fans can expect more thrilling moments and surprises in the days to come.
Stanford vs. Sacred Heart: Cardinal triumph
In their latest game, Stanford triumphed over Sacred Heart with an impressive performance, securing their 100th win in the Big Dance. The Cardinal came out on top, with Haley Jones leading the charge with 17 points and six rebounds. Though Cameron Brink was absent due to a non-COVID related illness, Stanford’s dominant performance allowed them to win the game with ease. Stanford outshot Sacred Heart, shooting at an impressive 49.3% from the field compared to Sacred Heart’s 30.5%.
USC vs. South Dakota State: A close game
The USC Trojans and South Dakota State had a close game, with both teams struggling to score. USC has a trio of double-digit scorers, while South Dakota State has four players scoring in double digits led by Myah Selland’s 15.7 points per game. The Jackrabbits won the 2022 WNIT and entered the NCAA Tournament on a program-best 21-game winning streak. Although the game was close, South Dakota State emerged victorious, led by Myah Selland who registered 29 points, nine rebounds, and a near double-double.
Utah vs. Gardner-Webb: A masterful display of offense
Utah came out blazing offensively, scoring 27 first-quarter points, with Jenna Johnson and Alissa Pili leading the charge. The team shot nearly 60% from the field, thanks largely to Gianna Kneepkens, Jenna Johnson, and Alissa Pili. Gardner-Webb struggled to hit shots and keep up with the Utes, though Ki’Ari Cain put in a solid performance with five points on 2 of 3 shooting.
Mississippi State vs. Creighton: A shocking upset
In a shocking upset, Mississippi State emerged victorious against Creighton, securing a 20-point lead. Jerkaila Jordan and Jessika Carter were pivotal to Mississippi State’s success, with Jordan scoring 20 points and making four of her five 3-point attempts, and Carter recording a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Emma Ronsiek and Lauren Jensen combined for 43 points in a losing effort.
LSU dominates Hawaii behind Reese’s big night
LSU took down Hawaii in the first round of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. Hawaii scored the first points of the second half, but LSU immediately followed it up with a 10-0 run. Angel Reese had an incredible night with 34 points, 15 rebounds, two assists, three steals, and three blocks, securing her sixth 30+ point game of the season. Flau’jae Johnson also scored double digits for the Tigers with ten points. As a team, LSU shot 43.5% from the field, while holding Hawaii to just 30.8%. The win puts LSU in a good position to make a deep run in the competition.
Stanford faces Sacred Heart in Round of 64
The top-seeded Stanford Cardinal faced off against the Sacred Heart Pioneers in the Round of 64. The Cardinal are no strangers to the NCAA Tournament, having not missed it since 1987 and coming off of two consecutive Final Four runs. Although the Pioneers were back in the competition for the first time since 2012, they were led by NEC Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year Ny’Ceara Pryor, who averages 18.2 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. Stanford was without their leading scorer and rebounder, Cameron Brink, due to a non-COVID related illness, but they still had a powerful two-time All-American, Haley Jones, who averages 13.4 points and 9.1 rebounds per game.
Virginia Tech advances to Round of 32
Virginia Tech secured a spot in the Round of 32 with a big win over Chattanooga. Georgia Amoore led the team with 22 points and five 3-pointers, and Elizabeth Kitley added 12 points and 14 rebounds. The Hokies forced Chattanooga into a poor offensive performance, allowing them to make just 14 of their 49 field goal attempts and 4 of their 18 3-point attempts.
Mississippi State upsets Creighton
In a surprising upset, Mississippi State took down Creighton in the first round of the tournament. Jerkaila Jordan had an impressive night, leading all scorers with 20 points and making four of her five 3-point attempts. Jessika Carter recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Creighton’s Emma Ronsiek and Lauren Jensen combined for 43 points, but it was not enough to secure a win for their team.
LSU and Hawaii struggle offensively
During the game between LSU and Hawaii, Angel Reese led all scorers with 23 points and 13 rebounds. Flau’jae Johnson was the only other double-digit scorer for LSU with 10 points. Overall, LSU shot 36% from the field, 11% less accurate than usual. Hawaii’s Lily Wahinekapu came close to reaching double digits with nine points, but the team only shot 28.9% from the field.
Mississippi State hopes to continue upsetting Creighton
Mississippi State is looking to continue their upset streak after knocking off Creighton in the first round. JerKaila Jordan has been the star player for the Bulldogs, leading all scorers with 15 points, including three-for-three from beyond the arc. Creighton’s slow start in the first quarter put them behind, and they were not able to catch up.
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