Tigers capture first NCAA Tourney victory in 15 years
Athens, Ga. — Athens, Ga. After winning its first NCAA women's tournament game in 15 years, Missouri didn't want to dwell on the achievement.
Wisconsin's Tamara Moore, center, has the ball knocked away by Missouri defenders Evan Unrau (13) and Natalie Bright. Missouri defeated Wisconsin, 71-68, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday night in Athens, Ga.
Amanda Lassiter scored 20 points, including the go-ahead basket with 1:32 remaining, and the Tigers rallied for a 71-68 victory over Wisconsin in the first round of the East Regional on Friday.
Missouri, making its first NCAA appearance since 1994, scored the final 10 points to win in the tournament for the first time since a one-point victory over Arkansas in 1986.
"It was significant for us," coach Cindy Stein said. "But our plans are to continue. We want to get another one. We are greedy."
Missouri, which has never advanced past the second round, will play Sunday against the winner of the Georgia-Liberty game.
Lassiter, who sat out 12 minutes in the second half after picking up her fourth foul, put the Tigers ahead for good on a slick pump fake and drive to make it 69-68. She led the 10th-seeded Tigers (21-9) with 20 points in only 20 minutes.
Marlena Williams added 16 points and Kerensa Barr 13.
"We've always been known to entertain," Stein said. "Our defense made the right adjustments when it counted. We got some key baskets down the stretch from a variety of people. That's been the key to our season."
Wisconsin (18-10), the No. 7 seed, led by as many as 10 in the first half and appeared to be in control when a 13-2 run pushed the Badgers ahead 64-56 with 6:26 remaining. But they failed to score a field goal after Jessie Stomski's basket with 5:07 to go.
"Actually, it wasn't a big concern," Stein said. "Our team has been able to handle these type of situations. We practice this all the time. The knowledge was there of what we needed to do."
Stomski led Wisconsin with 29 points and 11 rebounds. The Badgers' final points came with just under four minutes left when Nina Smith hit a pair of free throws for a 68-61 lead.
After Lassiter's basket put Missouri ahead, Wisconsin's Tamara Moore made two key mistakes. She was called for a charging foul against Barr, then yielded a steal to Williams.
In between, Williams hit a pair of free throws with 30.5 seconds left. Wisconsin's LaTonya Sims missed badly on a long three-pointer at the buzzer.
East Regional
Georgia 77, Liberty 48
Athens, Ga. Kelly Miller scored 16 points, and the second-seeded Bulldogs cruised. Georgia (27-5), extended its home winning streak to 24 game.
Villanova 66, Drake 58
Raleigh, N.C. Katie Davis had 15 points and Courtney Mix keyed a late run as Villanova won its first NCAA tournament game in 14 years.
N.C. State 76, Delaware 57
Raleigh, N.C. Amy Simpson made four three-pointers in the first half and finished with 17 points as North Carolina State ruined Delaware's first trip to the NCAA tournament.
Midwest Regional
Iowa State 100, Howard 61
Ames, Iowa Iowa State's Angie Welle had an easy time against Howard, and so did her team. Getting the ball inside for one short shot after another, Welle scored 16 of her 23 points in the first half as Iowa State cruised past Howard 100-61 Friday night in the first round of the Midwest Regional. The second-seeded Cyclones (26-5) shot 70 percent in building a 30-point halftime lead.
Florida State 72, Tulane 70
Ames, Iowa April Traylor scored a career-high 30 points and Florida State survived a late rush by Tulane to beat the Green Wave. Florida State (19-11), in the tournament for the first time since 1991, rallied from an 11-point deficit in the first half and then held on after leading 70-62 with a little more than two minutes left.
Mideast Regional
St. Mary's, Calif. 68, Texas 64
Knoxville, Tenn. Triola Alexander scored a career-high 21 points as St. Mary's of California beat Texas. The ninth-seeded Gaels (26-5), making only their second appearance in the tournament, have won 11 straight under first-year coach Michelle Jacoby.
Tennessee 80, Austin Peay 38
Knoxville, Tenn. Ashley Robinson scored 17 points as top-seeded Tennessee beat Austin Peay for the Vols' 37th consecutive tournament victory on their own court.
Clemson 51, Chattanooga 49
Cincinnati Nuria Forns made two free throws with less than a second left to give Clemson a victory over Tennessee-Chattanooga. Forns finished with 16 points, and Erin Batth had 11 for fifth-seeded Clemson (21-9).
Xavier 80, Louisville 52
Cincinnati Nicole Levandusky and Reetta Piipari started a 24-2 run with a pair of three-pointers as Xavier took control early and ran away from Louisville.
Virginia Tech 77, Denver 57
Lubbock, Texas Virginia Tech opened a 15-0 lead, and Chrystal Starling scored 15 of her 20 points in the second half as the Hokies beat Denver.
Texas Tech 100, Penn 57
Lubbock, Texas Plenette Pierson scored 19 points as Texas Tech beat Pennsylvania. The Raiders held all Penn scorers but two below six points to spoil the Quakers' first NCAA appearance.
LSU 83, Arizona State 66
West Lafayette, Ind. Ke-Ke Tardy scored 21 points and Marie Ferdinand added 19 points as Louisiana State beat Arizona State.
Purdue 75, UC Santa Barbara 62
West Lafayette, Ind. Camille Cooper scored 23 points and Purdue used a late run to hold off UC Santa Barbara.
West Regional
Washington 67, Old Dominion 65
Gainesville, Fla. Loree Payne hit a 15-foot jump shot at the buzzer to lift the Huskies past Old Dominion.
Florida 84, Holy Cross 52
Gainesville, Fla. Naomi Mobley had 16 points and a career-high 20 rebounds to help Florida overpower Holy Cross.
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