NCAAW: Kentucky survives, South Carolina thrives as tournament begins

The first day of the 2025 women’s NCAA Tournament is in the books. And so far, one Cinderella is part of the story, as No. 10-seed Oregon was the day’s only double-digit seed to advance, defeating No. 7-seed Vanderbilt in overtime, 77-73, after coughing up a 19-point second-half lead.

With Commodore stars Mikayla Blakes and Khamil Pierre fouling out in the extra period, the Ducks squeaked out the win. For the victors, Deja Kelly scored 20 points and grabbed eight boards, while Nani Falatea added 17 points.

Here’s a look at some of the other highlights from Thursday’s 16-game slate:

South Carolina wins by 60

No. 1 seeds are expected to dominate their first-round matchups against No. 16 seeds. But dominance does not accurately describe what South Carolina did to Tennessee Tech.

The defending-champion Gamecocks won by 60 points, 108-48, kicking off the afternoon with a 33-point first quarter before speeding past the century mark. The Gamecocks’ bench gang certainly did their thing, with Joyce Edwards leading the team with 22 points and MiLaysia Fulwiley and Tessa Johnson adding 15 and 11, respectively.

Notre Dame’s big win comes with a potential loss

No. 3-seed Notre Dame also earned an authoritative 48-point win over Stephen F. Austin, 106-54, a new program record for a tournament victory. All-American Hannah Hidalgo led the Irish with 24 points, six rebounds, five assists and five steals.

However, Olivia Miles suffered an early fourth-quarter ankle injury that sidelined her for the rest of the game. After the game, head coach Niele Ivey and Miles’ teammates expressed confidence that she would be “OK” for Notre Dame’s second-round game against No. 6-seed Michigan.

Yet, a less-than-full-strength Miles lowers Notre Dame’s ceiling, and could even make them vulnerable against the Wolverines, who prevailed over No. 11-seed Iowa State in a back-and-forth battle, 80-74, that included a 10-point third-quarter comeback by Michigan and 28 points from Jordan Hobbs.

Kentucky avoids (Wild)catastrophe

No. 4-seed Kentucky nearly invited No. 13-seed Liberty to be a Cinderella, as the Wildcats almost fumbled away a 17-point fourth-quarter lead.

A five-minute scoring drought from Kentucky allowed Liberty to get back in the game, eventually cutting the margin to single point with just over a minute remaining. A late layup and free throws from Georgia Amoore, who finished with 34 points, allowed the Wildcats to hang on for the too-close-for-comfort victory, 79-78.

Yokie is back!

With Ayoka Lee back in the lineup, Kansas State steered clear of the classic No. 5-seed-vs.-No. 12-seed upset. In fact, they scored the biggest win by a No. 5 seed over a No. 12 seed in tournament history. Showing little rust, Lee posted a 17-point and 10-rebound double-double in just 15 minutes of play, powering K-State to the 84-41 blowout win over Fairfield.