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Friday’s conference tournament schedules saw the favorites take the court in ACC, SEC, Big Ten and Big 12. And while all the top-seeded teams prevailed, none enjoyed a totally easy afternoon. Here’s what happened across the Power Four conference tournaments on an action-filled Friday:
Cardiac Pack survive quarterfinal thriller in ACC Tournament
In the ACC, No. 1-seed NC State experienced the most serious scare against No. 9-seed Georgia Tech, escaping 73-72 due to two free throws from Aziaha James with seven seconds remaining.
Down by as many as nine points in the first quarter, the Wolfpack finally took their first lead just two minutes before halftime, entering the break up by two points. The second half was a nip-and-tuck affair, with no team taking a lead larger than four points in the final frame. After James hit what would become the game-winning free throws, the Yellow Jackets had a final chance, but, out of timeouts, they failed to get off a shot, allowing the Wolfpack keep dancing. James led NC State with 16 points, while Zoe Brooks, recently named the ACC Most Improved Player, added 14 points, nine boards and four assists. Tonie Morgan and Kara Dunn turned in matching 21-point efforts for Georgia Tech. ACC Sixth Player of the Year Dani Carnegie had 12 points from off the bench.
NC State next meets No. 5-seed UNC (12 p.m. ET, ESPN2), which topped No. 4-seed Florida State, 60-56, in a game where late free throws again proved crucial. After the teams traded buckets and free throws down the stretch, Lanie Grant made the final two that sealed the four-point win for the Tar Heels. Alyssa Ustby, playing in her second game since returning from an injury that sidelined her for the end of the regular season, captained UNC with 12 points and an incredible 18 rebounds, helping the Tar Heels establish a 53-40 advantage on the boards. North Carolina also held the nation’s leading scorer in check, as Ta’Niya Latson finished with 13 points on 3-for-14 shooting.
No. 2-seed Notre Dame survived a tough test from No. 9-seed Cal, 73-64, powered by 25 points from Hannah Hidalgo. Swish Appeal’s Stephanie Kaloi provided an on-the-ground account of Hidalgo’s impact. The Fighting Irish will play No. 3-seed Duke on Saturday (2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2), as the the Blue Devils took care of No. 6-seed Louisville, 61-48.
Career day from Kitts keys South Carolina in SEC Tournament
The SEC’s No. 1 seed, South Carolina, won without as much drama, although a second-half surge from No. 8-seed Vanderbilt made things more interesting than head coach Dawn Staley would have preferred. Up 48-23 at the half, the Gamecocks allowed a 25-point third quarter from the Commodores, with Vandy cutting the margin to as few as five points, 68-63, midway through the fourth.
However, the Commodores would not score again, with the Gamecocks finishing the game on a 16-0 run. Chloe Kitts was responsible for nine of those points, including the first seven that gave South Carolina the necessary separation. Kitts tallied a 25-point and 10-rebound double-double, extending her recent run of star-caliber play, while MiLaysia Fulwiley, the SEC Sixth Player of the Year, added 15 points. SEC Freshman of the Year Mikayla Blakes had a team-high 20 points for the Commodores.
South Carolina gets No. 5-seed Oklahoma on Saturday (4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2), as the Sooners, down by as many as 10 points in the second half, came back to beat No. 4-seed Kentucky, 69-65. Having claimed the lead in the final two minutes of the third quarter, Oklahoma mostly maintained a slight edge throughout the fourth, despite Georgia Amoore’s 29-point afternoon for Kentucky. (Not as bad as the 43 points that the SEC Newcomer of the Year dropped on the Sooners during their regular-season matchup.) Raegan Beers, who did most of her damage in the first half, led the Sooners with a double-double of 20 points and 11 rebounds, while Payton Verhulst, who came up big down the stretch, added 16 points. Clara Strack contributed a 12-point and 16-rebound double-double for the Wildcats, although the SEC Defensive Player of the Year did not block a shot.
After a third-quarter scoring drought by No. 7-seed Ole Miss, No. 2-seed Texas appeared poised to cruise to a win in their quarterfinal. Instead, the Longhorns could not put the game away and the Rebels charged back until late in the fourth quarter, when Texas finally pulled away for a 70-63 win. SEC Player of the Year Madison Booker led the Longhorns with 19 points and seven boards, while KK Deans scored 20 points for the Rebels. Texas now takes on No. 3-seed LSU on Saturday (7 p.m. ET, ESPN2). The Tigers dropped 101 points on No. 11-seed Florida, ending the Gators’ dreams of a Cinderella run. Aneesah Morrow put up a monster double-double of 36 points and 14 rebounds for a Tiger team that not only was without Flau’jae Johnson, but also head coach Kim Mulkey, who is away from the team due the unexpected death of a family member.
JuJu was ballin’ in the Big Ten Tournament
USC, the Big Ten’s No. 1 seed, required a 30-ball (plus one) from Big Ten Player of the Year JuJu Watkins to hold off No. 9-seed Indiana, 84-79. It took until midway through the fourth quarter for the Trojans to stretch their lead to a comfortable margin. Watkins officially finished with a 31-point and 10-rebound double-double, with Kiki Iriafen scoring a 21-point and 10-rebound double-double of her own.
No. 5-seed Michigan is next on the menu for USC (3 p.m. ET, BTN), as the Wolverines cruised against No. 4-seed Maryland, taking a 27-6 first-quarter lead and never looking back.
In the day’s most exciting game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, No. 11-seed Iowa nearly sparked a Cinderella run, taking a 59-58 lead on No. 3-seed Ohio State after back-to-back 3-pointers with just over a minute left in the game. Fouled with six seconds remaining, Cotie McMahon sunk a pair of clutch free throws, allowing the Buckeyes to survive, 60-59. They’ve got No. 2-seed UCLA next (5:30 p.m. ET, BTN). The Bruins, after establishing a 10-point lead at the end of the first quarter, allowed No. 10-seed Nebraska back into the game before eventually re-taking a double-digit lead in the final minutes of the third quarter and winning 85-74. Lauren Betts was in unstoppable form for the victors, earning a 28-point and 13-rebound double-double. The Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year also rejected seven shots.
HVL, JJ steer squads to victory in Big 12 Tournament
Hailey Van Lith, the Big 12 Player of the Year, helped No. 1-seed TCU hang on against a stubborn No. 9 seed in Colorado, 69-62. Van Lith scored 24 points, powered by five 3-pointers. For No. 4-seed West Virginia, back-to-back Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year JJ Quinerly continued her recent scoring spree, with her game-high 24 points pushing the Mountaineers past No. 5-seed Kansas State, 73-69. The Horned Frogs and Mountaineers now meet on Saturday (4 p.m. ET, ESPN+).
No. 2-seed Baylor and No. 3-seed Oklahoma State also will face off on Saturday (6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+). Despite 32 points from Audi Crooks for No. 7-seed Iowa State, the Bears got the 69-63 win over the Cyclones. Stailee Heard dropped 34 points, fueled by 17 made free throws, for the Cowgirls in a too-close-for-comfort 62-59 win over No. 14-seed Texas Tech. The Red Raiders missed a shot at the buzzer that would have sent the game into overtime.
