Conference tournament play is underway and we’ve already got some results with NCAA Tournament implications. Here’s a roundup of all the action from Wednesday in the Pac-12, Big Ten, ACC and SEC:
Pac-12 Tournament
No. 11 seed Oregon State Beavers over No. 6 seed USC Trojans, 56-48
USC led 43-35 with 7:11 to play before Oregon State went on an 11-0 run. AJ Marrote scored the final four points of the run. USC’s Adika Okako missed a three that would have cut it to one with 20 ticks left and Beaver Adlee Blacklock went 4-of-4 at the stripe over the remainder of the contest for the final points.
Raegen Beers led the way for the Beavers with 18 points, nine rebounds and two steals. Blacklock added 15 points and six boards and Bendu Yeaney dished out eight assists. Beers and Blacklock are both freshmen.
Destiny Littleton had 12 points and five helpers in defeat; she was just 2-of-11 from downtown. Kadi Sissoko led USC with 16 points.
USC was off the bubble and securely in the NCAA Tournament field as a No. 10 seed in ESPN’s Tuesday Bracketology. But this could put them on the bubble and make their Selection Sunday a little more nerve-racking. Oregon State had just four Pac-12 wins in the regular season; the Trojans had 11.
No. 5 seed UCLA Bruins over No. 12 seed Arizona State Sun Devils, 81-70 (OT)
UCLA’s Kiki Rice blocked a Jaddan Simmons lay up attempt at the buzzer to force overtime. Neither team scored over the final 1:27 of regulation.
The Bruins scored first in overtime and the teams exchanged scores until it was tied at 66 with 3:11 remaining. UCLA then went on a 15-4 run to close the contest. Emily Bessoir (two threes) and Charisma Osborne (four points) scored the first 10 Bruin points of the run to put their team up 76-68 with 45 seconds to go.
Rice had UCLA’s best stat line with 14 points, eight rebounds, six assists and two rejections. Overtime hero Bessoir posted a team-high 17 points to go along with nine boards, while Osborne was good for 16 points, five rebounds and three steals.
Simmons helped push the Bruins to the brink with a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double, while Tyi Skinner added a game-high 26 points in defeat.
No. 9 seed Oregon Ducks over No. 8 seed Washington Huskies, 52-50
The Ducks trailed by four entering the fourth and by seven after a Haley Van Dyke three two minutes and 41 seconds into the final frame. They responded with a 9-0 run featuring four points from Endyia Rogers and a lead-taking three from Te-Hina Paopao. Rogers gave Oregon the lead for good on a jumper with 1:28 to go. With one second remaining, Washington’s Trinity Oliver missed a jumper to tie.
Rogers finished with 28 points and 11 rebounds, Paopao added 13 points and four assists and Phillipina Kyei had six points and nine boards for the winners.
Dalayah Daniels notched 10 points, 11 rebounds, three helpers, two steals and three blocks in defeat.
No. 7 seed Washington State Cougars over No. 10 seed California Golden Bears, 61-49
Charlisse Leger-Walker has the ability to carry Washington State far and stepped up with 23 points and six rebounds in this game. Bella Murekatete added a 13-point, 12-rebound double-double. The Cougars trailed by six at halftime before winning the third 23-15 and the fourth 17-7.
The Cougars were a No. 10 seed in ESPN’s last Bracketology. This win plus USC’s loss will help them out. This was their 20th win of the season.
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Big Ten Tournament
No. 13 seed Penn State Lady Lions over No. 12 seed Minnesota Golden Gophers, 72-67
Prolific scorer Makenna Marisa refused to let the Lady Lions fall in this matchup between teams with identical Big Ten records, pacing her team with 22 points. Shay Ciezki (16 points), Leilani Kapinus (11) and Alexa Williamson (11) joined her in double figures. Kapinus added six boards and three steals.
Penn State was able to hold on despite the Gophers outscoring it by 10 in the final frame.
Mara Braun (25 points, seven rebounds) and Amaya Battle (16 points, eight assists) led Minnesota.
No. 11 seed Rutgers Scarlet Knights over No. 14 seed Northwestern Wildcats, 63-59
Kaylene Smikle was on fire with 21 first-half points for the Scarlet Knights; she finished with 26 and four steals. Chyna Cornwell added a double-double with 15 points and 15 rebounds.
Caileigh Walsh dropped 24 points to go along with eight boards in defeat.
ACC Tournament
No. 12 seed Wake Forest Demon Deacons over No. 13 seed Virginia Cavaliers, 68-57
The Demon Deacons improved their overall winning percentage to .500.
You would expect Jewel Spear to lead the way and she did with 19 points. Elise Williams added 16 points, three assists and four steals, while Demeara Scruggs had eight points and 11 rebounds for the winners.
No. 10 seed Clemson Tigers over No. 15 seed Pitt Panthers, 71-53
The Tigers took care of the Panthers courtesy of 19 points, seven rebounds and three assists from Hannah Hank and 15 point and six helpers from Daisha Bradford. Amari Robinson chipped in with 10 points, eight boards and four assists.
No. 11 seed Boston College Eagles over No. 14 seed Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, 62-57
Taina Mair continued her phenomenal distributing season with seven assists for the Eagles to go along with six points and 10 rebounds. She had 210 assists on the season. Center Maria Gakdeng added 14 points, seven boards and three helpers, while Dontavia Waggoner notched a team-high 16 points to go along with her seven rebounds.
SEC Tournament
No. 13 seed Texas A&M Aggies over No. 12 seed Vanderbilt Commodores
Joni Taylor’s squad has had a rough season by its program’s lofty standards, but salvaged something by advancing here. Aaliyah Patty was solid all-around with 12 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, while Sydney Bowles led the team with 22 points.
No. 14 seed Kentucky Wildcats over No. 11 seed Florida Gators
The reigning SEC Tournament champs notched the second-biggest upset of the day, beating a team that is 4.5 games better in terms of overall record.
A number of players stepped up for the Wildcats, including Adebola Adeyeye (11 points, 17 rebounds), Robyn Benton (20 points, five rebounds), Maddie Scherr (10 points, six assists) and Jada Walker (13 points, four assists).