Travel
March Madness 2022 recap: Tennessee survives scare, Notre Dame tops 100-point mark to reach women's Sweet 16
[ad_1]
While Sunday’s action in the NCAA women’s basketball tournament featured a pair of No. 2 seeds going down to defeat, Monday was a little kinder to the high seeds — although two had to go down to the wire to win on their home floors.
Meanwhile, No. 1 seed N.C. State advanced past Kansas State to set up a date with No. 5 seed Notre Dame, a 108-64 winner over Oklahoma.
The night ended with last year’s national championship runner-up, Arizona, getting ousted by North Carolina.
Monday’s games will determine which teams advance to the Sweet 16, which begins March 25. Eight women’s teams, including No. 10 seeds South Dakota and Creighton, already punched their tickets on Sunday.
NCAA TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE: Follow March Madness on the women’s side
STAY UP-TO-DATE: Subscribe to our Sports newsletter now!
Follow along for all the action on Monday in the women’s NCAA Tournament:
North Carolina eliminates last season’s runner-up
Mark down another upset in the women’s tournament.
Late Monday, fifth-seeded North Carolina dominated fourth-seeded Arizona for long stretches, upsetting the Wildcats, 63-45, in Tucson. Arizona, last year’s runner-up, is the first team from the 2021 Final Four to be knocked out of the tournament.
North Carolina was terrific offensively against Arizona, typically a stout defensive team. The Tar Heels shot 41% from the field — as opposed to Arizona’s 29% — and outscored Arizona 30-18 in the paint. Three UNC players had 12 points or more, led by Kennedy Todd-Williams, who finished with 19 on 7-of-11 shooting. Alyssa Ustby chipped in with 12 points and 12 rebounds.
Sam Thomas led Arizona with 15 points. Forward Cate Reese, the Wildcats’ best player, scored six points on 3-of-9 shooting, also grabbing five rebounds. Reese returned for the first and second rounds after missing the last few weeks with a separated shoulder, but struggled to find a rhythm Monday.
Arizona tried to make a late run but at that point, the Wildcats had dug such a huge hole it was impossible to come back. UNC’s largest lead of the night was 24, and one point it reeled off 15 unanswered points.
The Tar Heels advance to play No. 1 overall seed South Carolina in the Sweet 16.
— Lindsay Schnell
UConn reaches Sweet 16 for 28th consecutive season
Central Florida started strong, but the depth of No. 2 seed UConn was too much as the Huskies made history once again, advancing to their NCAA record 28th consecutive Sweet 16.
Freshman Azzi Fudd led the way 16 points, including a pair of game-clinching free throws with 15 seconds left to propel the Huskies to a hard-fought 52-47 victory over the No. 7 seeded Knights.
Christyn Williams added 12 points and Paige Bueckers had nine for the Huskies (27-5), who have not allowed an opponent to score more than 51 points in their last 10 games.
UCF jumped out to an 18-12 lead at the end of the first quarter and held the advantage until just over four minutes before halftime, when Nika Muhl’s 3-pointer gave UConn a 22-20 lead.
The Knights trailed by 11 with 4½ minutes to play, but whittled the margin to just three on a pair of Diamond Battles free throws with 53 seconds left. However, UConn went 4-for-4 at the free throw line down the stretch to secure the win and a matchup with third-seeded Indiana.
Ohio State keeps its composure in front of pro-LSU crowd
BATON ROUGE, La. – Jacy Sheldon had 23 points, eight assists and three steals, and sixth seed Ohio State beat No. 3 seed LSU 79-64 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Monday night.
Taylor Mikesell scored 18 and Rebeka Mikulasikova had 12 points for the Buckeyes (25-6), who responded to a large, loud and hostile crowd in the Tigers’ home arena by seizing momentum in the opening quarter and putting LSU in the deepest deficit it had face all season at 24 points late in the third quarter.
LSU (26-6), which overcame a 10-point deficit inside the final five minutes of their first round game against Jackson State two days earlier, lacked the firepower to climb out of a bigger hole against Sheldon and Co.
Khayla Pointer, the Tigers’ second-team All-America guard, scored 32 points, but also missed 18 of her 30 shots, her dry spells coming as the Buckeyes pulled away.
— The Associated Press
Hoosiers hold on in 56-55 thriller
Princeton threw away its shot at the Sweet 16.
The Tigers trailed third-seeded Indiana by 2 with 29 seconds left to play, having erased a 14-point, third-quarter deficit. Kaitlyn Chen let the clock dwindle down to less than 10 seconds before driving to the basket. But Indiana double-teamed her, and she tried to dish the ball back to a teammate, only to have Ali Patberg intercept the pass.
The Tigers were forced to foul, and Aleksa Gulbe made a pair of free throws with a second left to give Indiana a 4-point cushion. Good thing, because Abby Meyers made a 3-pointer at the buzzer for the final margin in the Hoosiers’ 56-55 win.
Indiana advanced to the Sweet 16 for a second consecutive year. Last year’s appearance was the first in school history.
— Nancy Armour
Tennessee survives scare from 12th-seeded Belmont
Whew!
Freshman Sara Puckett made a 3-pointer with 18 seconds left and then had a critical rebound as fourth-seeded Tennessee escaped with a 70-67 victory over Belmont on Monday night. It is the Vols’ first trip to the Sweet 16 since 2016.
Tennessee led the 12th-seeded Bruins by 14 with 6:53 left in the third quarter, only to have Belmont storm back. The Bruins ended the third quarter with a 17-5 run, and a layup by Destinee Wells with 5:48 to play gave Belmont a 57-56 lead, its first since the first quarter.
But Puckett made her 3, and Tamari Key extended the lead with a pair of free throws. Belmont’s Tuti Jones cut Tennessee’s lead to 69-67 on a free throw with 4 seconds left. She tried to miss the second in hopes that Belmont would get the rebound, but Puckett snagged the ball and Belmont was forced to foul.
Tennessee is now 59-1 in home games in the NCAA tournament.
— Nancy Armour
Notre Dame hits 100-point mark in rout of Oklahoma
NORMAN, Okla. – Dara Mabrey scored a season-high 29 points, and No. 5 seed Notre Dame rolled past No. 4 Oklahoma 108-64 on Monday night to earn a spot in the women’s Sweet 16.
Mabrey made 11 of 19 field goals, including seven 3-pointers. Sonia Citron scored 25 points and Maya Dodson added 20 for Notre Dame (24-8). According to Stats by STATS, Notre Dame became the first team, men’s or women’s, to beat a higher-seeded team by at least 40 points.
It’s the first Sweet 16 berth for second-year Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey, The Fighting Irish will play No. 1 seed North Carolina State on Saturday in a Bridgeport Regional semifinal.
Taylor Robertson scored 19 points for Oklahoma (25-9). Skylar Vann had 11 points and nine rebounds and Liz Scott had 11 points and eight rebounds for the Sooners. Oklahoma committed 28 turnovers and shot just 32.3% from the floor.
Notre Dame led 13-7 before Mabrey scored 12 straight to push the Fighting Irish lead to 18. She banked in her last three points during the run to put Notre Dame ahead 25-7.
Mabrey finished with 17 points and made 5 of 6 3-pointers in the first quarter. The Fighting Irish shot 56.5% in the opening period to lead 35-12 heading into the second.
Notre Dame led 60-25 at halftime and 85-47 heading into the fourth quarter. The Fighting Irish hit the 100-point mark on a fast break layup by Dodson with just over four minutes remaining.
— The Associated Press
Michigan women join Wolverine men in NCAA’s Sweet 16
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Naz Hillmon had 27 points, 11 rebounds and five steals to help third-seeded Michigan pull away and beat No. 11 Villanova 64-49 in the second round of the women’s NCAA Tournament on Monday night.
The Wolverines (24-6) earned a second straight trip to the Sweet 16 and will face 10th-seeded South Dakota on Saturday in the Wichita Region.
Michigan took control with a 10-0 run over the end of the third quarter and start of the fourth, turning what was a closely contested game into a lopsided victory. Leigha Brown, who has recovered from a leg injury, had 20 points for the Wolverines.
The Wildcats (24-9) led by three points after the opening quarter, but they simply could not stop Hillmon.
Villanova also struggled to overcome Maddy Siegrist being held to single digits for just the sixth time this season. Siegrist, who ranked second in the nation with 25.8 points per game, had 12 points on 5 of 13 shooting. The junior forward had fewer points just twice this season in November.
— The Associated Press
Notre Dame off to sizzling start vs. Oklahoma
Senior guard Dara Mabrey could hardly miss as fifth-seeded Notre Dame exploded out of the blocks in a second-round matchup against No. 4 seed Oklahoma.
Mabrey connected on six of her seven field goal attempts in the first quarter, including 5-of-6 from beyond the arc, as the Fighting Irish opened up a 35-12 lead on the Sooners. With 17 points, Mabrey outscored Oklahoma by herself with the Irish connecting on 58.3% of their shots in the quarter, while holding the Sooners to just 26.3% field-goal shooting.
NC State moves onto the Sweet 16
The top-seeded Wolfpack ran away with it in the second half and toppled No. 9 Kansas State by more than 30 points, 89-57. NC State outscored the Wildcats by 16 points in the second half, by a margin of 46-30.
Forward Kayla Jones led all scored with 18 points and added 5 rebounds and 3 assists.
The Wolfpack will now play the winner between No. 5 Notre Dame and No. 6 Oklahoma, which just tipped off at 6 p.m. ET.
Stars on the post
Monday’s game between No. 3 seed Michigan (23-6) and No. 11 seed Villanova (24-8) pits the Big Ten Coach of the Year, Kim Barnes Arico, against the Big East Coach of the Year, Denise Dillon. But the second-round game in Ann Arbor (6 p.m. ET) also features a fascinating duel in the post.
Villanova junior Maddy Siegrist averages 25.8 points per game — second-best in the country — and leads the Wildcats in rebounds (9.4), steals (1.5) and blocks (0.9). The forward also became the first Wildcat since the 1987-88 season to earn the Big East Player of the Year award.
“They have a great scorer in Siegrist, a really unbelievable player,” Barnes Arico said. “If you’re Big East Player of the Year and you’re not on the UConn team, you must be really special.”
Likewise, the Wildcats will have to work together to contain highly decorated Michigan star Naz Hillmon. The first-team All-American leads the Wolverines in scoring (21 points a game), rebounding (9.5) and steals (1.1).
— Julie Walker, Special to Detroit Free Press
Wolfpack running away with it
All indications, from the first half of Monday’s first second-round game, are that the top-seeded NC State team will move on. The Wolfpack opened up a 43-27 lead at halftime against No. 9 Kansas State behind balanced and efficient scoring and solid defense on the other end.
NC State shot 55.2% from the field, including 5-of-9 from beyond the arc, as guard Raina Perez (10 points) led the way in scoring, trailed by forward Kayla Jones (9) and center Camille Hobby (8).
The Wildcats, meanwhile, struggled on offense, converting just 9-of-24 (37.5%) attempts and just 3-of-10 from three-point range.
By the middle of the third quarter, the Wolfpack extended their lead past 20 points, taking a 55-34 advantage with just fewer than five minutes to play in the period.
And we’re off…
Monday’s action is officially underway, as No. 9 Kansas State is looking to upset the No. 1 seeded NC State Wolfpack. For the Wildcats to do so, they’re likely going to need a big day from center Ayoka Lee, who set the NCAA single-game scoring record with 61 points in a January game against Oklahoma.
“I haven’t really ever played with a post player as talented as Yokie, believe it or not,” freshman point guard Serena Sundell said recently. “It just makes it hard for defenses to have to choose if they want to guard inside (or) guard our guards.
“They struggle most of the time to guard her with one player, so it helps me get some assists.”
If Sunday was any indication of what’s to come, buckle up
A pair of historic upsets shook the women’s bracket Sunday, with two No. 2 seeds dropping their games — both against No. 10 seeds.
The first of the day was Creighton, which pulled off a shocker in Sunday’s first game, slaying mighty Caitlin Clark and Iowa, 64-62, on the Hawkeyes’ home floor. Creighton advances to its first Sweet 16 in school history.
The second was South Dakota taking down Baylor 61-47 in a game that wasn’t as close as the final score indicated. The Coyotes never trailed, and led by as many as 16 in the third quarter.
— Lindsay Schnell and Nancy Armour
Are you not entertained? If not, the problem isn’t women’s basketball. It’s you.
Can we finally be done with all the silly stereotypes, USA TODAY Sports’ Nancy Armour asks?
As ratings have risen, attendance has grown and more sponsors have signed on, the fragile male egos who can’t handle the idea of women’s sports being mainstream have fumbled around in desperate search of a new excuse to knock the NCAA Tournament. The latest, that there are no upsets and that the tournament is too predictable, went down in a flaming heap Saturday.
Or maybe those flames were from all the brackets that are now toast after a day when utter chaos reigned.
Six double-digit seeds advanced to the second round, one shy of the NCAA Tournament record, and third-seeded LSU needed a furious rally to withstand what would have been a historic upset. Belmont, in shades of the Gonzaga and Butler men’s teams two decades ago, advanced to the second round for a second consecutive year with a double-overtime win over fifth-seeded Oregon.
But, please, tell me again how this tournament isn’t exciting.
— Nancy Armour
[ad_2]
Travel
Razzies royally torch 'Diana' musical and 'Space Jam 2,' show love to Oscar favorite Will Smith
[ad_1]
In its proclamation of the worst films of 2021, the Razzies lambasted a critically reviled Princess Diana musical and LeBron James’ “Space Jam” sequel, but spread love instead of hate for Will Smith.
The Golden Raspberry Awards, annually announced the day before the Academy Awards, bestowed five dishonors on Netflix’s “Diana: The Musical,” a filmed production of the recent Broadway show that closed after 33 performances. “Diana” beat out “Infinite,” “Karen,” “Space Jam: A New Legacy” and “The Woman in the Window” for worst picture, plus picked up worst screenplay and worst actress for star Jeanna de Waal.
“New Legacy,” the live-action/animated hybrid basketball comedy featuring James hooping it up with Bugs Bunny and Co., earned three Razzie awards. James was named worst actor and also was saddled with worst screen couple – which went to James and “Any Warner Cartoon Character (or WarnerMedia Product) He Dribbles On” – while the movie snagged worst sequel.
How to watch the 2022 Oscars:Everything you should know about Sunday’s Academy Awards
“House of Gucci” star Jared Leto lost his Screen Actors Guild race for best supporting actor but nabbed the Razzie for worst. And Bruce Willis does so many VOD movies now that he received his own special category (worst performance by Bruce Willis in a 2021 movie) that, to no one’s surprise, he won – for “Cosmic Sin.”
Smith, who’s expected to win the best actor Oscar Sunday for “King Richard,” received this year’s Razzie Redeemer Award for previous Razzie honorees who’ve come back with quality efforts. Recent winners include Ben Affleck, Sylvester Stallone, Melissa McCarthy and Eddie Murphy.
The full list of this year’s Razzie “winners”:
Worst picture: “Diana: The Musical”
Worst actor: LeBron James, “Space Jam: A New Legacy”
Worst actress: Jeanna de Waal, “Diana: The Musical”
Worst supporting actress: Judy Kaye, “Diana: The Musical”
Worst supporting actor: Jared Leto, “House of Gucci”
Worst performance by Bruce Willis in a 2021 movie: Bruce Willis, “Cosmic Sin”
Worst screen couple: LeBron James and Any Warner Cartoon Character
(or WarnerMedia Product) He Dribbles On, “Space Jam: A New Legacy”
Worst remake, rip-off or sequel: “Space Jam: A New Legacy”
Worst director: Christopher Ashley, “Diana: The Musical”
Worst screenplay: “Diana: The Musical”
[ad_2]
Business
As more marijuana dispensaries get targeted by robbers, SAFE Banking Act lingers in Congress
[ad_1]
A bill that could allow electronic transactions at weed dispensaries nationwide is again make its way through Congress but the SAFE Banking Act might not be the cure-all that supporters envision.
In over a decade of operating cannabis shops in Washington, Shea Hynes never once worried about his stores getting robbed at gun point – until recently: In a span of three weeks, his stores were robbed three different times at gun point.
Reports of armed robberies at cannabis dispensaries like Hynes’ have nearly doubled in the first quarter of this year compared with all of last year, according to data maintained by the Craft Cannabis Coalition. The group, which represents more than 50 stores in Washington, has recorded more than 65 armed robberies so far this year, compared with 35 in 2021 and 29 in 2020.
Subscribe to continue reading
Access all subscriber-only stories free for 2 months
Subscribe Now
[ad_2]
[ad_1]
CHICAGO — In a ridiculous coincidence, the Saint Peter’s Peacocks wrote NCAA Tournament history on National Peacock Day with a thrilling upset of Purdue.
The mid-major became the first-ever No. 15 seed to reach the Elite Eight, outdoing previous No. 15 seeds Oral Roberts (2021) and Florida Gulf Coast (2013). Exactly 0.8% of people picked the Peacocks to get this far, with the school from Jersey City, New Jersey, defying all odds. Is Saint Peter’s the best Cinderella of all time?
Meanwhile, the ACC is sitting pretty with three teams – Duke and now North Carolina and Miami (Fla.) – in the Elite Eight on the same day the Big Ten saw its last team go down.
A look at three key takeaways from Friday:
Saint Peter’s writes NCAA history
Coach Shaheen Holloway has this team playing inspired basketball, and now the Peacocks (22-11) are just one win from the Final Four. The best Cinderellas of the last two decades to reach Final Fours – George Mason in 2006, VCU in 2011, Loyola-Chicago (2018) all were double-digit seeded mid-majors. But none was as highly seeded as this Saint Peter’s team that’s now beaten No. 2 seed Kentucky, No. 7 Murray State and No. 3 Purdue.
WINNERS, LOSERS:Poised Saint Peter’s keeps the dream alive; bye-bye, Big Ten; hello, ACC
OPINION:Saint Peter’s embodies wackiness and uncertainty of this NCAA Tournament
ANALYSIS:Purdue’s loss leaves Big Ten shut out of Elite Eight. We could see this coming.
MORE:Legendary Arkansas coach Nolan Richardson: Coach K’s farewell tour ends Saturday
OPINION:Houston is leaving Phi Slama Jama in the 1980s for good
While other bracket-busting NCAA Tournament darlings of yesteryear have had flair (FGCU’s “Dunk City”) or a lovable fan (Loyola’s Sister Jean), this team from the MAAC is doing it with defense, namely with nine steals. In spite of being undersized against the Boilermakers, the Peacocks used aggressiveness and hustle to outduel their seemingly superior opponent behind 6-8 freshman Clarence Rubert and 6-7 junior Hassan Drame. Daryl Banks III (14 points) is the go-to scorer for Saint Peter’s, but Mr. Clutch has been guard Doug Edert (10 points) off the bench. One stat to note: a 19-for-21 clip from the free-throw line. What’s been most impressive is the Peacocks’ ability to stay hungry and poised under pressure, winning close games in all three NCAA Tournament matchups.
Blue-bloods show title potential
Duke and Villanova advanced on Thursday, and fellow blue-bloods Kansas and North Carolina will now join them in the Elite Eight. And yes, if both the Blue Devils and Tar Heels win Sunday, we could see them meet in the Final Four.
Ever since North Carolina embarrassed Duke in coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final home game at Cameron Indoor Stadium, the Heels have been red-hot – knocking out No. 1 Baylor in the previous game in overtime. That continued against a UCLA team that reached the Final Four last year and seemed destined to get back. Caleb Love was brilliant again, finishing with 30 points off six three-pointers. Armando Bacot’s tip-in with 22 seconds left sealed the win in another impressive outing for coach Hubert Davis’ resilient team.
The last remaining No. 1 in the NCAA Tournament, Kansas stayed alive, escaping Providence by five points. It’s coach Bill Self’s ninth trip to the Elite Eight with Kansas and 11th of his career, as the Jayhawks (31-6) are one win from the Final Four. They’ve now won eight in a row and are looking like a title contender after entering the NCAA Tourney having won the Big 12 tournament.
The secret weapon for Kansas has been guard Remy Martin. For the third consecutive tournament game, Kansas got a jolt off the bench from the fiery Martin (23 points), the Arizona State transfer who has erupted in these NCAAs after playing a reserve role throughout 2021-22.
ACC > Big Ten
Despite garnering nine NCAA Tournament bids on Selection Sunday – the most of any conference – the Big Ten is out following Purdue’s stunning exit vs. Saint Peter’s. The league tanked in the first two rounds, with No. 5 Iowa – the conference tourney champ – getting upset by Richmond in the first round. No. 3 Wisconsin, No. 4 Illinois, No. 7 Michigan State and No. 7 Ohio State all lost in the second round. And now, with Michigan’s loss to Villanova, the overall underachievement is on full display. That’s a 9-9 finish in the tournament.
No Big Ten team has cut down the nets since 2000 (the Spartans), and it’s a depressing outlook for the league that posted the second-best NET score in 2021-22 and showcased several teams with Final Four potential.
The ACC, which finished with the sixth-worst NET score as a league, has Duke, North Carolina and Miami all in the Elite Eight. That’s after the Tar Heels, Hurricanes and Notre Dame were all bubble teams in early March. The NCAA Tournament is about matchups and pathways. No matter how well the Big Ten did in the regular season, much like the Pac-12’s surprising finish last year, the ACC is well-positioned with three teams still alive and two of them title contenders.
Follow college basketball reporter Scott Gleeson on Twitter @ScottMGleeson.
[ad_2]
Benefits of Assisted Living
What Dinosaur has 500 Teeth? – Racist meme of 2022
Bottled and Jarred Packaged Goods – Uses, Types and Pros
Winter Olympics recap: Jessie Diggins wins Team USA's final medal, Finland wins men's hockey gold
Presidents' Day furniture deals are here—save big at Wayfair, Target, Macy's and West Elm
Best supplements: Two daily pills shown to lower cholesterol levels by up to 30 percent
-
Travel3 months ago
Winter Olympics recap: Jessie Diggins wins Team USA's final medal, Finland wins men's hockey gold
-
Travel3 months ago
Presidents' Day furniture deals are here—save big at Wayfair, Target, Macy's and West Elm
-
Latest3 months ago
Best supplements: Two daily pills shown to lower cholesterol levels by up to 30 percent
-
Latest3 months agoMichigan basketball coach Juwan Howard strikes Wisconsin assistant at end of loss
-
Politics3 months ago'Invasion has already begun!' Sajid Javid warns Russia to face sanction fury from UK
-
Tech3 months agoNew Soundboard Review: Pricing is Not Always the Only Criteria
-
Tech3 months agoDiscover these Waterproof and Rugged Smartphones that Go on Sale
-
Politics3 months agoThings You Didn’t Know About the American Past Politicians