Ekmark's 20 key for Arizona State

Wright State’s Angel Baker (left) forces a jump ball with Texas A&M’s Cheah Rael-Whitsitt (12) during the first half of the Aggies’ 84-61 victory on Friday.
Wright State’s Angel Baker (left) forces a jump ball with Texas A&M’s Cheah Rael-Whitsitt (12) during the first half of the Aggies’ 84-61 victory on Friday.

PORTLAND REGIONAL

ARIZONA STATE 60, CENTRAL FLORIDA 45

CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- Courtney Ekmark scored 15 of her game-high 20 points in the second half, and Arizona State beat Central Florida.

Ekmark opened the game with a three-pointer, then opened the second half with a pair of threes. Those two quickly turned what was a 10-point halftime lead to a 16-point edge, and Arizona State (21-10) wound up winning a first-round game for the sixth consecutive season.

Kianna Ibis added 12 for Arizona State. Ibis had six points in a 10-0 run late in the third quarter that put the Sun Devils up by 22.

Kay Kay Wright led Central Florida (26-7) with 18 points.

Central Florida got within 48-36 with 7:26 left on a short jumper by Diamond Battles, the end of an 8-0 run that started late in the third. But Ekmark helped get things back under control, driving in from the right side for a basket that put Arizona State up 51-36 with 5:56 left -- and snapped an 0 for 7 drought from the floor.

Ekmark then got free for a three-pointer from the top of the key with 3:19 left for a 57-41 lead, essentially ending the Knights' hopes.

MIAMI 69, FLORIDA GULF COAST 62

CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Beatrice Mompremier scored 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, and Miami needed an 11-0 run in the fourth quarter to come from briefly behind and beat Florida Gulf Coast.

Endia Banks scored 14 and Mykea Gray added 10 for the Hurricanes (25-8), who wasted a 14-point second-half lead and were down by one early in the fourth before recovering.

Emese Hof had a 10-point, 12-rebound game for Miami. Keri Jewett-Giles scored 24 for Florida Gulf Coast (28-5), whose 19-game winning streak was snapped.

INDIANA 69, TEXAS 65

EUGENE, Ore. -- Jaelynn Penn had 24 points and Bendu Yeaney added 17 to help Indiana surprise Texas.

Brenna Wise and Ali Patberg contributed another 10 points apiece for the Hoosiers (21-12), who were making their first appearance in the tournament since the 2015-16 season.

Texas (23-10) was led by Danni Williams with 15 points. Joyner Holmes added 12 points and 12 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season.

Indiana trailed 37-29 at the half but outscored Texas 23-12 in the third quarter and went into the final period leading 52-49. The game was back and forth from there.

OREGON 78, PORTLAND STATE 40

EUGENE, Ore. — Satou Sabally had 21 points and a career-high 16 rebounds to help Oregon to an easy victory over Portland State.

Ducks guard Sabrina Ionescu put the home crowd at Matthew Knight Arena on its feet with a stunning three-pointer at the start of the second half and finished with 12 points and eight assists for the Ducks (30-4). Ruthy Hebard had 22 points and 12 rebounds.

Ashley Bolston had 19 points for the Vikings (25-8), making their first tournament appearance since 2010

CLEMSON 79, SOUTH DAKOTA 66

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Simone Westbrook scored 27 points, Danielle Edwards added 25 and Clemson pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat South Dakota.

Edwards made four three-pointers in the fourth quarter to turn a tight game into a fairly comfortable victory. The 5-foot-7 senior made 10 of 17 shots, including 5 of 9 from three-point range.

Clemson (20-12) trailed for much of the game until late in the third quarter, when Westbrook made a three-pointer to give the Tigers a 47-45 lead. The Tigers never trailed again, partly because of Edwards and partly because South Dakota's shooting touch vanished.

South Dakota (28-6) shot just 3 of 19 from three-point range in the second half. The Coyotes were in the NCAA Tournament after earning the first at-large bid in Summit League history.

Hannah Sjerven led South Dakota with 17 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists.

MISSISSIPPI STATE 103, SOUTHERN 46

STARKVILLE, Miss. — Anriel Howard scored 23 points, Teaira McCowan add- ed 22 and Mississippi State rolled past Southern.

Mississippi State (31-2) didn’t have much trouble against the Jaguars, jump- ing out to a 37-10 lead by the end of the first quarter. Howard and McCowan both finished with double-doubles — McCow- an had 16 rebounds and Howard had 12.

Bre’Amber Scott added 18 points and Jordan Danberry had 13. Jazzmun Holmes had 10 points and seven re- bounds. Mississippi State shot 53 percent from the field.

CHICAGO REGIONAL

TEXAS A&M 84, WRIGHT STATE 61

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Chennedy Carter scored 27 points in her return from injury, with 14 coming in Texas A&M's huge first quarter, to help the No. 4 Aggies cruise to a victory over No. 13 Wright State.

Texas A&M, which is in the tournament for the 14th consecutive season, advances to the second round for the fourth consecutive year where it will play five-seed Marquette on Sunday.

The Aggies (25-7) led by 18 early after scoring 31 points in the first quarter. The game was tied at 5-all in the first before Texas A&M used a 17-3 run to take a 22-8 lead, and it was never close again.

Wright State (27-7) was led by Angel Baker's 25 points.

MARQUETTE 58, RICE 54, OT

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Natisha Hiedeman scored 13 points, Allazia Blockton had 12 and Marquette overcame a nine-point fourth quarter deficit to get a victory over Rice.

The Golden Eagles (27-7), who are in the tournament for the third consecutive season, will play Texas A&M next.

Amani Wilborn made a jumper with 3 1/2 minutes left in overtime to put Marquette up 54-52 and extend its run to 11-0. Blockton extended the lead to 4 with a shot with just over a minute to go.

The Owls (28-4) ended a scoring drought of about seven minutes stretching back to the fourth quarter when Erica Ogwumike made a basket with 51 seconds left.

But Hiedeman made two free throws with 1.3 seconds remaining to make it 58-54 and secure the victory.

Sports on 03/23/2019

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