Tennessee Runs Win Streak To 31 Games

Women’s Top 25

Chamique Holdsclaw scored 24 of her 33 points in the second half as top-ranked Tennessee ran its winning streak to 31 games with an 85-61 victory over No. 3 Old Dominion in Knoxville, Tenn., on Saturday.

Tennessee (25-0), the two-time defending national champions, struggled midway through the second half before pulling away from Old Dominion (19-2) in a rematch of the 1997 NCAA final.

Holdsclaw was 11 for 16 after halftime. Tamika Catchings added 16 points for Tennessee, and Semeka Randall celebrated her 19th birthday with 18 points, six rebounds, six steals and a blocked shot.

Aubrey Eblin led Old Dominion with 21 points. Nyree Roberts scored 14 and Ticha Penicheiro added 10 points and nine assists, along with nine turnovers.

Old Dominion hung close much of the first half before Tennessee closed with a 15-5 run to lead 37-25 at the break.

Tennessee began the second half with an 8-2 run to open an 18-point lead with 17 minutes left.

(4) Louisiana Tech 84, (19) W. Kentucky 76

In Ruston, La., Amanda Wilson had 32 points and 12 rebounds as Louisiana Tech avenged a loss a week earlier.

The victory broke a tie atop the Sun Belt Conference standings and moved Tech (18-3, 7-2 Sun Belt) into a half-game lead over second-place Western (18-7, 7-2).

Tech’s defense was a major factor in the outcome, forcing 21 turnovers. Wilson had four of the team’s nine steals.

Tamicha Jackson added 18 points for Tech, LaQuan Stallworth had 15 points and 10 assists, and Amanda Burras had 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Leslie Johnson’s 20 points led Western. Katashia Witcher scored 16, Shea Lundsford had 13 points and 11 rebounds, and Danielle McCulley added 11.

(22) Clemson 68, (9) N.C. St. 58 (OT)

In Clemson, S.C., Amy Geren forced overtime by making two free throws with five seconds left in regulation, then put the Tigers (17-6, 9-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) ahead for good with a 3-pointer in the extra period as they defeated the Wolfpack (18-4, 9-3).

Geren, who finished with 15 points, was fouled on a 3-point attempt with Clemson trailing 53-51. She missed the first attempt, but made the next two to tie the score.

Lyschale Jones started overtime with a basket for the Wolfpack, but Geren responded with a 3-pointer that started Clemson on a 9-0 run. North Carolina State whittled the deficit to 62-58 with 51 seconds left, but Itoro Umoh hit four free throws and Nikki Blassingame made two.

Natasha Anderson also scored 15 points for Clemson, which squandered a 24-point lead in the second half.