Women’s tournament roundup: No. 1 UConn rolls to second round over Robert Morris

Freshman Katie Lou Samuelson scored 22 points as UConn began its quest for a fourth consecutive national title with a rout of Robert Morris 101-49 on Saturday in Storrs, Connecticut.

Two-time national player of the year Breanna Stewart added 18 points for the Huskies (33-0), who are working toward the program’s 11th NCAA championship. The Huskies have won 70 consecutive games, which matches the second-longest winning streak in team and NCAA history.

(9) Duquesne 97, (8) Seton Hall 76: Deva’Nyar Workman scored a career-high 25 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead the Dukes to a successful NCAA debut with a win over the Pirates in Storrs, Connecticut.

Workman led four players in double figures for the Dukes (28-5), who used a 15-0 third-quarter run to stretch a six-point halftime lead.

(3) UCLA 66, (14) Hawaii 50: Nirra Fields scored 16 points and Monique Burke added 15 as the Bruins defeated the cold-shooting Rainbow Wahine in Los Angeles.

Jordin Canada added 10 points while 10th-ranked UCLA (25-8) employed an aggressive zone defense that held Hawaii (21-11) to a season-low 12 baskets on 19 percent shooting, also a season low.

(6) South Florida 48, (11) Colorado State 45: Courtney Williams came off the bench and scored 31 points and the Bulls held on late to defeat the Rams in Los Angeles.

Williams, a non-starter for the first time this year, scored 18 of the Bulls’ 25 second-half points to carry South Florida into the second round.

(2) Texas 86, (15) Alabama State 42: Ariel Atkins scored 15 points and the Longhorns used a dominant third quarter on their home court to roll to a win over the Hornets in Austin, Texas.

Texas raced to a big early lead but defensive lapses and poor shooting let Alabama State hang around longer than the Hornets probably expected. That all changed with a 26-5 Texas run in the third that had the Longhorns cruising into the NCAA Tournament’s second round.

(5) Florida State 72, (12) Middle Tennessee State. 55: Leticia Romero scored 17 points to help lead the Seminoles past the Lady Raiders in College Station, Texas.

The Seminoles overcame 21 turnovers, 14 in the first half, to advance to the second round.

(4) Texas A&M 74, (13) Missouri State 65: Freshman Anriel Howard set an NCAA Tournament record with 27 rebounds, Courtney Walker scored 29 points and the Aggies overcame the suspension of starter Courtney Williams to beat the Bears in College Station, Texas.

Before the game, the fourth-seeded Aggies suspended Walker and Shlonte Allen indefinitely for a violation of team rules. They are eligible to practice with the team while suspended.

(1) Notre Dame 95, (16) North Carolina A&T 61: Brianna Turner scored 16 points, Madison Cable added 14 points and seven rebounds and the Fighting Irish dominated inside to beat the Lady Aggies in South Bend, Indiana. Notre Dame begins its pursuit of a sixth-straight Final Four appearance.

Kathryn Westbeld added 12 points as the Fighting Irish (32-1) shot 59 percent to win their 29th straight at home, the third longest streak in school history.

(9) Indiana 62, (8) Georgia 58: Tyra Buss scored 17 of her 23 points in the second half to lead the Hoosiers over the Bulldogs in South Bend, Indiana.

Amanda Cahill added 14 for Indiana (21-11), which is making its first appearance in the tournament since 2002.

(4) Stanford 85, (13) San Francisco 58: Tara VanDerveer and Jennifer Azzi held their embrace a bit longer than a typical pregame greeting between coaches, then the Hall of Fame Stanford coach guided the Cardinal into the second round by beating her former star player and Azzi’s Lady Dons team in Stanford, California.

Lili Thompson scored 17 points, Erica McCall had 14 points and 10 rebounds and Stanford (25-7) advanced on its home floor in Maples Pavilion.

(6) Oklahoma 61, (11) Purdue 45: Peyton Little scored 20 points, Maddie Manning added 12 and the Sooners blocked 13 shots to shut down the 11th-seeded Boilermakers for a first-round NCAA Tournament victory in Lexington, Kentucky.

The Sooners’ double-digit block total was their highest since rejecting 10 against Baylor on Feb.

(3) Kentucky 85, (14) UNC Asheville 31 Makayla Epps scored 24 points and the Wildcats routed the Bulldogs in Lexington, Kentucky, for its biggest NCAA Tournament victory margin in school history.

The Wildcats (24-7) shot 50 percent from the field to easily win their ninth straight opening-round game.

(2) Maryland 74, (15) Iona 58: Shatori Walker-Kimbrough scored 19 points, and the Terrapins ruined the Gaels’ debut in the NCAA Tournament with a sloppy victory in College Park, Maryland.

Seeking to ultimately make a third straight appearance in the Final Four, the Terrapins got off to a rocky start on their own court. Maryland (31-3) let a 19-point lead dwindle to 60-53 early in the fourth quarter before finally pulling away from the Gaels.