Purdue Run Leads To First-Round Rout

West/Mideast women

Mackenzie Curless and Stephanie White scored 18 points each Friday, and Purdue opened the second half with a 17-0 run as the Boilermakers defeated Maryland 74-48 in the first round of the NCAA Mideast Regional at Norfolk, Va.

Eighth-seeded Purdue (17-10) took a 10-point lead with less than 7 minutes to go in the first half behind a 12-4 scoring run.

The ninth-seeded Terrapins (18-10) failed to score during the first 5 minutes of the second half as Purdue, led by White’s seven points and Curless’ five, ran up a 50-27 lead to spoil Maryland’s first appearance in the tournament since 1993.

Purdue’s Corissa Yasen of Coeur d’Alene scored four points.

Maryland’s shooting percentage fell from 44 percent in the first half to 29 percent as the Terrapins completed just 8 of 28 field-goal attempts in the second half.

Purdue was 32 of 54 (59 percent) from the floor for the game.

Jannon Roland added 17 points for Purdue, and Ukari Figgs had 11. Michelle Duhart had eight rebounds.

Old Dominion 102, Liberty 52

Also at Norfolk, Va., Clarisse Machanguana scored 25 of her career-high 35 points in the first half as the No. 2 Monarchs (30-1) routed the Flames (22-8).

Nyree Roberts added 19 points for the Monarchs, while Elena Kisseleva and Sharon Wilkerson each had 19 points for the No. 15 Flames.

ODU will meet Purdue on Sunday.

Auburn 68, Louisville 63

At Ruston, La., Justine Agbatan made two free throws with 28 seconds left to give No. 13 Auburn a victory over Louisville.

Agbatan hit her two free throws after Louisville (20-9) closed to 66-65 on two free throws by Haley Harris with 1:20 remaining. The Cardinals had trailed by as many as 16 points with 11 minutes left.

Louisville had a chance to tie the game following Agbatan’s free throws, but Auburn forced a turnover.

Louisiana Tech 94, St. Peter’s 50

Also at Ruston, La., Amanda Wilson scored 27 points and Alisa Burras added 21 as No. 5 Louisiana Tech rolled past No. 12 St. Peter’s College.

Wilson and Burras helped the Lady Techsters (30-3) increase their home winning streak to 33 - third-longest in the nation. Tech also snapped St. Peter’s 18-game winning streak. St. Peter’s finished 25-4.

Louisiana Tech never trailed, leading by as many as 22 points in the first half and went into intermission up 47-27.

Louisiana Tech advanced to a second-round game Sunday against Auburn.

West

Arizona 76, W. Kentucky 54

At Athens, Ga., Marte Alexander scored 21 points and Lisa Griffith added 18 as the Wildcats routed Western Kentucky.

Griffith, who made 5 of 6 3-pointers, scored six points in the opening minutes as Arizona raced to a 12-0 lead. The Hilltoppers (22-9) made it 23-19 midway through the half, but could get no closer.

The Wildcats posted a school-record 23rd victory against seven defeats going into Sunday’s second-round game against 1996 NCAA runner-up Georgia.

Georgia 91, E. Kentucky 55

Also at Athens, Ga., La’Keshia Frett and Kedra Holland-Corn each scored 22 points as the Bulldogs (23-5) overpowered Eastern Kentucky (24-6). Chrissy Roberts led Eastern Kentucky (24-6) with 18 points, including five 3-pointers.

Utah 66, Iowa State 57

At Charlottesville, Va., Julie Krommenhoek made four of Utah’s eight 3-pointers and the Utes won an NCAA Tournament game for the first time.

Utah (24-5) is making its eighth trip to the NCAAs.

Iowa State (17-11), making its first appearance in a postseason tournament, was led by Jayme Olson with 18 points and Janel Grimm with 14.

Virginia 96, Troy State 74

Also at Charlottesville, Va., Monick Foote scored 26 points and the fourth-seeded Cavaliers countered a 3-point barrage by 13th-seeded Troy State (23-7) with one of its own.

Foote, forced out of two of Virginia’s last three games by a sprained right ankle, had 17 points by halftime, when the Cavaliers (22-7) led 41-34.

Troy State, making its first NCAA appearance at any level just four years after moving up from Division II, came in averaging 6.4 3-pointers, third in the nation, and 83.1 points, eighth.

The Cavaliers, opening the tournament at home for the 12th straight year, can clinch their 11th straight Sweet 16 berth Sunday against Utah.