North Carolina Goes Overtime To Survive

East

Chanel Wright hit a 25-footer to force overtime and Tracy Reid scored nine points in the extra period as top-seeded North Carolina rallied from 10 points down to beat Michigan State 81-71 in the NCAA women’s East Regional Sunday at Chapel Hill, N.C.

North Carolina (29-2) trailed 52-42 midway through the second half and 63-57 with 1:11 left in regulation after the Spartans’ Cheryl Euler sank two free throws.

But Marion Jones hit a 3-pointer and Wright scored with 2.5 seconds left to tie the game at 63-63.

Michigan State (22-8) led only once in overtime, 66-64 after a three-point basket by Jamie Wesley.

Reid then exploded past Michigan State defenders for a layup to tie the game and begin a 15-0 run that buried the stunned Spartans. Wright gave the Tarheels the lead for good, at 68-66, on a layup with 3:07 left in overtime.

Jones finished with a game-high 27 points and Reid had 25 to help North Carolina stave off elimination.

Euler led Michigan State with 22 points. Wesley added 16.

Alabama 61, St. Joseph’s 52

Yolanda Watkins scored 20 points and led Alabama’s assault on the offensive glass in a win over St. Joseph’s in a second-round game at Tuscaloosa, Ala.

The second-seeded Crimson Tide (25-6) earned their fourth straight trip to the Sweet 16, thanks in large part to a 21-12 edge in offensive rebounds. That included a three-minute stretch late in the game in which Alabama got six straight offensive boards to break the spirit of No. 7 seed St. Joe’s (26-5).

Watkins had three of the offensive rebounds and converted a three-point play at the end of the series that gave Alabama a 55-47 lead with 1:55 left.

Megan Compain scored the next five points to pull the Hawks within three, but Leah Monteith responded with a 3-pointer to seal the game and help No. 8 Alabama improve to 9-0 in NCAA Tournament games on its home court.