Top East Seeds Go South

Women’s East Regional

Top-seeded North Carolina lost its shooting touch, its spark off the bench and its chance at another Final Four.

The Tar Heels (29-3) shot 28 percent and missed their final 10 shots in a 55-46 loss to George Washington in the NCAA East Regional semifinals on Saturday.

“We had some good looks at the basket, but it goes back to putting the basketball in,” said North Carolina’s Marion Jones, held to eight points, 10 below her average.

She was a freshman star in 1994 when North Carolina took the national crown.

Tajama Abraham, George Washington’s all-time scoring leader, had 18 points and 12 rebounds as the fifth-seeded Colonials (28-5) reached the final eight for the first time. Abraham had 10 points in the final 8 minutes.

Abraham made two free throws with 3.5 seconds left in the first half to tie the score at 24-24.

GW became the first Atlantic 10 team to go this far since Rutgers in 1986.

Notre Dame 87, Alabama 71

Beth Morgan had practiced for this moment a long time. When it came against the No. 2 Crimson Tide, she was ready.

“In a game this big, you hope this happens,” said Morgan, who scored a career-high 36 points to lift the Fighting Irish into the NCAA East Regional final Monday night against George Washington. “It comes from practicing these situations until it just feels natural.”

Monday’s regional final will be the first for both teams.

Morgan scored 11 straight points as sixth-seeded Notre Dame rallied from nine points down to tie the game at 51-51. After Alabama (25-7) went ahead 56-53, the Irish held the Tide scoreless for more than 6 minutes during a 22-0 run.

“Our offense was a little rugged in the first half,” said Notre Dame’s Katryna Gaither, who scored 26 points. “But in the second half, we went after it and got the hard rebounds.”

Alabama was the hot team in the first half. Shalonda Enis had eight points, including two 3-pointers, as the Crimson Tide took a 41-32 halftime lead.

Notre Dame’s Kari Hutchinson, a St. George’s graduate, was 1 of 2 for two points.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: MONDAY’S GAMES West Regional Stanford (33-1) vs. Georgia (25-5), 8:30 p.m. (ESPN) Midwest Regional Connecticut (33-0) vs. Tennessee (26-10), 6 p.m. (ESPN) Mideast Regional Old Dominion (32-1) vs. Florida (24-8), 4 p.m. (ESPN) East Regional George Washington (28-5) vs. Notre Dame (30-6), 1:30 p.m. (ESPN)