CLEVELAND REGIONAL
Lady Vols slam Army in opener
Candace Parker of Tennessee slam dunked her way into NCAA history with a feat that even fans of underdog Army had to appreciate.
The 6-foot-4 Parker became the first woman to dunk in an NCAA tournament game Sunday, jamming one-handed on a breakaway just 6:12 into the second-seeded Lady Vols’ 102-54 victory in Norfolk, Va., against a Black Knights (20-11) team that was making its NCAA tournament debut.
Then, for good measure, Parker ensured her place in history by becoming the first to do it twice in a college game with another one-hander on the baseline. She finished with 26 points, five rebounds and seven assists.
Tennessee (29-4) will face George Washington in the second round of the Cleveland Regional on Tuesday night.
Also at Norfolk, Va. (7) Geo. Wash. (23-8)87
(10) Old Dominion (21-9)72
Sarah-Jo Lawrence scored 20 points and the Colonials held off a desperate rally by the host Lady Monarchs.
The loss was the fifth in a row in the tournament for Old Dominion and marked the second time it couldn’t end the skid with the first round at the Constant Convocation Center. The Lady Monarchs also lost here 73-72 to Boston College in 2003.
At Trenton, N.J. (3) Rutgers (26-4)63
(14) Dartmouth (23-7)58
Cappie Pondexter scored 21 points, Matee Ajavon added 19 and Rutgers rebounded from a stunning loss in the Big East tournament with a win over Dartmouth.
Rutgers scored the first 13 points of the game, then had to beat back a second-half rally by the Big Green.
Angie Soriaga was 6 for 10 from 3-point range and led Dartmouth with 23 points after scoring three in the first half.
(11) TCU (19-11)69
(6) Texas A&M (24-8)65
Ashley Davis had 20 points and 12 rebounds, and TCU beat the Aggies.
TCU improved to 2-28 against its former rival, snapping a 13-game losing streak against Texas A&M. The Horned Frogs reached the second round for the fifth time in six years, and will face Rutgers on Tuesday night.
At West Lafayette, Ind. (4) Purdue (25-6)73
(13) Missouri State (17-15)52
Aya Traore had 20 points and a career-high 11 rebounds and Erin Lawless scored a season-best 19 points to help Purdue beat Missouri State.
Missouri State guard Kari Koch entered the game averaging 20.5 points, but was held to 11 on 5-for-17 shooting.
(5) UCLA (21-10)74
(12) Bowling Green (28-3)61
Two weeks after claiming their first Pac-10 tournament title, the Bruins finally ended their postseason misery with their first NCAA win since beating Colorado State in the 1999 regional semifinals.
UCLA hosts Purdue on Tuesday night.
BRIDGEPORT REGIONAL
At Norfolk, Va. (1) Duke (27-3)96
(16) Southern (20-11)27
Monique Currie scored 19 points to lead the Blue Devils.
Southern set a tournament record for futility with its point total, breaking the mark of 29 set by Long Island against Connecticut in 2001. It barely avoided tying the mark of 10 field goals when Ashley Blake banked in a 15-footer with 1:09 left.
(8) USC (19-11)67
(9) South Florida (19-12)65
Chloe Kerr blocked a shot by South Florida’s Jessica Dickson with 16 seconds to play and Camille LeNoir made two free throws in the last 12 seconds as Southern Cal survived.
The Women of Troy will face No. 4 Duke on Tuesday night.
At State College, Pa. (2) Connecticut (30-4)77
(15) Coppin State (22-9)54
Barbara Turner had 23 points and Ann Strother added 11 for Connecticut, which advanced to face Virginia Tech.
The 6-foot Turner dominated on the floor, slicing through the defense and getting fast-break baskets to help UConn open a 20-point lead by midway through the second half.
(7) Virginia Tech (21-9)82
(10) Missouri (21-10)51
Dawn Chriss had 21 points, and fellow senior Carrie Mason scored key second-half baskets as the Hokies pulled away to a first-round victory.
Another senior, Kerri Gardin, had 17 points and 13 rebounds. Kirby Copeland, a junior, added 10 for Virginia Tech.
At Trenton. N.J. (3) Georgia (22-8)75
(14) Marist (23-7)60
Tasha Humphrey scored 23 points and Sherill Baker added 23 points and nine steals to lead the Bulldogs to a victory over Marist.
Alexis Kendrick had 11 points to help Georgia advance to the second round for the 11th time in 12 years. The Bulldogs will face Hartford.
(11) Hartford (27-3)64
(6) Temple (24-8)58
Danielle Hood scored 20 points and outplayed Atlantic 10 player of the year Candice Dupree as Hartford upset Temple.
Ikea Witt added 17 points for the Hawks, including two free throws with 11 seconds left to help seal the victory. Hartford, the America East tournament champion, has won 21 of its last 22 games and won its first NCAA tournament game.
ALBUQUERQUE REGIONAL
At West Lafayette, Ind. (1) Ohio State (29-2)68
(16) Oakland (15-16)45
The top-seeded Buckeyes took advantage of a huge size disparity inside, going repeatedly to 6-foot-5 Jessica Davenport and 6-1 Debbie Merrill as they rolled to an easy win.
Ohio State will play Boston College in the second round.
(8) Boston College (20-11)78
(9) Notre Dame (18-12)61
After a long layoff, Boston College found its game in time for the NCAA tournament.
Brooke Queenan had 18 points and 11 rebounds, Aja Parham scored 16 and BC snapped a five-game losing streak.
At State College, Pa. (2) Maryland (29-4)95
(15) Sacred Heart (26-5)54
Jade Perry had 20 points and 10 rebounds, and Maryland led from the opening tip.
Laura Harper added 16 points and 13 boards for the Terps. Maryland dominated the paint, outrebounding Sacred Heart 57-26 and outscoring them in the paint 56-14.
The Terps will face seventh-seed St. John’s in the second round on Tuesday.
(7) St. John’s (22-7)78
(10) California (18-12)68
St. John’s guard Kia Wright had 26 points, and high school buddy and current teammate Angela Clark had 14 points and seven rebounds as resurgent St. John’s won its first NCAA tournament game in 18 years.