Women’s Top 25 roundup: No. 1 South Carolina women hold off LSU for 20th win in row

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Aliyah Boston had 13 points, nine rebounds and five blocks and No. 1 South Carolina held off pesky LSU 63-48 on Thursday night for its 20th straight victory.

South Carolina (26-1, 13-0 Southeastern Conference) seemed well on the way to doing what it’s done so often this season, taking a quick first-quarter lead and counting on its defensive tenacity to stay in front.

This time, though, LSU (18-7, 8-5) came right back at the Gamecocks with pressure of its own to keep things tight the first two quarters.

But the 6-foot-2 Mikiah Herbert Harrigan and 6-5 Boston got going inside in the third quarter and the Gamecocks finally put the Tigers away.

Herbert Harrigan had 12 points and Zia Cooke 11 for South Carolina.

Jailin Cherry led LSU with 13 points.

(5) Louisville 58, Georgia Tech 47

ATLANTA – Jazmine Jones scored 18 points, Dana Evans added 14 points and Louisville beat Georgia Tech for its third straight victory.

Kylee Shook added 13 points and 13 rebounds for Louisville (24-3, 13-2 Atlantic Coast Conference).

Lotta-Maj Lahtinen had 11 points for Georgia Tech (17-10, 8-8).

(9) Mississippi State 92, Auburn 85 (OT)

AUBURN, Ala. – Freshman Rickea Jackson scored nine of her season-high 34 points in overtime and Mississippi State overcame a 14-point deficit to beat Auburn.

The Bulldogs (23-4, 11-2 Southeastern Conference) rebounded from a loss at No. 14 Kentucky with their second straight comeback win over the Tigers (9-15, 3-10).

Jessika Carter added 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Bulldogs,

Unique Thompson led Auburn with 24 points and 11 rebounds.

(10) North Carolina State 50, Miami 48

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Jakia Brown-Turner made a go-ahead, baseline jumper with 2.9 seconds left to lkift North Carolina State past Miami.

The freshman scored 18 points to match her season-high for NC State (23-3, 12-3 Atlantic Coast Conference)/

Destiny Harden scored 15 points for Miami (13-13, 5-10).

(13) Gonzaga 75, Loyola Marymount 47

LOS ANGELES – Jill Townsend scored 15 of her 21 points in the second half and Gonzaga wrapped up the outright West Coast Conference championship.

Jenn Wirth and Kaylynne Truong added 11 points apiece for Gonzaga (26-2, 15-1). The Bulldogs have won or shared four straight WCC titles and 16 overall

Ciera Ellington and Raychel Stanley each had nine points for Loyola Marymount (6-20, 3-11).

(14) Kentucky 94, Mississippi 52

OXFORD, Miss. – Rhyne Howard scored 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting and grabbed seven rebounds for Kentucky.

Sabrina Haines and Chasity Patterson added 15 points apiece for the Wildcats (20-5, 9-4 Southeastern Conference).

Mimi Reid and Jayla Alexander scored 12 apiece for the Rebels (7-19, 0-13).

(16) Texas A&M 64, Georgia 47

ATHENS, Ga. – N’dea Jones had 13 points and grabbed 20 rebounds and combined with Ciera Johnson to dominate the second half for Texas A&M.

Johnson had 16 points on 8-of-12 shooting and beginning in the middle of the third quarter – when the Aggies trailed 32-31 – combined with Jones to score 21 of 25 A&M points.

Kayla Wells added 15 points for Texas A&M (21-5, 9-4 Southeastern Conference),.

Jenna Staiti scored 15 points for Georgia (14-12, 5-8).

(17) Florida State 78, Wake Forest 67

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Nicki Ekhomu scored 18 of her season-high 23 points in the second half for Florida State.

Ekhomu was 10 of 14 from the field and had six assists. Kiah Gillespie scored 15 points, Morgan Jones added 14 and Nausia Woolfolk 13 for Florida State (21-5, 10-5 Atlantic Coast Conference).

Ivana Raca led Wake Forest (13-14, 6-10) with 17 points.

(20) South Dakota State 96, North Dakota State 57

VERMILLION, S.D. – Ciara Duffy scored 22 points on 10-of-15 shooting and South Dakota beat North Dakota State to clinch at least a share of the Summit League regular-season title.

Chloe Lamb added 15 points for the Coyotes (25-2, 14-0). They have won 14 consecutive games and have a two-game lead over second-place South Dakota State with two games to go. The rivals play at South Dakota State on Saturday.

Michelle Gaislerova scored 15 points for North Dakota State (8-17, 5-8).

(22) Arkansas 83, Tennessee 75

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Amber Ramirez made five 3-pointers and scored 29 points for Arkansas.

Alexis Tolefree added 22 points and Chelsea Dungee had 16 for the Razorbacks (21-5, 9-4 Southeastern Conference.e throws after the Volunteers cut a 16-point deficit to 79-75 on Rennia Davis’ 3-pointer with 15 seconds left.

Rae Burrell led Tennessee (17-9, 7-6) with 21 points and nine rebounds.