Gamecocks rip Tide, now 21-0

TOP 25 WOMEN

NO. 1 SOUTH CAROLINA 65, ALABAMA 52

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Dawn Staley has “utmost confidence” in Bree Hall’s ability to knock down shots.

Hall richly rewarded that faith with a career-high 18 points and four three-pointers in No. 1 South Carolina’s 65-52 victory over Alabama on Sunday. Gamecocks star Aliyah Boston had 16 points and 12 rebounds.

“These are normal shots for [Hall] that if she gets them, 90% of the time she’s going to knock them down,” said Staley, sporting Jalen Hurts’ No. 1 Philadelphia Eagles jersey in honor of the NFC Championship Game with the San Francisco 49ers. “They weren’t rushed. They were in the flow of our offense. She was ready. We do have the utmost confidence in her to take those shots.”

The Gamecocks (21-0, 9-0) got their 27th consecutive win in a game that remained close into the third quarter.

Alabama (16-6, 5-4) pulled to within four points in the third quarter but Hall, Boston and South Carolina’s defense took over. The duo paired up for 11 consecutive points to give the Gamecocks a 48-35 edge, their biggest of the game at that point.

Boston made of 8 of 10 shots and had four blocks and four assists. The reigning national player of the year got plenty of help from Hall, who made half of her 8 three-point attempts.

PURDUE 73,

NO. 2 OHIO STATE 65

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Abbey Ellis made a season-high five three-pointers and Purdue earned its first top-five road victory in program history, beating No. 2 Ohio State.

The Buckeyes (19-3, 8-3) lost their third-consecutive contest after winning the first 19 games of the season.

Purdue (15-6, 6-5) created separation over the next two minutes as Madison Layden scored five-consecutive points and Ellis made a jumper to go up 65-58 and led the rest of the way.

NO. 3 STANFORD 62, OREGON 54

STANFORD, Calif. — Cameron Brink had 16 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high 10 blocked shots to lead Stanford over Oregon for its 21st consecutive Pac-12 home win.

The 6-4 junior notched the first triple-double in Stanford’s storied program history featuring blocked shots.

Brink swatted seven of those shots in the first half and got her last one when she altered a jumper by Chance Gray with 3:16 to go.

Stanford (21-2, 9-1) led 46-37 heading into the final 10 minutes then pulled away with a quick 7-2 spurt.

Phillipina Kyei led the way for Oregon (14-7, 5-5) with 12 points and 17 rebounds.

NO. 6 INDIANA 91, RUTGERS 68

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Grace Berger and Mackenzie Holmes each scored 21 points and Indiana shot 61% from three-point range to beat Rutgers.

Sydney Parrish scored 17 and Yarden Garzon added 14. Berger also added seven assists for Indiana (20-1, 10-1), and Parrish and Holmes had six rebounds each.

Kaylene Smikle led Rutgers (9-14, 3-8) with 25 points.

NO. 5 UCONN 63, NO. 21 VILLANOVA 58

HARTFORD, Conn. — Aubrey Griffin scored 19 points, and UConn topped Villanova.

Dorka Juhasz added 16 points and Aaliyah Edwards had 13, including some key free throws for the Huskies (20-2, 12-0) in the team’s 13th consecutive win.

Maddy Siegrist scored 25 points for Villanova, which won here a year ago to hand the Huskies their last conference loss. Lucy Olsen had 19.

The Wildcats (18-4, 9-2) had won nine in a row.

NO. 20 N.C. STATE 69, NO. 7 NOTRE DAME 65

RALEIGH, N.C. — Diamond Johnson scored 20 points and North Carolina State held on despite blowing most of a 16-point lead to beat Notre Dame.

Mimi Collins added 13 points for the Wolfpack (16-5, 6-4), who earned a tough win against one of the league leaders in front of a loud, sellout crowd. N.C. State’s defense frustrated Notre Dame for a long stretch during the second and third quarters to build the big lead, then Johnson and the Wolfpack kept coming up with needed plays as the Fighting Irish (17-3, 8-2) made a fourth-quarter push.

NO. 9 UTAH 71, NO. 8 UCLA 69

SALT LAKE CITY — Alissa Pili drove to the rim for a go-ahead layup with 0.8 seconds left to give Utah a win over UCLA.

Pili scored 23 points and had nine rebounds to lead Utah (18-2, 8-2), which rallied twice closed the game on a 7-0 run. Issy Palmer tallied 14 points and five assists for the Utes, and Dasia Young chipped in 11 points.

Emily Bessoir scored 17 points and had six rebounds to lead UCLA (17-5, 6-4).

NO. 12 VIRGINIA TECH 72, VIRGINIA 60

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Kayana Traylor made 9 of 15 shots from the floor and scored 25 points, Elizabeth Kitley added 16 points on 8-of-11 shooting and Virginia Tech beat Virginia.

Virginia Tech (17-4, 7-4) rebounded from a 66-55 loss Thursday at No. 16 Duke to win for the fourth time in the last five games and completed its second consecutive sweep of the season series against its in-state rival.

NO. 24 FLORIDA STATE 70, NO. 16 DUKE 57

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Makayl Timpson scored 21 points with 10 rebounds and 3 steals and Florida State smothered Duke.

Despite making 9 of 15 shots in the last six minutes, the Blue Devils finished 19 of 72 for a season-worst 26.4%. It was the fourth time they scored less than 60 points and they lost three of those games.

Ta’Niya Latson added 15 points for Florida State (19-5, 8-3) and Sara Bejedi had 11.

Shayeann Day-Wilson led Duke with 14.

NO. 13 MICHIGAN 77, MINNESOTA 41

MINNEAPOLIS — Laila Phelia scored 22 points, Leigha Brown added 20 and Michigan rolled to a win over Minnesota.

Brown had 11 points in the first half, surpassing 1,000 points as a Wolverine, and Michigan led 34-23. Phelia had 14 in the second half.

Emily Kiser was one of three players with eight points and had 12 rebounds for the Wolverines (17-5, 7-4).

NO. 15 NORTH CAROLINA 69, CLEMSON 58

CLEMSON, S.C. — Freshman Paulina Paris hit six three-pointers, scored 22 points and had five steals — all career highs — and Kennedy Todd-Williams added 15 points to help North Carolina hold off Clemson.

North Carolina (16-5, 7-3) hasn’t lost since a 62-58 defeat at Miami on Jan. 5.

Todd-Williams scored 10 points in the first 31/2 minutes, including backto-back three-pointers that capped a 14-4 opening run and UNC never trailed.

WASHINGTON STATE 70, NO. 19 ARIZONA 59

TUCSON, Ariz. — Bella Murekatete scored 18 points, Ula Motuga added 16, and the two hit several key buckets down the stretch, lifting Washington State to a victory over Arizona.

Washington State (15-6, 5-5) led 48-46 heading to the fourth quarter and built a 58-50 lead before Madison Conner hit a three-pointer to get the Wildcats within five points. That was as close as Arizona would get before Murekatete and Motuga took over down the stretch.

NO. 22 ILLINOIS 86, MICHIGAN STATE 76

CHAMPAIGN, Il. — Makira Cook totaled 26 points and Genesis Bryant scored 21 to help Illinois beat Michigan State.

Cook sank 8 of 21 shots from the floor and all 10 of her free throws for the Fighting Illini (17-5, 7-4). Bryant made 5 of 9 shots with 3 three-pointers and hit all eight of her free throws. Adalia McKenzie contributed 14 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists. Kendall Bostic scored 10 and grabbed nine rebounds.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 71, NO. 25 COLORADO 54

BOULDER, Colo. — Destiny Littleton scored 21 points as Southern California defeated Colorado.

Rayah Marshall had 19 points and 10 rebounds, Kadi Sissoko added 18 and 12, and Littleton made 6 of 13 three-pointers, four of them in a key third-quarter surge that put the Trojans (16-5, 6-4) in command.

Posts Quay Miller and Aaronette Vonleh paced the Buffaloes (16-5, 7-3). Miller had 13 points and 11 rebounds.