Kentucky holds off charge by Liberty for March Madness win
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Georgia Amoore scored 34 points, including three free throws in the final 10 seconds for fourth-seeded Kentucky, which nearly blew a 17-point fourth-quarter lead but held on for a 79-78 victory over 13th-seeded Liberty in the first round of the women's NCAA Tournament on Friday.
The second-team All-America guard made 6 of 10 3-pointers and added eight assists, two steals and two blocks. She scored 23 first-half points for the Wildcats (23-7), who led 67-50 in the opening minute of the fourth quarter.
Liberty's Emma Hess drained a 3-pointer for the final points of the game, but Amoore avoided getting fouled in the final 2 seconds to preserve Kentucky's first tournament win in four years. The Wildcats will face either Kansas State or Fairfield in the second round on Sunday.
Dazia Lawrence added 16 points for Kentucky, which also got 15 points and 10 rebounds from Clara Strack.
Emmy Stout came off the bench to lead Liberty with 20 points. Hess added 17..
KANSAS ST. 85, FAIRFIELD 41
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Ayoka Lee had 17 points and 10 rebounds in her return to the lineup, and fifth-seeded Kansas State beat Fairfield in the first round of the NCAA women's tournament.
Lee went 7 for 10 from the field in her first game since she played just four minutes in a 90-60 victory over Kansas on Feb. 22. The 6-foot-6 center has been hampered by foot injuries.
She played 15 minutes against the Stags before departing with 2:15 remaining in the third quarter.
BIRMINGHAM REGIONAL 2
INDIANA 76, UTAH 68
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Yarden Garzon scored 17 points and Shay Ciezki added 16 as No. 9 seed Indiana won its opener for a sixth straight NCAA Tournament with a victory over eighth-seeded Utah.
The Hoosiers (20-12) reached 20 wins for a sixth consecutive season. Their reward is a likely matchup with the Birmingham 2 Regional's top seed in South Carolina, who will play later Friday against No. 16 seed Tennessee Tech.
Ciezki had 11 of her 16 points in the final two quarters as Indiana used a 15-4 run in the third period to take control. The Utes (22-9) got within 72-68 on Gianna Kneepkens' 3-pointer with 1:05 left, but could get no closer.
SOUTH CAROLINA 108, TENNESSEE TECH 48
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Freshman Joyce Edwards scored 22 points in her first women's NCAA Tournament game as No. 1 seed South Carolina began its run at a second straight national title with a victory over Tennessee Tech on Friday.
The Gamecocks (31-3) improved to 17-1 in the past four women's tournaments, winning in 2022 and 2024. The lone defeat came to Caitlin Clark and Iowa in the national semifinals in 2023.
With Edwards, named to the all-Southeastern Conference first-team this season, leading the way, the top seeds of the Birmingham 2 Regional looked poised for another title in a few weeks.
BIRMINGHAM REGIONAL 3
MICHIGAN 80, IOWA ST. 74
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Jordan Hobbs scored 28 points to help No. 6 Michigan hold off 11th-seeded Iowa State to advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Wolverines (23-10) will play on Sunday in South Bend, Ind., against the winner ofthe Notre Dame-Stephen F. Austin game for a shot at the Sweet 16.
Olivia Olson scored 16 points. The Wolverines' freshman hit only one of her first nine shots, but connected on 4-of-6 shots down the stretch.
NOTRE DAME 106, STEPHEN F. AUSTIN 54
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Olivia Miles departed Notre Dame's victory over Stephen F. Austin in the NCAA Tournament because of a left knee injury, casting a shadow over the school's dominant performance in the first round on Friday.
Miles fell to the court under the SFA basket with 8:44 left in the fourth quarter. The senior guard limped off the court and headed to the team's locker room.
Miles, a first-team All-ACC selection, finished with two points and eight assists. She missed the 2023-2024 season because of a knee injury.
TCU 73, FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON 51
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Madison Conner had 23 points with four 3-pointers and Sedona Prince overcame two early fouls to have 16 points and 10 rebounds as second-seeded TCU won over Fairleigh Dickinson on Friday in the Horned Frogs' first women's NCAA Tournament game at home.
Hailey Van Lith added 13 points and seven assists for the Big 12 champion Horned Frogs (32-3), who made their first NCAA appearance in 15 years. They have won their last 11 games.
Teneisia Brown had 18 points and Ava Renninger 12 for 15th-seeded FDU (29-4), the Northeast Conference champions who had won 22 games in a row and were in the NCAA Tournament for the first time.
SPOKANE REGIONAL 1
BAYLOR 73, GRAND CANYON 60
WACO, Texas (AP) — Aaronette Vonleh had 25 points and 11 rebounds, leading fourth-seeded Baylor to a victory over Grand Canyon in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Jada Walker scored 17 points as the host Bears (28-7) ended the Lopes' nation-leading winning streak at 30 games in Grand Canyon's first NCAA appearance. Baylor will play the Mississippi-Ball State winner in the second round Sunday.
Baylor trailed most of the first half before going in front for good on a 9-0 run in the final 3:35 before the break. The No. 13 seed Lopes (32-3) got back within three at halftime on Sydney Erikstrup's 3-pointer at the buzzer.
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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
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