NCAA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT : Edwards Scores 30 as Iowa Romps to 83-65 Win

Michelle Edwards scored 30 points and Shanda Berry added 23 as No. 2-ranked Iowa ran past No. 19 Stephen F. Austin, 83-65, Sunday in the second round of the National Collegiate Athletic Assn. women’s West Regional at Iowa City, Iowa.

After a 6-0 start on a tip-in and a jump shot by Franthea Price and a driving basket by Edwards, Iowa never trailed. Price scored 12 points as Iowa improved to 28-1 heading into the regional semifinals Thursday against USC at Long Beach.

Mozell Brooks had 19 points for Stephen F. Austin, which finished 30-4.

Stephen F. Austin pulled within 6 points 3:04 into the second half, but Iowa responded with an 11-2 run to climb to a 56-41 lead with 11:22 to play. Iowa built the lead to 71-53 with 4:15 to go, and Stephen F. Austin never threatened again.

Ohio State 116, Syracuse 75--Nikita Lowry scored 22 of her 30 points in the first half, and Tracey Hall added 28 to lead the Buckeyes to a record victory in the Mideast Regional at Columbus, Ohio.

The 116 points set a women’s NCAA tournament scoring record, breaking the mark of 114 set by Louisiana Tech against Tennessee Tech on March 12, 1982. It also is an Ohio State scoring record.

The victory moves Ohio State (25-4) into the next round at Athens, Ga., where it will play the University of Maryland on Thursday.

Syracuse, led by Tonya Hendrix and Sue Ludwig with 17 points each, wound up the season with a 22-9 record.

Texas 77, South Carolina 58--At Austin, Tex., Yulonda Wimbish scored 19 points in the Midwest playoffs to help the Lady Longhorns to their 22nd straight victory.

Beverly Williams had 17 points and Doreatha Conwell added 16 for Texas to raise the Southwest Conference champions’ record to 31-2.

South Carolina was eliminated with a 23-11 record in its third appearance in the NCAA tournament. The loss broke a 10-game winning streak.

Texas, which won the national championship in 1986 and lost last year in the Final Four semifinals to Louisiana Tech, plays Stanford on Thursday at Austin, Tex. Louisiana Tech, ranked No. 5, also plays at Austin next week, opening against Mississippi.

Stanford 74, Montana 72--Freshman forward Trisha Stevens hit two free throws at the start of overtime and then pulled down a key rebound at Missoula, Mont., as Stanford (27-4) edged Montana (28-2).

Montana missed two last-second shots in the overtime, and Stevens grabbed the rebound on the second miss as the buzzer sounded.

Stevens finished with 20 points.

Joining Stevens in double figures for Stanford were guard Jennifer Azzi with 17 points and guard Sonja Henning with 16.

Auburn 94, Penn St. 66--With Linda Godby leading the way with 19 points at Auburn, Ala., the Lady Tigers jumped out to an 18-0 lead and never looked back in a Mideast Regional game.

The win boosts the Lady Tigers to 29-2 and sends them on to play Southeastern Conference rival Georgia Thursday in the regional semifinals at Athens, Ga.

Penn State finished the season with a 20-13 record.