NCAA Women’s Tournament Roundup : Auburn Has Few Problems With Mississippi

Auburn Coach Joe Ciampi expected an emotional, intense game when his second-ranked Lady Tigers met Southeastern Conference rival Mississippi in the final of the National Collegiate Athletic Assn. Mideast Regional Saturday at Auburn, Ala.

Six of the Auburn players, along with assistant coach Carol Ross, are from Mississippi. However, in a previous game this season, Auburn beat Mississippi, 71-63.

Ciampi needn’t have worried. The Tigers routed Mississippi, 77-51, to advance to the Final Four at Tacoma, Wash., Friday and Sunday.

Auburn, which had a 37-28 halftime lead, went on a 16-0 run to start the second half and Mississippi never threatened again.

The Tigers (30-1), who advanced to the regional final with a 71-60 victory over Clemson Thursday night, limited Mississippi to only 25% shooting in the second half and 29% for the game.

The 12th-ranked Rebels (23-8) jumped to an 11-9 lead. Linda Godby then came off the bench to score 11 points during a 15-0 run, giving Auburn a 24-11 lead with 7:28 left.

Louisiana Tech 85, Stanford 75--The defending champion Lady Techsters advanced to the Final Four for the third straight year by beating the Cardinal in the Midwest Regional final at Ruston, La.

Center Venus Lacy scored 20 points and had 11 rebounds to lead the third-ranked Lady Techsters over the fourth-ranked Cardinal. Louisiana Tech (32-3) will play Auburn Friday night.

Stanford (28-3), which advanced to the region final for the first time, had its 22-game winning streak stopped.

Despite shooting 38.4% from the field to Stanford’s 46.8%, the Lady Techsters led throughout. They went ahead 62-43, on a layup by Lacy with 13:54 to play.

Stanford closed to within 67-60 when Jennifer Azzi, who scored 30 points, made a 12-foot jump shot with 7:03 left. But Tech outscored Stanford, 9-1, to go ahead, 78-61, with 2:20 to play.

Maryland 79, Texas 71--Deanna Tate scored 32 points and Carla Holmes added 28 as the No. 5 Terrapins ended the sixth-ranked Longhorns’ 24-game winning streak in the West Regional final at Austin, Tex.

The victory extended Maryland’s winning streak to 21. The Terrapins (29-2) play top-ranked Tennessee, the East Regional winner, Friday night.

Tate and Carla Holmes, both 5-foot-8 guards, quieted the Texas crowd of 12,874 with their quick drives, passing and shooting.

Holmes clinched the victory with two free throws for a 73-68 lead with 43 seconds left, and added two more free throws with 10 seconds remaining.

Maryland led, 38-32, at halftime even though Olympian Vicky Bullett sat out the final 7:02 with foul trouble. Bullett, averaging 21.9 points a game, scored only nine.

Texas (27-5) star Clarissa Davis, the Naismith Player of the Year, ended her career with 29 points.

Stephanie Kasperski scored two baskets in the final two minutes to lead Oregon to a 67-64 victory over San Diego State and the Women’s National Invitation Tournament championship at Amarillo, Tex.

Kasperski finished with 22 points. Trina McCartney added 23 points for the Ducks (22-10).

Chana Perry of San Diego State (25-9) was selected the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. Perry, who had 66 points in the first two games, scored 10 points plus a game-high 10 rebounds.