ROUNDUP : Savage Gets Up, Miami Downs North Carolina

Frances Savage was down, not out.

Savage, named women’s player of the year by one publication, sprained an ankle in the first half but returned and scored 25 points as sixth-ranked Miami ousted North Carolina, 86-72, Saturday night in an East Regional game at Miami, Fla.

The Hurricanes (30-1) take a 30-game winning streak into Thursday night’s game against Vanderbilt at Charlottesville, Va.

Jeannie Hebert added a season-high 26 points and six assists for Miami.

Charlotte Smith scored 16 points for the Tar Heels (22-9).

Savage scored 10 points as Miami raced to a 22-11 lead before she sprained her left ankle. She limped the locker room at the 10:28 mark, but Hebert scored 10 points on a 12-5 run by the Hurricanes. Savage returned with 4:38 left and Miami went on to a 38-26 halftime lead.

No. 2 Tennessee 97, Rutgers 56--The defending national champion Volunteers forced the Scarlet Knights into 30 turnovers and coasted to victory in a Mideast Regional game at Knoxville, Tenn.

Tennessee (28-2) plays Western Kentucky Thursday night at West Lafayette, Ind.

Tanya Hansen scored 34 points and Caroline DeRoose added 13 for Rutgers (21-11).

No. 5 Mississippi 72, Southern Illinois 56--Jackie Martin scored 27 points and the Rebels defeated the Salukis in a Midwest Regional game at Oxford, Miss.

Ole Miss (28-2) plays Penn State Thursday in the Midwest semifinals at Boulder, Colo.

Kelly Firth had 17 points and 14 rebounds for the Salukis (23-8).

No. 8 Maryland 73, Toledo 60--Malissa Boles scored 13 points in the second half and the Terrapins made 13 of 15 free throws down the stretch to eliminate the Rockets in a Mideast Regional game at College Park, Md.

The Rockets (26-6) took a 37-29 lead on a three-pointer by Dana Drew with 17:41 left in the game, but Maryland (24-5) answered with a 15-3 run--getting seven points from Boles--and led, 44-40, with 11:48 remaining.

Toledo got even, 46-46, on a three-pointer by Jane Roman, but Maryland scored the next five points and did not trail again.

No. 12 Texas Tech 64, Santa Clara 58--Sheryl Swoopes scored 28 points and the Red Raiders overcame an 18-point first-half deficit to turn back the Broncos in a West Regional game at Lubbock, Tex.

Swoopes, Southwest Conference player of the year, scored 15 points in the second half, including nine in a row to give Texas Tech (27-4) a 60-54 lead with 1:40 remaining.

Santa Clara (21-10), which upset California, 73-71, in the first round, had a 28-10 lead after hitting five of six shots from three-point range.

Western Kentucky 98, Alabama 68--Kim Pehlke scored 23 points and the Hilltoppers beat the Crimson Tide in a Midwest Regional game at Bowling Green, Ky.

Western Kentucky (24-7) went on a 17-7 run to lead, 29-19, and Alabama (23-7) never threatened.

No. 13 Vanderbilt 75, Connecticut 47--Heidi Gillingham scored 13 points and the Commodores held the Huskies (23-11) scoreless for the first 4:05 in an East Regional game at Nashville, Tenn.

Penn State 77, DePaul 54--The Nittany Lions (24-6) beat the Blue Demons (21-10) in the Midwest Regional at State College, Pa.