A Perfect Night for Tennessee

Tennessee beat Oregon, 76-59, Monday night in a second-round Midwest Regional game at Knoxville, Tenn., to keep two perfect marks intact.

The Volunteers (25-10) are 30-0 in NCAA games at home and they’ve reached the final 16 every year since the NCAA tournament started in 1982.

All-American Chamique Holdsclaw led the way with 24 points and 12 rebounds as Tennessee advanced to the regional semifinals against Colorado on Saturday in Iowa City.

Tennessee won it with outside shooting against Oregon’s packed-in defense, making six of 12 three-point tries, including four by Abby Conklin, who scored 18 points.

“We basically dared them to shoot from outside and they did that,” said Oregon Coach Jody Runge, whose team finished 22-7.

Connecticut 72, Iowa 53--Kara Wolters and Paige Sauer took control inside late in the first half and the top-ranked Huskies won easily at Storrs, Conn.

Both Wolters and Sauer scored 10 of their points before halftime as Connecticut (32-0) survived its first test without rookie standout Shea Ralph, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in an opening-round victory over Lehigh.

The Huskies, 74-1 at home since the start of the 1993-94 season, are vying for their second perfect season in three years.

Carla Berube led Connecticut with 19 points. Wolters finished with 16 points and Sauer 13.

Angela Hamblin scored 16 points to lead Iowa (18-12).

WEST

Stanford 67, Texas Tech 45--The top-seeded Cardinal (32-1) had no trouble advancing to the Sweet 16 by easily defeating the Red Raiders at Stanford.

Stanford, which next faces Virginia, led 35-18 at halftime and it was 62-38 with three minutes left.

Vanderbilt 51, Kansas 44--Michelle Palmisano scored 16 of her 17 points in the second half and Vanderbilt held Kansas to 28% shooting at Lawrence, Kan.

Palmisano made a crowd-silencing three-point basket to give the Commodores (20-10) a 46-42 lead with 2:10 left after they had trailed 42-39.

Tamecka Dixon led Kansas (25-6) with 22 points.

EAST

George Washington 81, Tulane 67--Tajama Abraham scored 21 points and Noelia Gomez added 20 as hot-shooting George Washington won easily at Washington.

The Colonials (27-5) shot 58% from the field to win for the 37th time in their last 38 home games. Abraham also had 10 rebounds.

Fourth-seeded Tulane (27-5), the Conference USA champion, had to forfeit home-court advantage for the game because the Fogelman Arena in New Orleans is 400 seats short of the minimum capacity mandated by the NCAA for tournament play.

Notre Dame 86, Texas 83--Beth Morgan scored 29 points, including six free throws in the final two minutes to lift Notre Dame at Austin, Texas.

Katryna Gaither also scored 29 points as Notre Dame (23-7) reached the round of 16 for the first time.

Texas (22-8) got a team-high 19 points from Danielle Viglione.

MIDEAST

Louisiana State 71, Marquette 58--Elaine Powell scored 16 points to lead the Tigers at Baton Rouge, La.

Marquette (21-10) kept it close until LSU (24-4) went on a 17-5 run in the final 7 1/2 minutes.

Pietra Gay and Toni Gross each scored 11 points for LSU. Clare Barnard led Marquette with 14 points.