Holdsclaw Sets Records in Opener

Chamique Holdsclaw made history and Tennessee showed it’s ready to make history.

Holdsclaw scored 23 points and grabbed eight rebounds to become the NCAA tournament’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder as the three-time defending national champion Lady Vols started their bid for an unprecedented fourth NCAA title by routing Appalachian State, 113-54, in the first round of the East Regional on Saturday at Knoxville, Tenn.

“The focus was there. When you come out and play an opponent you know is not as talented as you, you can get lackadaisical,” said Holdsclaw. “But I think we played a 40-minute ballgame. Everyone was into the game.

“We need this kind of effort day in and day out.”

Tennessee (29-2) opened with an intensity that Appalachian State (14-15) couldn’t match. The Lady Vols scored the first 19 points and forced five of the Mountaineers’ 33 turnovers in the first five minutes.

Holdsclaw’s 405 tournament points passed the 388 by former Lady Vol Bridgette Gordon from 1986-1989, and her 172 rebounds broke the record of 170 by USC’s Cheryl Miller from 1983-1986.

Boston College 72, Ohio State 59--Reserve Becky Gottstein scored a career-high 23 points at Knoxville, Tenn., to help the Eagles win in their first NCAA tournament appearance.

No. 8-seeded Boston College (22-7), which will meet Tennessee in Monday’s second round, improved on the best season in school history by staying patient against No. 9-seeded Ohio State (17-11) and a defense that had been the Big Ten’s best in holding opponents to 40% shooting.

The Eagles shot 54%.

Virginia Tech 73, St. Peter’s 48--Michelle Houseright scored 21 points on 10-of-11 shooting and had six rebounds and three blocked shots as the No. 4-seeded Hokies defeated the Peahens at Blacksburg, Va.

Houseright came off the bench six minutes into the game and scored all 11 of Virginia Tech’s points in a four-minute stretch, putting the Hokies (27-2) ahead, 26-12, with 8:03 left in the first half.

No. 13-seeded St. Peter’s (25-6) has never won a NCAA tournament game and fell quickly behind in this one, committing 15 turnovers in the first half and letting Virginia Tech get numerous open shots around the basket.

Auburn 69, Texas 61--Tiffany Krantz scored 21 points and Conswella Sparrow had 18 to lead the Tigers past the Longhorns at Blacksburg, Va., and to a second-round game on Monday against Virginia Tech.

No. 5-seeded Auburn (20-8) scored the first 10 points of the second half to go ahead 44-32 and led 57-44 with 7:13 left on a free throw by Sparrow.

No. 12-seeded Texas (16-12) narrowed its deficit to 60-53 after a 11-3 run, but that was as close as it got.

St. Joseph’s (Pa.) 83, Tulane 72--Freshman Susan Moran scored 21 points and had 11 rebounds as the No. 11-seeded Hawks beat the No. 6-seeded Green Wave at Durham, N.C.

Angela Zampella and Melissa Coursey scored 18 each and Jana Lichnerova had 16 for St. Joseph’s (23-7), which made 30 of 55 shots. Zampella and Coursey combined to make seven of 13 three-point shots. Zampella also had 13 assists.

Grace Daley scored 19 points to lead Tulane (24-6), which built a 12-point lead in the game’s first 10 minutes.

Duke 79, Holy Cross 51--The host Blue Devils dominated the boards and Michele VanGorp scored 19 points to destroy the Crusaders.

Georgia Schweitzer added 14 points and Hilary Howard contributed nine points and five assists for the No. 3-seeded Duke (25-7), which will play St. Joseph’s in the second-round Monday.

Patriot League player of the year Amy O’Brien, the nation’s 10th-leading scorer coming into the game, was held to 13 points.

No. 14-seeded Holy Cross finished 21-8.

MIDEAST REGION

Southern Methodist got 20 points from Claudia Brassard and pulled away in the final seven minutes for a 91-76 upset of Toledo at Athens, Ga.

The No. 11-seeded Mustangs (20-10), who joined St. Joseph’s as the lowest-seeded teams to advance in the first round, will play Georgia in a second-round game on Monday.

The No. 6-seeded Rockets (25-6) failed to take advantage of its highest seeding in six NCAA appearances as SMU scored 16 of its final 22 points on free throws. Brassard led a balanced attack that ihad five players in double figures and also had 14 rebounds.

Georgia 73, Liberty 52--The No. 3-seeded Lady Bulldogs won the battle of the twins as Kelly and Coco Miller combined for 41 points against the Flames’ Sarah and Sharon Wilkerson, who had 28 points.

Georgia (24-6) trailed No. 14-seeded Liberty (21-8) through much of the first half before taking control with a 13-3 run that gave it a a 29-24 lead at halftime.

MIDWEST REGION

Brooke Reves scored 15 points and Lynn Pride had 12 as Kansas was a 64-58 winner over Marquette at West Lafayette, Ind.

The No. 8-seeded Golden Eagles (21-8) led by as many as eight at 45-37 midway through the second half while Pride was on the bench.

But the No. 9-seeded Jayhawks (23-9) used an 11-2 run to take the lead at 48-47, then Pride’s back-to-back baskets gave them the lead for good at 57-55.

Purdue 68, Oral Roberts 48--The Boilermakers didn’t look like the nation’s top team at home, making only 21 of 56 shots. But it didn’t matter against the No. 16-seeded Golden Eagles.

Camille Cooper’s 19 led Purdue (29-1), which plays Kansas in a second-round game on Monday.

Oral Roberts (17-12) got as close as 11 with 17:26 left, but scored only two points the next 10 minutes.

North Carolina State 76, Mississippi State 57--A year after leading the Wolfpack to the Final Four, Summer Erb scored 34 points and grabbed 18 rebounds at Lubbock, Texas.

The No. 10-seeded Wolfpack (17-11) built a 14-point lead early in the second half against the No. 7-seeded Bulldogs (17-11).

Texas Tech 80, Stephen F. Austin 54--Angie Braziel scored 21 points and the No. 2-seeded Lady Raiders surged to a big early lead defeating the Ladyjacks at Lubbock, Texas.

Texas Tech (29-3), which opened to a 12-0 lead, will play host to North Carolina State in a second-round game on Monday.

Anitra Davis led No. 15-seeded Stephen F. Austin (17-12) with 14 points.

WEST REGION

Erica Jackson scored all of her 18 points, in the second half as No. 6-seeded Kentucky rallied to defeat No. 11-seeded Nebraska, 98-92, at Pauley Pavilion.

The Wildcats (21-10), making their first NCAA tournament appearance in eight years, twice trailed by 10 points in the second half before taking the lead for good on Carolyn Alexander’s free throws with 1:17 remaining.

Kentucky will play UCLA at Pauley Pavilion in a second-round game on Monday night.

Nicole Kubik led Nebraska (21-12) with 32 points, four off her career high.

Notre Dame 61, St. Mary’s 57--Danielle Green made a free throw with a minute left to give the Irish the lead for good as the No. 5-seeded team narrowly avoided an upset by the 12-seeded Gaels at Baton Rouge, La.

Ruth Riley led Notre Dame (26-4) with 16 points and seven rebounds. Sheila McMillen, whose shot from the right corner tied the game 55-55, added 15 points and Green had 12.

Tracy Morris’ 15 points led St. Mary’s (26-7), which led, 55-50, with two minutes left.

Louisiana State 78, Evansville 69--Detrina White had 24 points and 11 rebounds as the host Tigers defeated the Lady Aces.

Marie Ferdinand had 16 points for LSU (21-7), which plays Notre Dame in the second round on Monday. April Brown had 13 points and Latasha Dorsey 11.

Evansville was making its first tournament appearance. The Lady Aces (19-11) were led by Shyla McKibbon, who had 22 points and 12 rebounds.