Tennessee Wins Big Without Randall

Three-time defending champion Tennessee, playing for the first time this season without guard Semeka Randall, rallied from a poor first half to rout Boston College, 89-62, Monday night in the second round of the NCAA East Regional at Knoxville, Tenn.

Three-time All-American Chamique Holdsclaw led the charge, tying her career high with 39 points to help the Lady Vols retain their unbeaten record at home in the NCAA tournament for another season.

The No. 1-seeded Volunteers (30-2) will play Virginia Tech Saturday in the regional semifinals in Greensboro, N.C. They improved their record to 34-0 in tournament games played at home, but had to rally after trailing much of the first half.

No. 8-seeded Boston College (22-8) looked ready to extend its first tournament appearance into the round of 16. The Eagles started quickly, sinking five of their first seven shots, and led by as many as four in the last minute of the first half.

Tennessee looked lost without Randall, their finest defender and third-leading scorer who is expected to be out for at least a week with a badly sprained ankle.

But Holdsclaw scored 23 of her points in the first half to give Tennessee a 42-41 lead it wouldn’t relinquish. The senior, in her last home game, made 15 of 22 field-goal attempts and nine of 10 free throws.

Duke 66, St. Joseph’s 60--Michele VanGorp scored 20 points and Peppi Browne added 10 points, seven rebounds and three assists at Durham, N.C. as the Blue Devils advanced to the round of 16 for the second consecutive season.

The 6-foot-6 VanGorp led a 13-3 run that put No. 3-seeded Duke in control after St. Joseph’s Jana Lichnerova, went to the bench with four fouls early in the second half. Duke (26-6) then held on despite scoring only one field goal in the final 8:17.

Susan Moran’s 16 points led No. 11-seeded St. Joseph’s (23-8).

Virginia Tech 76, Auburn 61--Amy Wetzel scored 18 points and Katie O’Connor and Tere Williams each added 16 to lead Virginia Tech at Blacksburg, Va.

No. 4-seeded Virginia Tech (28-2) shot 56% from the field, including nine for 14 from three-point range, to win its 17th consecutive home game and gain its first entry into the final 16.

No. 5-seeded Auburn (20-9) had never lost to a seed lower than second in 14 NCAA tournament appearances.

MIDEAST REGION

Pam Irwin-Osbolt came off the bench to score 13 points in her final home game as Georgia defeated Southern Methodist, 68-55, at Athens, Ga.

No. 11-seeded Southern Methodist (20-11) frustrated No. 3--seeded Georgia (25-6) with a 2-3 zone until Irwin-Osbolt broke it with her outside shooting in the second half. Twins Kelly and Coco Miller led Georgia with 14 points each.

MIDWEST REGION

Katie Douglas scored 15 points and Ukari Figgs added 14 as No. 1-seeded Purdue survived a second poor showing in the NCAAs to beat Kansas, 55-41, Monday night at West Lafayette, Ind.

The Boilermakers (30-1) were up just 30-28 midway through the second half when Lynn Pride, the leading scorer for No. 9-seeded Kansas (23-10), went to the bench with her fourth foul.

Purdue then took control of the game, using a 15-2 run that continued through Pride’s return to go up 45-30 with 3:59 left.

Texas Tech 85, North Carolina State 78--Angie Braziel scored 25 points, including several clutch free throws down the stretch as No. 2 seeded Texas Tech (30-3) staved off a late surge by North Carolina State at Lubbock, Texas.

Summer Erb led the No. 10-seeded Wolfpack (17-12) with 25 points and 15 rebounds.

WEST REGION

Latasha Dorsey scored 24 points, including a career-best five three-point baskets, as Louisiana State rallied for a 74-64 victory over Notre Dame at Baton Rouge, La.

No. 4-seeded Louisiana State (22-7) went on a 15-2 run over the final 6 1/2 minutes of the game as Dorsey scored nine points in the stretch.

Hibbert scored 15 points for Louisiana State despite sitting out much of the first half, Brown had 12 and Marie Ferdinand scored 11.

No. 5-seeded Notre Dame (26-5), which lost its starting point guard just before the NCAA tournament, had 27 turnovers.