Connecticut Has the Answers, 101-29

With Connecticut preparing to open defense of its NCAA title, Coach Geno Auriemma must have wondered who would step up in place of injured All-Americans Svetlana Abrosimova and Shea Ralph.

He got his answer Saturday night: everybody.

Swin Cash had 12 points and 16 rebounds as top-seeded Connecticut cruised to a 101-29 victory over Long Island in the first round of the East Regional at Storrs, Conn. It was the fewest points given up in the history of the women’s NCAA tournament.

The 29 points eclipsed Colorado’s 78-34 effort in a victory over Southwest Missouri State in 1995.

“With the injuries, it has forced our players to focus a little more on the little things since our margin for error is not as great,” Auriemma said.

Tamika Williams was six for six from the floor and finished with 12 points. Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi combined for 25 points and 12 assists for the Huskies (29-2).

It was a rough NCAA tournament debut for the Blackbirds (16-15), who suffered the worst loss in school history and shot 15% from the floor.

Colorado State 83, Maryland 69--Heather Haanen had a career-high six three-pointers and scored 21 points at Storrs, Conn., to lead the ninth-seeded Rams (25-6) over the eighth-seeded Terrapins (17-12).

Louisiana Tech 84, Georgia State 48--Takeisha Lewis and Kenya Bibbs each scored 17 points as the third-seeded Lady Techsters (29-4) overwhelmed the Panthers (24-7) at Ruston, La., and improved their record to 33-0 in NCAA tournament games played on its home court.

Louisiana Tech extended its current overall winning streak to 17 games.

Texas Christian 77, Penn State 75--Kati Safaritova scored 21 points, including what proved to be the winning basket with 48 seconds left at Ruston, La., as 11th-seeded TCU (25-7) defeated the sixth-seeded Lions (19-10).

MIDWEST REGIONAL

Notre Dame 98, Alcorn State 49--Ruth Riley was perfect from the floor and the free-throw line while scoring 16 points at South Bend, Ind.

Riley was six for six from the field and four for four from the free-throw line with seven rebounds.

The Irish (29-2), wearing green uniforms for St. Patrick’s Day, held the Braves (21-11) to a season-low 21.1% shooting.

Michigan 81, Virginia 71--Alayne Ingram scored a career-high 27 points, all in the second half and overtime at South Bend, Ind., and the eighth-seeded Wolverines (19-11) overcame a 17-point deficit to defeat the Cavaliers (18-14) for their first NCAA tournament win in 11 years.

Vanderbilt 83, Idaho State 57--Jillian Danker hit seven three-pointers and scored 25 points as the third-seeded Commodores (22-9) defeated the Bengals (25-5) at Nashville to end the nation’s longest winning streak at 21.

Vanderbilt got 18 points from Chantelle Anderson and 17 from Zuzi Klimesova.

Colorado 98, Siena 78--Mandy Nightingale scored 18 points to lead the sixth-seeded Buffaloes (22-8) over the Saints (24-6) at Nashville.

Utah 79, Fairfield 57--Kristina Andersen scored 21 points for the fifth-seeded Utes (27-3) as they shot 60% from the field and defeated the 12th-seeded Stage (25-5) at Salt Lake City. Amy Ewert had 14 points and Lindsay Herbert had 13 for Utah. Holli Tapley led Fairfield with 18 points.

Iowa 89, Oregon 82--The fourth-seeded Hawkeyes (21-9) scored the first six points of overtime, capped by Cara Consuegra’s driving layup, to defeat the Ducks (17-12) at Salt Lake City.

WEST REGIONAL

Duke 96, Wisconsin Milwaukee 63--Alana Beard had 22 points and seven steals, and Rometra Craig scored a career-high 20 points as the top-seeded Blue Devils (29-3) shot 64% to defeat the Panthers (19-11) at Durham, N.C.

Duke improved to 9-0 in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

Arkansas 68, Baylor 59--Lonniya Bragg had 16 points and 14 rebounds as the Razorbacks (20-12) overcame a poor shooting first half to defeat the Bears (21-9) at Durham, N.C.

Ninth-seeded Arkansas, in the tournament for the first time since 1998, made just 10 of 35 shots in the first half but rallied with a 15-4 run midway through the second.

Rutgers 80, Stephen F. Austin 43--Tasha Pointer set an NCAA women’s tournament record with 18 assists as the fourth-seeded Scarlet Knights (23-7) defeated SFA (26-7) at Piscataway, N.J.

Southwest Missouri State 89, Toledo 71--Tara Mitchem scored a career-high 40 points and the fifth-seeded Bears (26-5) overcame a rare subpar game by Jackie Stiles to defeat the Rockets (25-6) at Piscataway, N.J.

Stiles, who averages 30.7 points, had a season-low 13 before leaving with about nine minutes to play after being knocked woozy when she was hit in the temple running into a pick at midcourt.

Oklahoma 70, Oral Roberts 64--The second-seeded Sooners (27-5) used a 9-0 run late in the second half at Norman, Okla., to finally pull away from the Golden Eagles (20-11). Stacey Dales and Caton Hill scored 16 points each for Oklahoma.

Stanford 76, George Washington 51--Nicole Powell scored 16 of her 19 points in the first half when the 10th-seeded Cardinal (19-10) took control on its way to a victory over the Colonials (22-10) at Norman, Okla.