Texas Ends Gauchos’ Dream

Kala Bowers scored 20 points and keyed a pivotal second-half run with two three-point shots Sunday night as Texas defeated UC Santa Barbara, 76-60, in a women’s NCAA East Regional second-round game at Austin, Texas.

The victory sends fourth-seeded Texas (22-9) to a regional semifinal Saturday at Raleigh, N.C., against top-seeded Duke. One of the dominant women’s programs of the 1980s, Texas will play in the round of 16 for the first time since 1990.

Kayte Christensen and Lindsay Taylor each scored 13 points for 12th-seeded UC Santa Barbara (26-6), whose 22-game win streak ended.

It was a complete turnaround for Bowers and Heather Schreiber, who combined for five points in Texas’ first-round victory over Wisconsin Green Bay.

Against the Gauchos, the freshman forwards were six for nine from three-point range and 12 for 22 from the floor.

Schreiber finished with 19 points.

With the score tied, 39-39, and 14 minutes left, Bowers keyed a 10-0 Texas run over the next three minutes with bookend three-point shots from the corners and a fastbreak layup on a long pass from Asha Hill to put Texas up, 49-39.

The Gauchos outrebounded Texas, 41-31, but shot only 34% from the floor.

They committed 27 turnovers, which Texas turned into 28 points. UC Santa Barbara was only three for 16 from three-point range.

Jess Hansen, the hero of the Gauchos’ first-round upset of Louisiana Tech with 13 points and the game-winning basket, was only two for nine from the floor against Texas for six points.

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Drake 76, Baylor 72--Senior guard Stephanie Schmitz, who scored 19 points, put seventh-seeded Drake in front, 74-70, with a three-point basket en route to the upset of second-seeded Baylor at Waco, Texas.

“I love those situations,” Schmitz said. “I wanted the ball in my hands, and I feel like I have control. My teammates trust me with the ball and taking control.”

Trailing, 74-72, Baylor’s Jessika Stratton missed a three-point attempt with 16 seconds left, and Schmitz grabbed the rebound.

Fouled in the backcourt, the point guard sank both ends of a one-and-one with seven seconds remaining to help put away the victory for Drake (25-7).

Carla Bennett, who scored 19 of her season-high 29 points in the second half, led Drake in scoring.

Danielle Crockrom paced Baylor (27-6) with 28 points and 10 rebounds.

Drake will next play at Raleigh, N.C., against the winner of today’s Cincinnati-South Carolina game.

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Duke 76, Texas Christian 66--Alana Beard had 24 points and 11 rebounds, and Monique Currie scored 22 as top-seeded Duke (29-3) beat eighth-seeded Texas Christian at Durham, N.C., for the Blue Devils’ 20th consecutive victory.

The Blue Devils advanced to the round of 16 for the fifth consecutive year. They will face fourth-seeded Texas (22-9) in Raleigh, N.C. The Longhorns beat 12th-seeded UC Santa Barbara, 76-60, Sunday night.

Duke’s Beard extended her streak of scoring at least 20 points to eight games.

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Kati Safaritova scored 24 to lead Texas Christian.

MIDWEST REGIONAL

Tennessee 89, Notre Dame 50--Kara Lawson scored 16 points, and Brittany Jackson added 10 for the second-seeded Lady Vols (27-4), who ended Notre Dame’s run as defending champion.

The seventh-seeded Irish (20-10), 0-14 against the Lady Vols, couldn’t match Tennessee’s pressure or quick shooting. The loss was Notre Dame’s worst of the season, surpassing a 27-point defeat at Connecticut on Jan. 21.

Tennessee will next play at Ames, Iowa, against the winner of today’s Brigham Young-Iowa State game.

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MIDEAST REGIONAL

Penn State 96, Florida International 79--Kelly Mazzante scored 32 points, breaking a 17-year-old Big Ten single-season scoring record, to lead fourth-seeded Penn State (23-11) at State College, Pa.

With 6:46 left, Mazzante made a three-point shot to give the Nittany Lions an 87-69 lead and break the scoring mark of 855 points.

Cormisha Cotton had 20 points for Florida International (27-6).

Penn State will next play at Milwaukee against the winner of today’s Connecticut-Iowa game.

Kansas State 82, Arkansas 68--Laurie Koehn scored 25 points and Nicole Ohlde had 19 as Kansas State (26-7) gained its first round-of-16 appearance in 20 years with the victory at Manhattan, Kan.

The lead changed 17 times before Koehn capped an 8-1 run that gave the Wildcats their biggest lead at 65-57 with 8:47 left.

Sixth-seeded Arkansas (20-12) cut it to a three-point deficit with three minutes left, but Kansas State responded with eight consecutive points.

Shameka Christon’s 19 points led Arkansas.

Kansas State will next play at Milwaukee against the winner of the Old Dominion-Purdue game.

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WEST REGIONAL

Texas Tech 77, Mississippi St. 55--Amber Tarr scored 25 points, and Cisti Greenwalt added 19 as Texas Tech (20-11) won at Lubbock, Texas.

In the first half, Tech held Mississippi State (19-12) scoreless for more than eight minutes.

Texas Tech will next play at Boise, Idaho, against the winner of the Oklahoma-Villanova game.

Colorado 69, Louisiana State 58--Third-seeded Colorado (23-9) held off sixth-seeded LSU (18-12) at Boulder, Colo.

Colorado next will play at Boise, Idaho, against the winner of today’s Stanford-Tulane game.

Second-seeded Stanford is coming off a 76-51 victory Saturday over Weber State.

In the second round of the women’s National Invitation Tournament, Washington (19-11) got past USC by making 10 of its 19 three-point attempts in a 97-87 victory at Seattle.

Aisha Hollans had a career-high 34 points on 14-for-21 shooting for USC, which ended its season 16-14. Ebony Hoffman added 25 points, seven assists and eight rebounds for USC.