Trojans Can’t Keep Pace With DePaul

Jenni Dant scored 29 points to lead No. 20 DePaul to a 99-77 victory over USC in the championship game of the Moran Realty Classic on Saturday in Chicago.

Allie Quigley scored 21 points, and Khara Smith had 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Blue Demons (2-0).

Sophomore point guard Jamie Hagiya, who was named to the all-tournament team, led the Trojans (1-1) with 14 points and six steals. Dant was named tournament MVP.

The Blue Demons led, 45-39, at halftime, and extended their lead to 67-45 less than eight minutes into the second half.

USC used a 14-3 run to move to within 11 points at 70-59. Senior forward Rachel Woodward had two steals and two baskets during the two-minute run.

But DePaul responded by outscoring the Trojans, 29-18, during the final nine minutes of the game. The Blue Demons made 10 free throws during the run.

No. 11 Notre Dame 66, No. 10 Ohio State 62 -- Jacqueline Batteast scored seven points during a game-ending 12-0 run and the Irish rallied to beat the Buckeyes in the championship game of the Preseason NIT at South Bend, Ind. Batteast, who finished with 32 points, blocked a potential tying three-point shot by Caity Matter with two seconds left.

No. 14 Minnesota 70, Virginia Tech 56 -- Jamie Broback scored 23 points, and Janel McCarville had 12 and 14 rebounds to lead the Gophers past the Hokies in the championship game of the Subway Classic at Minneapolis.

The Gophers (3-1) led the entire game, twice by 24 points. They won their early-season tournament for the fifth consecutive season and 11th time in the event’s 24-year history.

No. 15 Michigan State 77, Central Connecticut State 42 -- Kelli Roehrig scored 11 points during a 24-2 run to start the game at East Lansing, Mich., and the Spartans routed the Blue Devils in the first round of the Spartan Classic. They will play Boston College in today’s title game.

No. 17 Rutgers 90, Rider 42 -- Michelle Campbell almost beat the Broncs single-handedly, scoring a career-high 33 points at Piscataway, N.J.. The Scarlet Knights ended the game on a 22-4 run.

No. 18 Boston College 71, Western Michigan 50 -- Jessalyn Deveny, Clare Droesch and Brooke Queenan teamed for 55 points in the second game of the Spartan Classic.

Deveny had a game-high 20 points and nine rebounds. Droesch had 18 points and five assists, and Queenan had 17 points and 10 rebounds.