Replay Makes Point for LSU

A television replay resulted in Alabama’s having a point taken away in the final seconds as top-ranked Louisiana State escaped with a 60-59 victory over the Crimson Tide Friday in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference women’s basketball tournament at Greenville, S.C.

Alabama, which led for most of the game, appeared to have tied it on Natasha Gamble’s three-point field goal with 5.1 seconds left. But officials reviewed Gamble’s shot and ruled her foot touched the line, making it a two-point shot.

Gamble said a defender was in her face. “So, I had to take a step to the side in order to shoot,” she explained. “I can’t say where I was standing.”

TV replays showed Gamble’s toe on the line as she shot.

After the ruling, the final 5.1 seconds were played again. Scholanda Hoston then missed two free throws for LSU before a desperation shot by Alabama’s Marverly Nettles went off the mark.

Seimone Augustus had 20 points for LSU (28-1). Monique Bivins’ 20 points led Alabama (14-15), which nearly pulled the upset by playing a deliberate style that took away LSU’s speed and aggressiveness.

No. 3 Ohio State 70, Wisconsin 46 -- The Buckeyes (28-3) beat the Badgers (12-16) in a Big Ten tournament quarterfinal at Indianapolis and tied their school record for wins in a season, last achieved in 1992-93, when they reached the NCAA championship game.

No. 5 Tennessee 64, Auburn 54 -- The Lady Vols (24-4) defeated the Tigers (16-13) in the SEC quarterfinals to give Coach Pat Summitt her 876th career win -- tying Kentucky’s Adolph Rupp.

“I feel it very hard to even imagine being in his company,” Summitt, who is 876-171, said of Rupp. “It’s all because the University of Tennessee has given me the chance to coach for 31 years.”

Summitt needs three wins to match Dean Smith’s all-time leading mark of 879 victories.

No. 8 Michigan State 61, Illinois 50 -- Kristin Haynie recorded seven of her 13 points in overtime as the Spartans (26-3) outscored the Fighting Illini, 11-0, in the extra period to win a Big Ten quarterfinal.

After Lindsay Bowen’s breakaway layup had pulled Michigan State into a 50-50 tie, Illinois’ Tiffanie Guthrie missed a five-footer at the end of regulation. Guthrie led the Illini (16-12) with 20 points.

No. 12 DePaul 78, Memphis 55 -- Khara Smith had 23 points, 15 rebounds and five steals for the Blue Demons (25-3) in their victory over the Tigers (13-16) in the Conference USA tournament quarterfinals at Charlotte, N.C.

No. 15 Minnesota 71, Purdue 68 -- Jamie Broback scored 28 points for the Golden Gophers (23-6), who put together a final 11-3 surge to advance to the semifinals of the Big Ten tournament. Janel McCarville had 22 points and nine rebounds for Minnesota, which trailed the Boilermakers (16-12), 65-60, with less than three minutes to go. Broback tied it, at 65-65, with a three-point play, and McCarville put Minnesota ahead for good with 58 seconds left.

Katie Gearlds, who barely missed a three-point shot at the buzzer, led Purdue with 21 points.

No. 18 Vanderbilt 79, Arkansas 60 -- Ashley Earley’s 21 points lifted the Commodores (22-6) over the Razorbacks (16-13) in an SEC quarterfinal.

No. 21 Georgia 87, Mississippi 65 -- The Bulldogs (22-8) pulled away with a 19-2 run that extended a two-point lead over the Rebels (19-10) to a 71-52 edge in an SEC quarterfinal.

No. 23 Penn State 68, Iowa 66 -- The Nittany Lions (19-9), led by Tanisha Wright’s 17 points, rallied from eight points down late in the second half to beat the Hawkeyes (20-9) in a Big Ten quarterfinal.

No. 25 Maryland 66, Clemson 55 -- Crystal Langhorne’s 24 points and 16 rebounds carried the Terrapins (20-8) over the Tigers (8-20) in the first round of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament at Greensboro, N.C.