Huskies Survive Big Scare From Xavier

With her team dangerously close to being eliminated at home in the second round, Connecticut freshman Tamika Williams pulled down her two biggest boards of the season and then coolly hit a pair of free throws to keep the No. 1-seeded Huskies in the NCAA tournament.

The freshman’s foul shots came with seven seconds left and lifted Connecticut to an 86-84 Mideast Regional victory over Xavier at Storrs, Conn.

“I just tried to stay settled in the huddle,” said Williams, who finished with 19 points. “I wanted to take my time, take a deep breath and follow through.”

UConn (29-4) outrebounded the Musketeers 39-28, led by Williams’ nine boards. She came into the game averaging 6.7 boards.

The No. 8-seeded Musketeers (24-9) led by as many as nine in the first half and led by four at halftime before the Huskies pressure defense did them in.

Iowa St. 85, Oregon 70--The Cyclones got 21 points from freshman Angie Welle and relied on balance and rebounding to defeat the Ducks at Ames, Iowa.

The No. 5-seeded Ducks (25-6) concentrated its defense on Iowa State point guard Stacy Frese, who had scored 31 points in a first-round victory over Santa Clara, and held her to 12.

But all that did was free up Frese’s teammates, three of whom scored in double figures, as No. 4-seeded Iowa State (24-7) moved into the round of 16 for the first time.

Clemson 63, Illinois 51--Natasha Anderson scored 18 points and the Tigers held off a late Illini rally to win at Clemson, S.C. and advance to the round of 16 for the first time in eight years.

Clemson (26-5) held a 45-32 lead with 12:13 to go, but Illinois (19-12) charged back in the final 10 minutes, cutting it to 54-51 on Alicia Sheeler’s layup with 3:08 remaining.

But Nikki Blassingame made an inside basket for No. 2-seeded Clemson, Itoro Umoh knocked in two free throws and the No. 7-seeded Illini missed their next five shots.

EAST REGION

Lucienne Berthieu scored 12 of her 19 points in the final 10:54 and Old Dominion fought off a relentless challenge by Maine to win, 72-62, at Norfolk, Va.

The Lady Monarchs (28-3) led by only 47-44 after a 6-0 Maine run before Berthieu, scoreless since the first four minutes, made three free throws and a layup in 50 seconds to give No. 2-seeded Old Dominion a 52-44 lead.

The No. 10-seeded Black Bears (24-7) closed within three four times, the last at 60-57 with 4:18.

MIDWEST REGION

Shawnetta Stewart scored 11 points in a game-opening 29-7 run that led No. 3-seeded Rutgers to a 90-47 blowout over No. 6-seeded Arizona at Piscataway, N.J.

The Knights (28-5) shot 58% from the field, forced 26 turnovers and led by as many as 45 points in advancing to the Midwest Regional semifinal in Normal, Ill.

The 47 points were a season-low for Arizona (18-11).

North Carolina 70, Alabama 56--Nikki Teasley scored 13 points, including five in the final 2:25, to lead the Tar Heels to victory at Chapel Hill, N.C.

Teasley also had a steal and two rebounds in the decisive stretch to lead the No. 4-seeded Tar Heels (28-7) to their fifth consecutive appearance in the round of 16.

All-American Dominique Canty scored 14 points in her final collegiate game for the No. 5-seeded Crimson Tide (20-11).

WEST REGION

Amanda Wilson scored 16 points, and pressure defense helped lead Louisiana Tech to a 79-62 victory over Penn State at Ruston, La.

LaQuan Stallworth and Tamicha Jackson added 15 points apiece, and Monica Maxwell had 10 as No. 1-seeded Louisiana Tech (28-2) won its 20th consecutive game.

The No. 8-seeded Nittany Lions (22-8) got 18 points from Andrea Garner, who dislocated a kneecap in Friday’s first-round game against Virginia.

Colorado State 86, SW Missouri State 70--Becky Hammon scored 30 points and the No. 2-seeded Rams defeated the No. 7-seeded Bears at Fort Collins, Colo. Southwest Missouri State (25-7) was led by Jackie Stiles’ 28 points. Colorado State (33-2) will play the winner of tonight’s UCLA-Kentucky game.

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Today’s Women’s Games

All Times Pacific

EAST REGIONAL

THOMPSON-BOLING ARENA

Knoxville, Tenn.

* Boston College (22-7) vs.

Tennessee (29-2), 6:30 p.m.

CASSELL COLISEUM

Blacksburg, Va.

* Virginia Tech (27-2) vs.

Auburn (20-8), 6 p.m.

CAMERON INDOOR STADIUM

Durham, N.C.

* St. Joseph’s (23-7) vs.

Duke (25-6), 4 p.m.

MIDEAST REGIONAL

STEGEMAN COLISEUM

Athens, Ga.

* SMU (20-10) vs.

Georgia (24-6), 5 p.m.

MIDWEST REGIONAL

MACKEY ARENA

West Lafayette, Ind.

* Kansas (23-9) vs.

Purdue (29-1), 4:30 p.m.

LUBBOCK MUNICIPAL COLISEUM

Lubbock, Texas

* N.C. State (17-11) vs.

Texas Tech (29-3), 6:30 p.m.

WEST REGIONAL

PETE MARAVICH ASSEMBLY CENTER

Baton Rouge, La.

* Notre Dame (26-4) vs.

Louisiana St. (24-7), 5 p.m.

PAULEY PAVILION

Los Angeles

* Kentucky (21-10) vs.

UCLA (24-7), 9 p.m.