UC San Diego falls in first round of NCAA women’s basketball tournament San Diego State advanced to the second round of the Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament after defeating UC Irvine 61-55 in a tightly contested first-round matchup at the University of San Diego. The Aztecs, playing across town due to Viejas Arena hosting the men’s NCAA Tournament, secured the victory with a decisive performance from the free-throw line. Naomi Panganiban broke a 55-55 tie with two free throws with 33.2 seconds remaining, and Nala Williams added four crucial free throws in the final 20.3 seconds to seal the win. The game was marked by a series of pivotal moments, including a controversial foul on Panganiban that led to her hitting eight consecutive free throws. After the Aztecs took a 26-5 lead, UC Irvine’s Hunter Hernandez fouled Williams, forcing the Anteaters’ leading scorer out of the game with five fouls. Williams’ four free throws in the final 20 seconds capped a perfect 13-for-13 performance from the charity stripe for San Diego State. UC Irvine, which finished the season 26-7, also went 9-for-9 from the foul line. The Aztecs’ victory came after a back-and-forth contest that saw UC Irvine take a 48-45 lead in the second half. San Diego State’s Bailey Barnhard and Panganiban responded with back-to-back baskets, putting the Aztecs ahead 51-48. However, Irvine’s Hernandez tied the game at 55-53 before Kennedy Lee’s final drive with 1:21 remaining brought the score to 55-55. Panganiban led the Aztecs with 22 points, her seventh 20-point game of the season, while Lee added 11 points and eight rebounds despite suffering a facial injury. Barnhard contributed eight points, nine rebounds, and five assists, and Williams finished with eight points and three assists.#san_diego_state #ncaa_womens_basketball_tournament #uc_san_diego #uc_ireland #jenny_craig_pavilion
March Madness live updates, scores, bracket: Women's NCAA tournament First Four wraps up with Virginia and Southern advancing The final two First Four matchups in the NCAA women’s basketball tournament concluded on Thursday, securing the 64-team field for the upcoming tournament. In the Sacramento 4 region, Southern University and Samford faced off for the No. 16 seed, while Virginia and Arizona State contested for the No. 10 seed. The results of these games determined the final spots in the first-round bracket. Virginia advanced to face No. 7 seed Georgia after a hard-fought 57-55 victory over Arizona State. The Cavaliers overcame a late rally by the Sun Devils, who tied the game at 51-51 on a 3-pointer by Marley Washenitz with 41 seconds remaining. Kymora Johnson answered with a 3-pointer for Virginia, and the Cavaliers held off Arizona State’s attempts to tie the game. Washenitz led Arizona State with 19 points, while Johnson dominated for Virginia with 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 steals. Caitlin Weimar added 11 points and 12 rebounds for Virginia. Southern University secured its spot in the tournament with a 65-53 win over Samford. The Jaguars will face No. 1 seed South Carolina on Saturday. Southern took control in the fourth quarter, outscoring Samford 14-2 over the final seven minutes. Jaylia Reed and DeMya Porter each scored 15 points for Southern, with Porter grabbing 12 rebounds. Briana Rivera led Samford with 16 points, though the Bulldogs shot 36% from the field, including 8-of-27 on 3-pointers. Other developments from the First Four included No. 16 Missouri State and No. 11 Nebraska advancing to the 64-team field. Missouri State will face No. 1 seed Texas, while Nebraska will meet No. 6 seed Baylor.#virginia #arizona_state #samford #southern_university #ncaa_womens_basketball_tournament
