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SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Freshman Hannah Hidalgo had 23 points and 12 rebounds to help No. 17 Notre Dame beat fifth-ranked Virginia Tech 71-58 on Thursday night.
Virginia Tech (23-5, 14-3 ACC) had its 10-game winning streak snapped, but ended up claiming its first ACC regular-season championship outright as No. 12 North Carolina State defeated No. 19 Syracuse 75-71 in overtime on Thursday. The Hokies won the ACC Tournament crown last season and reached the Final Four.
There was plenty at stake entering the game for both teams as they jockey for post-season advantages. The Hokies were ranked No. 5 in the NCAA reveal earlier in the night. Notre Dame (22-6, 12-5) is just outside of the Top 16 and a chance to host first- and second-round games.
No. 7 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 95, ARIZONA 93, 2 OT
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Kayla Padilla hit a tying 3-pointer in the closing seconds of regulation and made another key 3 in the second overtime, lifting No. 7 Southern California to a over Arizona.
The Wildcats (16-13, 8-9 Pac-12) were blown out by USC less than a month ago, but used a big run to take a 10-point lead early in the fourth quarter.
The Trojans (22-5, 12-5) fought back despite star freshman sensation JuJu Watkins fouling out, scoring five points in the final 16 seconds to force overtime. Kaitlyn Davis hit a jumper after an offensive rebound and Padilla hit a tying 3-pointer with 7.6 seconds left after two more offensive boards.
Neither team could take control until Padilla hit a corner 3 to put USC up 92-89 in the second overtime. Helena Pueyo made two free throws with 6.3 seconds left to pull the Wildcats within 94-93 and Rayah Marshall hit 1 of 2 free throws.
Arizona’s Jada Williams had a good look at the buzzer, but her 3 clanged off the back of the rim.
No. 12 NORTH CAROLINA STATE 75, No. 19 SYRACUSE 71, OT
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Saniya Rivers scored 22 points, including the clinching free throws with 10.9 seconds left in overtime and North Carolina State defeated Syracuse 75-71.
The win gave the Wolfpack a shot at the No. 2 seed in the ACC tournament next week and handed Virginia Tech the out-right title. The Orange are assured a top four seed, which means a double-bye in the tournament.
Syracuse finishes the regular season at 13-5, a half-game ahead of the Wolfpack, who have the tiebreaker. The Wolfpack get the second seed with a win over Wake Forest on Sunday.
Mimi Collins had 15 points for the Wolfpack (24-5), now 7-2 in Top 25 games, and River Baldwin had 13 points and 13 rebounds.
Dyaisha Fair scored 21 points for Syracuse (23-6), which was going for a school record for wins in the regular season but has now lost eight-straight in the series.
No. 1 SOUTH CAROLINA 98, ARKANSAS 61
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Ashlyn Watkins had 21 points and 11 rebounds to lead South Carolina to a road win over Arkansas.
South Carolina (28-0, 15-0 Southeastern Conference) stayed unbeaten with just one game to play in the regular season. The Gamecocks have beaten all but three opponents this season by double-figures. They lost just once – in the Final Four last year to Iowa – in the last 358 days.
South Carolina took control in the second quarter, starting the period on a 14-0 run to build its lead to 17 points. Arkansas (18-12, 6-9) was wholly ineffective offensively, missing its first eight shots from the floor in the quarter, seven of which came from 3-point range, and committing five turnovers in those 10 minutes.
No. 4 STANFORD 67, No. 11 OREGON STATE 63
CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) — Cameron Brink had a career-high 23 rebounds and 25 points as Stanford claimed the Pac-12 regular-season title with a victory over Oregon State.
Brink, a 6-foot-4 senior forward, also had four assists and a blocked shot as the Cardinal (25-4, 14-3) beat Oregon State (22-6, 11-6) for the 14th straight time.
Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer won her 1,211th career game. She became the winningest coach in NCAA basketball history on Jan. 21 with a home victory over Oregon State.
The Beavers played without leading scorer and rebounder Raegan Beers, who missed her fourth straight game after suffering a broken nose against UCLA on Feb. 16.
No. 8 UCLA 70, ARIZONA STATE 41
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Lauren Betts had 20 points and 11 rebounds and Kiki Rice added 14 points when No. 8 UCLA beat Arizona State.
Betts had her ninth double-double and Rice added seven assists and seven rebounds for the Bruins (23-5, 12-5 Pac-12), who will finish the series between the teams with a 16-game winning streak.
The Bruins conclude the regular season at Arizona on Saturday with a chance to take the No. 2 seed in the Pac-12 Tournament, which begins Wednesday in Las Vegas. The Sun Devils’ 41 points was an opponents’ season low.
Jalyn Brown had 14 points and Trayanna Crisp had 13 points for Arizona State (11-18, 3-14), which has lost three in a row. Brown has scored in double figures in 17 straight games.
No. 9 LSU 80, GEORGIA 54
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Angel Reese added another double-double to her season-long list with 17 points and 15 rebounds and No. 9 Louisiana State beat Georgia for its seventh straight win.
LSU (25-4, 12-3 Southeastern Conference) was dominant in the matchup of the league’s No. 1 and No. 14 scoring offenses. The Tigers, who average 88.5 points per game, stretched their lead to 20 points late in the first half over Georgia, which averages 64.3 points.
Halley Van Lith sank four 3-pointers and led the Tigers with 18 points.
With the win, LSU clinched the No. 2 seed, behind top-ranked South Carolina, in the SEC Tournament to be played March 6-10 in Greenville, S.C.
Javyn Nicholson led Georgia (12-16, 3-12) with 17 points.
No. 13 COLORADO 68, WASHINGTON 62
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Maddie Nolan scored 20 points and Frida Formann scored 12 points and the 13th-ranked Colorado women ended a four-game losing streak beating Washington.
Aaronette Vonleh added 10 points for the Buffaloes (21-7, 11-6, Pac-12).
Lauren Schwartz scored 18 points for Washington (15-13, 5-12), Elle Ladine scored 16 and Dalayah Daniels and Sayvia Sellers each scored 13 points for the Huskies which had their two-game win streak come to an end.
The Buffaloes led 59-47 entering the fourth quarter but struggled in the final stanza scoring just nine points. Colorado took the lead for good on a Tameiya Sadler layup which broke a 7-all tie with 4:48 left in the first quarter.
No. 18 UTAH 82, WASHINGTON STATE 67
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Kennady McQueen scored 22 points to tie a career high, Alissa Pili had 21 points and 12 rebounds, and Utah beat Washington State.
McQueen made Utah’s fourth 3-pointer of the opening six minutes to take a 21-8 lead. The Utes led by 16 points, 38-22, midway through the second quarter before Washington State scored 12 of the next 14. But McQueen scored the final five points of the half to regain a double-digit lead.
Ines Vieira had 13 points, six assists, and just two turnovers for Utah (21-8, 11-6).
Bella Murekatete led Washington State (17-13, 6-11) with 14 points.
No. 22 LOUISVILLE 70, FLORIDA STATE 55
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Sydney Taylor scored 10 of her 16 points in a game-changing run in the second quarter, Olivia Cochran and Nyla Harris each had a double-double and Louisville defeated Florida State.
Kiki Jefferson broke a tie at 24 with consecutive baskets before Taylor hit a free throw and drilled three straight 3-pointers. By the half, the Cardinals led 43-26 after a 19-2 run.
Louisville can earn a top-four seed and double-bye in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament with a win over No. 17 Notre Dame in the regular-season finale on Sunday. The Cardinals, Irish and North Carolina State are all 12-5 in league play. Syracuse finished at 13-5 after an overtime loss to the Wolfpack. Florida State was knocked out of top-four contention.
Cochran had 16 points and 11 rebounds for Louisville (12-5, 23-7) and Harris had 11 points and a career-high 15 rebounds.
Ta’Niya Latson had 18 points for the Seminoles (20-9, 11-6).
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