Rori Harmon helped No. 4 Texas sprint out to a 20-10 first-quarter lead as the undefeated Longhorns handed No. 3 UCLA its first loss of the season, 76-65, at the Players Era women’s championship in Las Vegas on Wednesday.
Harmon was perfect from the field in scoring six of her game-high 26 points in the first period as Texas (6-0) built an advantage it wouldn’t relinquish. The Longhorns doubled their lead by halftime, going up 45-25 as the Bruins had no early answers.
Madison Booker (16 points), Jordan Lee (13) and Justice Carlton (10) joined Harmon in double figures for Texas. Booker added seven rebounds and five assists.
The Bruins (6-1) committed 20 turnovers, leading to 18 Texas points. Kiki Rice and Gianna Kneepkens led UCLA with 17 points apiece. Charlisse Leger-Walker chipped in 13.
No. 2 South Carolina 83, Duke 66
A 26-12 second quarter helped the Gamecocks distance themselves in a comfortable win over the Blue Devils at the Players Era women’s championship in Las Vegas.
Madina Okot, who led all scorers with 23 points, powered for nine points and four rebounds in the deciding frame as South Carolina (7-0) built a 40-27 halftime edge. Joyce Edwards added 22, Ta’Niya Latson scored 12 and Raven Johnson contributed 10 points and six assists for the Gamecocks.
Toby Fournier scored 16 points for Duke (3-4). Riley Nelson put up 14 points, and Ashlon Jackson and Taina Mair chipped in 11 apiece.
No. 6 Michigan 102, Detroit Mercy 53
Five players reached double figures led by Mila Holloway’s 19 points as the Wolverines easily dispatched the Titans in Detroit.
Michigan (6-1) sprinted out to a 31-6 lead and was never challenged. Te’Yala Delfosse (14 points), Brooke Quarles Daniels (11), Olivia Olson (10) and McKenzie Mathurin (10) were the Wolverines’ other top scorers. Delfosse added 10 rebounds.
Nisea Burrell had 13 points and Maya Anderson scored 11 for Detroit Mercy (1-4), which took its fourth loss in a row.
No. 7 Maryland 74, No. 16 Kentucky 66
In a matchup of unbeatens, Kaylene Smikle’s game-high 22 points helped the Terrapins control the early going en route to a victory over the Wildcats at the Puerto Rico Classic in Carolina, Puerto Rico.
Maryland (8-0) led by as many as 20 points in third quarter. Yarden Garzon scored 17 points, Addi Mack had 15 and Saylor Poffenbarger posted 12.
Tonie Morgan posted 22 points, while Asia Boone added 13 and Amelia Hassett contributed 10 for Kentucky (7-1), which suffered its first loss.
No. 11 Iowa 86, Western Illinois 69
Addie Deal scored 17 points off the bench and the Hawkeyes posted a dominant first half while defeating the Leathernecks in Iowa City.
Iowa (7-0) built leads of 20-9 and 44-25 after the first two quarters. Taylor McCabe and Ava Heiden each scored 15 points, with Heiden adding 10 rebounds for the Hawkeyes. Hannah Stuelke had 12 points and nine boards.
The Hawkeyes withstood a 20-point outing by Western Illinois’ Mia Nicastro, who was 8 of 19 from the field and added seven rebounds. Raegan McCowan scored 16 points for the Leathernecks (4-1).
No. 15 Baylor 75, Louisiana Tech 46
Taliah Scott scored 21 points and added five rebounds and four steals as the Bears handled the Lady Techsters in Waco, Texas.
Marcayla Johnson and Yuting Deng each posted 11 for Baylor (6-1), which coasted to a 24-8 lead after a quarter of play and was never threatened.
Paris Bardley (10 points) was the top scorer for Louisiana Tech (3-3), which shot 29% from the floor and 3-for-21 (14.3%) from 3-point range.
Ohio State 83, No. 21 West Virginia 81
Elsa Lemmila hit a go-ahead jumper with 24 seconds to play and the Buckeyes overcame a 74-66 deficit with under four minutes left to defeat the Mountaineers in the Baha Mar Pink Flamingo Championship at Nassau, Bahamas.
With Ohio State down 80-79, Ava Watson found Lemmila for the winning bucket. Watson added two free throws seconds later, and West Virginia couldn’t rally.
Jaloni Cambridge led the Buckeyes (5-1) with 22 points, and Chance Gray logged 15 points and seven assists. The Mountaineers (6-1) were paced by Gia Cooke’s 24 points and Kierra Wheeler’s 19.
–Field Level Media
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