The Guru NCAAW Conference Tourneys Report: Buzzer Beater Keeps La Salle Alive in A-10; Stanford Ousted in ACC; Rutgers Quickly Eliminated in Big Ten

By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

Just less than a month after a buzzer-beating loss at home to Fordham in the John E. Glaser Arena brought La Salle to feeling the lowest of the lows the 13th-seeded Explorers got to enjoy how the other half feels Wednesday night courtesy of Ashleigh Connor, who got inside for a layup with 0.2 seconds left and a 50-48 victory over 11th-seeded VCU  in the last of three Atlantic 10 openers at the Henrico Sports and Events Center in Glen Allen, Va.,  a nearby suburb of Richmond.

The win by La Salle (10-22, 4-15) was the second narrow game-ender against the Rams (12-19) in less than a week having won 61-60 at home Saturday on senior day in a game Mountain MacGillivray called the best win of his life as a head coach.

The Explorers will try to keep it going in round two Thursday playing at 7:30 p.m. against sixth-seeded Dayton (17-12), which has begun making strides under former Connecticut star Tamika Williams-Jeter.

“Well, that was fun,” MacGillivray said of his team now playing with house money at least a little while longer. “Really, really happy for this group of young ladies. They’ve  been putting in the work all year. They haven’t tasted that many  rewards. But man, that’s really sweet.”

The second half was a nail biter for fans of both teams experiencing 11 lead changes.

“You can feel the hurt because they put it out there,” said VCU coach Beth O’Boyle, whose team’s  campus is nearby the relatively new arena. “And we  had a choice on how we went into the game.

“And how hard we played and how hard we worked and we chose to go after it. And unfortunately, just, one, two possessions and we’re probably really smiling and  getting excited  to play tomorrow.”

La Salle freshman Joan Quinn scored 12 points, Aryss Macktoon had 11 points, while  Mackenzie Daleba and Ayisse Magassa each scored eight.

Down the stretch through the many lead changes, Macktoon tied it with 37 seconds left in regulation. VCU couldn’t get  back in front on the next possession and La Salle got the ball and chance to win.

Describing the play, Connor said, “The defense was playing off, and (Macktoon) wasn’t open and so I was like ‘I’m going to take it left and put the shot up’ and it went in.

“I think it was just something we do all the time. I wasn’t having my best game, but the right moment  came at the right time.”

VCU’s Mary-Anna Asare scored 20, including four makes from deep, Valentina Ojeda scored 11, while Mykel Parham had 13 rebounds, eight on the offensive glass.

The day got started with 12th-seeded George Washington topping 13th-seeded Loyola Chicago 65-44 to move to Thursday’s game against fifth-seeded Rhode Island at 1 p.m.

That winner meets fourth-seeded Saint Joseph’s, which has a double-bye, in one of Friday’s four quarterfinals, all on Peacock, while Thursday’s games will air on ESPN+.

The winning Revolutionaries (13-17) got 14 points  from  Makayla Andrews and 13  from Kamari Sims, while the Ramblers (13-17) had only Parisian Naelle Bernard in double figures with 13 points.

GWU has been winning of late under interim coach Doug Novak after the recent decision to resign by Caroline McCombs, who had success at Stony Brook.

In the other game Wednesday, 10th-seeded Saint Louis (14-18), which won the conference several seasons ago and won the WNIT last year, defeated 15th-seeded St. Bonaventure 60-50 and on Thursday at 5 p.m. will meet seventh-seeded Massachusetts (16-13), which is leaving the Atlantic 10 this summer for the Mid-American Conference.

Kennedy Calhoun had 20 points,  including the 1000th of her career, for the Billikens, while Peyton Kennedy scored 13, and Shaun’teria Anumele scored ten.

The Bonnies (6-24) were led by Caitlin Frost with 14 points.

Thursday’s other game, which starts the activity, has  eighth-seeded Fordham (15-14) meeting ninth-seed Duquesne (18-11) at 11 a.m.

That winner on Friday faces top seed and defending champion Richmond (26-5) at 11 a.m., followed by the Saint Joseph’s game — those two winners play Saturday at 11 a.m. in the first semifinal.

Next comes the third quarterfinal featuring second-seeded George Mason (24-5) at 5 p.m. facing the the Saint Louis-Massachusetts winner and then the fourth quarterfinal at at 7:30 p.m. involving third-seed Davidson (17-12) against the La Salle-Dayton winner with those winners meeting in the second Saturday semifinal at 1:30 p.m.

The championship is Sunday at 4 p.m. on ESPN2.

Rutgers Quickly Bounced  From Big Ten While Olsen Leads Iowa to Second Round

Three games marked the first round of the Big Ten at the NBA’s Indiana Pacers and WNBA’s Indiana Fever’s Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis and after eking its way to the last cut at the 15th-seed Rutgers (11-19) was booted out 84-60 by No. 10 Nebraska 84-60.

A key for the Scarlet Knights to get in the mix was sweeping Penn State, including Sunday’s senior day, the Nittany Lions were ousted last Thursday from being in the field.

The Cornhuskers (20-10) on Thursday meet seven-seed Illinois (21-8) st 7:30 p.m., all games through the semifinals airing on the Big Ten Network.

Destiny Adams had a game-high 25 points with 10 boards in trying to help Rutgers advance while  Awa Sidibe and Mya Petticord each scored 11.

Nebraska, which outscored the Scarlet Knights the first three quarters and played an even 23-23 in the last, got 19 points and 10 boards from Alexis Markowski, while off the bench Amiah Hargrove scored 13 and Alberte Rimdal scored 12 with eighth assists, and Britt Prince scored 10.

Meanwhile Iowa (21-9) got off  to a hot start with Villanova transfer Lucy Olsen scoring 14 of her 19 points before the break and the 11th-seeded Hawkeyes rolled to an 81-54 win over 14th-seeded Wisconsin (13-17) into Thursday’s second round where they’ll face sixth-seeded and 24th-ranked Michigan State (21-8) at 9 p.m.

The Badgers got 22 points from Sarah Williams.

In the other opener one of the four newbies from the Pac-12 in 12th seed Washington beat 13th-seed Minnesota 79-65 likely knocking out of  the Golden Gophers (20-11) from the projected NCAA bubble.

The Huskies (19-12) of the Northwest got 21 points from Elle Ladine with eight rebounds and five assists, while Sayvia Sellers and Dalayah Daniels each scored 15 points.

On Thursday, Washington meets fifth-seeded Michigan (20-9) at 2:30 p.m. after the second round opens at noon with ninth-seed Indiana (18-11) meeting eighth-seed Oregon (19-10), the second of the four new members.

Interest will ramp up Friday when the top four seeds take the court the first time with top seed and second rank Southern Cal (26-2) with JuJu Watkins meeting the Indiana-Oregon winner at noon, followed by fourth-seed and 15th ranked Maryland (23-6) meeting the Michigan-Washington winner at 2:30 p.m. at 2:30 p.m.

Second seed and fourth-ranked UCLA (27-2), whose two losses are both to Southern Cal, meets the winner of Illinois-Nebraska at 6:30 p.m. followed by No. 3 and 13th ranked Ohio State (24-5) playing sixth-seed Michigan State or 11th seed Iowa.

The semifinals are Saturday at 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. with the title  game  Sunday at 4:30 p.m.  when UCLA and  Southern Cal could  meet a third time but in the Midwest.

Patriot Seeds Set With Lehigh First Despite a Season-Ending Loss

Lehigh (24-6) had already clinched  the top seed in the Patriot League, which is played on home courts of higher seeds all the way through so Wednesday’s 78-59 loss at Colgate in Hamilton, N.Y. was a moot implication.

Detail-wise, Maddie Albrecht had 14 points for the Mountain Hawks while the hosts were led by Morgan McMahon’s 22.

Lafayette (9-20) has been playing stronger at the end of the season and the Leopards after winning 57-54 at Loyola of Maryland in Baltimore with Teresa Kiewet getting  17 points get an opening round hosting game.

The seventh-seeded squad will host lowly No. 10 American U. (1-28) at 4 p.m. at the Kirby Sports Center in Easton, Pa., while eighth-seed Boston U. (11-18) hosts ninth-seeded Loyola, Maryland at at 2 p.m., both on ESPN+, which airs everything through the semifinals before CBSSN airs the championship at noon on Sunday, March 16, several hours before the 8 p.m. announcement of the 68-team field on ESPN.

Lehigh has a bye into Monday’s quarterfinals getting the 9-8 winner at 6 p.m., while the Lafayette winner goes to second-seeded Army (22-6) at 6 p.m.

Fifth-seeded Holy Cross (18-11), the defending champion, goes to fourth-seeded Navy at 7 p.m. in Annapolis, Md., while third-seeded Colgate (23-8) hosts seventh-seeded Bucknell (16-13).

Tennessee Romps Over Texas A&M in an SEC Opener

The ninth seed and 18th-ranked Lady Vols (22-8) snapped their two-game losing streak at the end of the regular season, opening in Greenville, S.C., with a crushing 77-37 win over 16th-seed Texas A&M (10-19) as Talysia Cooper had 19 points and eight rebounds against the Aggies, and Jewel Spear had 11 points and three makes from deep.

First-year coach Kim Caldwell, whose previous Marshall team got bounced in a Sun Belt opener Wednesday, gets to go after revenge for one of the last-second losses on Thursday in the second round meeting eighth-seed Vanderbilt (21-9) at 11 a.m., the SEC Network airing everything until Saturday’s semifinals on ESPN2.

In three other games in SEC openers, No. 12 Georgia (13-18) took a 79-74 narrow win over No. 13 Arkansas (10-22); 10th-seeded Mississippi State (21-10) took a 75-55 win over No. 15 Missouri (10-22), whose coach Robin Pingeton recently announced her resignation effective with the Tigers’ final game; and No. 11 Florida (15-16) won 60-50 over No. 14 Auburn.

On Thursday in three other games, No. 5 and 10th-ranked Oklahoma (23-6), one of two former Big 12 teams along with top-ranked Texas joining the SEC this past season, meets Georgia at 1:30 p.m.; Mississippi State and No. 7 Ole Miss (19-9) play at 6 p.m., while the games conclude with Florida playing sixth-seeded and 19th-ranked Alabama (23-7) at 8:30 p.m.

Friday’s quarterfinals have No. 1 and defending NCAA champion and No. 5 South Carolina meeting the Tennessee-Vanderbilt winner at noon on ESPN; followed at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN with fourth seed and No. 12 Kentucky playing the Oklahoma winner. The No. 2 and top-ranked Texas (29-2) group meet meets the Ole Miss/Mississippi State winner at 6 p.m. on SECN, which finishes the day airing on the SEC Network, which also airs the 8:30 p.m. game between No. 3 and seventh-ranked LSU (27-4) and the sixth-seeded and 19th-ranked Alabama -Florida winner.

Stanford Upset and Ousted on ACC  Opening Day

The three new ACC  members, Stanford and California from  the PAC-12 and SMU from the American Athletic Conference had mixed results in their debut season.

SMU joined Miami and Wake Forest in not making the tournament in Greensboro, N.C., California (24-7) earned the seventh seed and a bye, while Stanford (16-14), the 11th seed, fell 63-46 to 14th-seeded Clemson (14-16).

The Tigers got 17 points from  Loyal McQueen while Mia Moore made four shots from deep and and totaled 14 points to advance to Thursday’s second round playing sixth-seeded Louisville (20-9) at 7:30 p.m. on the ACC Network, which is airing all of Thursday’s games.

Stanford, whose Courtney Ogden with 13 points was the only player in double figures, had appeared in 36 straight NCAA tournaments, winning three, including the 2021 bubble format in San Antonio, second only to Tennessee, which has been in all 42.

This was the first year Stanford was under former Cardinal star and associate head coach Kate Paye, promoted after the surprise retirement of Hall of Fame legend Tara VanDerveer, a move that allowed Hall of Fame Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma to pass her the fourth game of the season to become the all-time winningest college basketball coach in all divisions, currently at 1,241 victories.  He became the leader on November 20th at home in Gampel Pavilion on campus in Storrs, beating FDU  for victory No.  1,217.

Elsewhere in openers in the ACC, Boston  College beat Syracuse 76-63 while Virginia topped Pit 64-50.

The 12th-seeded Eagles (16-16) rallied from a 17-point deficit to the 13th-seeded Orange (12-18) as Dontavia Waggoner had a career-high 32 points, Teya Sidberry scored 24 with a career-high 17 rebounds as B.C. advanced to Thursday’s second round against fifth-seed and 14th ranked North Carolina (25-6) at 11  a.m. Sophie Burrows scored 23 for Syracuse, Georgia Woolley scored 16, and Kyra Wood scored 15.

In the other game, Kymora Johnson scored 17 points, Latasha Lattimore had her 11th double double with 12 points and 11th rebounds besides reaching personal bests with six blocks and five steals as the 10th seed Cavaliers (17-14) pulled away from the 15th-seeded Panthers (13-19)  in the second half and advanced to Thursday’s second round against California at 5 p.m.

Thursday’s fourth game matches eighth-seeded Virginia Tech (18-11) against 9th-seed Georgia Tech (21-9) at 1:30 p.m.

In Friday’s quarterfinals, fourth-seeded and 22nd ranked Florida State (23-7) meets the North Carolina winner at 11 a.m. while top-seed and seventh-ranked N.C. State (24-5) meets the Virginia Tech-Georgia Tech winner at at 1:30 p.m. on the ACC Networtk.

Second-seeded Notre Dame (25-4), ranked sixth, meets the California winner at 7:30 p.m. on the ACC Network, the Irish tied the Wolfpack for first but lost the head-to-head tiebreaker in overtime.

Third-seeded Duke (23-7), ranked 11th, meets the Duke winner at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday’s semifinals are at noon and 2:30 p.m. on ESPN2 and Sunday’s title game is at 1 p.m. on ESPN.

Arizona State Upsets Cincinnati as Big 12 Gets Under Way

In the remaining Power 4 conference that had openers, the Big 12, 13th-seeded UCF (12-17) won 81-69 over 12th-seeded BYU (13-17), meaning the championship will not have to be in a Monday standby mode that was needed if the Cougars had reached the title game.

Kaitlin Peterson scored 35 in the win by UCF while Delaney Gibb scored 15 for BYU.

Ninth-seed Colorado (19-11) won 66-58 over 16th-seeded Houston (5-25), while No. 15 Arizona State (10-21) won 82-75 over No. 10 Cincinnati (15-14), and No. 14 Texas Tech (16-16) won 57-53 over No. 11 Kansas (16-14).

Jalyn Brown had 27 for the winning Sun Devils, one of four former PAC-12 teams along with Colorado, Arizona, Utah who joined the Big 12 this season, Utah and Colorado were previous members.

Reagan Jackson scored 24 for Cincinnati.

In Thursday’s second round, all airing on ESPN+, UCF meets 5th seed and 20th-ranked Kansas State (25-6) at noon; eighth-seed Arizona (19-12) meets Colorado at 2:30 p.m.; seventh-seed Iowa State (21-7) meets UCF at 6:30 p.m., and sixth-seeded Utah (22-7) plays Texas Tech at 9 p.m., the games all at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.

Friday’s quarterfinals has fourth-seed and 16th-ranked West Virginia (23-6) playing the Kansas State winner at noon, followed by No. 1 seed and eighth-ranked TCU (28-3) meeting the Arizona winner at 2:30 p.m. on ESPNU while No. 2 Baylor (25-6), ranked 17th, meets the Iowa State winner at 6:30 p.m., and the third seed and 21st ranked Oklahoma State (24-5) meets the Utah winner at 9 p.m.

Saturday’s semifinals are at 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on ESPN+, while Sunday’s championship is at 5 p.m. on ESPN.

UNLV Upset By Wyoming in Mountain West Final While Tourney Bracket Gets Set

On the final day of the regular season UNLV, which already had claimed the top seed fell to second-seeded Wyoming 71-66 as Malene Pederson scored 7 for the host Cowgirls (20-10) leading two others in double figures while the Running Rebels (24-6) got 24 points from Amarachi Kimpson.

The tournament opens at the Thomas & Mack Center Sunday in Las Vegas, Nevada.

No. 8 Boise State (17-14) meets No. 9 Nevada (11-20) at 5 p.m., followed by No. 7 Air Force (17-13) at No. 10 Utah State (4-26) at 7:30 p.m., and No. 6 Fresno State (17-14) meets No. 11 San Jose State (10-21) at 10 p.m., all on the Mountain West Network.

In Monday’s quarterfinals also all on the same network, No. 1 UNLV (24-6) meets the Boise State winner at 3 p.m.; fourth-seeded San Diego State (22-9) meets fifth-seed New Mexico (18-13) at 5:30 p.m.; No. 2 Wyoming (20-10) meets the Air Force winner at 8 p.m., and No. 3 Colorado State (22-9) meets the Fresno State winner at 10:30 p.m.

Tuesday’s semifinals  are at 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. on the same network and the title game Wednesday night is at 10:30 p.m. on the CBS Sports Network.

Looking Ahead

Locally, regularly season games remain in two leagues Thursday with Drexel visiting Delaware at 6:30 p.m. at the Bob Carpenter Center in Newark on FloSports, the second-place visiting Dragons taking the short trip south are still holding second seed in the Coastal Athletic Association as they look to sweep the Blue Hens on their last visit to the Bob for CAA action with Delaware heading this summer to Conference-USA.

It’s possible the two longtime rivals will meet non-conference in the future.

Rider is at Canisius in Western New York needing a win as the first step to get the 10th and last seed in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) tournament next week at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.

The Broncs also need to win at Niagara Saturday and Canisius to lose again and one of these three scenarios: Saint Peter’s beats Niagara; or Merrimack beats Marist; or Sacred  Heart beats Iona.

And that’s the report.