NCAA Georgia Iowa Basketball

Iowa guard Caitlin Clark, right, fights for a loose ball with Georgia’s Brittney Smith, center, and Diamond Battles during a second-round NCAA Tournament game Sunday in Iowa City, Iowa. Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Caitlin Clark had 22 points and 12 assists while Monika Czinano added 20 points to help Iowa beat Georgia 74-66 in a second-round women’s NCAA Tournament game in the Seattle 4 Region Sunday.

The Hawkeyes (28-6), the No. 2 seed in Seattle Regional 4, advance to the ninth Sweet 16 in program history.

Gabbie Marshall added 15 points and McKenna Warnock had 14 for Iowa, which erased the memory of last season’s second-round home loss to No. 10 seed Creighton.

Clark, a first-team Associated Press All-American, was held scoreless for 13 minutes in the first half, but scored 14 second-half points as the Hawkeyes finally shook off the 10th-seeded Bulldogs (22-12). She made just 6 of 17 shots, but either scored or assisted on nearly every point by the Hawkeyes in the second half.

Georgia, a No. 10 seed, got within 68-66 on a 3-pointer from Audrey Warren with 2:17 left, but the Bulldogs did not score again, committing three straight turnovers and missing a layup.

Iowa led by as many as 10 points in the first half behind Marshall and Warnock, who combined for five 3-pointers to open the second quarter. But a 14-3 run by the Bulldogs gave them a 35-34 lead, and it took a late surge by Iowa to restore a 41-40 halftime edge.

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Diamond Battles led Georgia with 21 points. Brittney Smith and Javyn Nicholson each had 12.

GREENVILLE 1 REGIONAL

SOUTH CAROLINA 76, SOUTH FLORIDA 45: Zia Cooke scored 21 points and Aliyah Boston got her 81st career double double as top-seeded South Carolina (34-0) shook off a slow start to power past eighth-seeded South Florida (27-7) in Columbia, South Carolina.

The Gamecocks earned their 40th straight win and moved four victories away from a second straight national title. They’ll head to Greenville, South Carolina, where they won the Southeastern Conference Tournament two weeks ago, to play for a spot in the Final Four.

Boston finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds, coming out of her final game at home to a huge ovation.

NOTRE DAME 53, MISSISSIPPI STATE 48: Lauren Ebo had 10 points, 18 rebounds and four blocks to help third-seeded Notre Dame (27-5) beat 11th-seeded Mississippi State (22-11) in South Bend, Indiana.

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Maddy Westbeld added nine points and 15 rebounds for the Irish, who blew an eight-point lead in the fourth quarter before making enough plays down the stretch for the win.

Mississippi State scored eight straight points to open the fourth quarter, tying the game at 41. The Irish regained the lead for good, 45-43, on a pair of KK Bransford free throws with 3:49 left.

MARYLAND 77, ARIZONA 64: Diamond Miller scored 13 of her 24 points in the third quarter to help second-seeded Maryland to a  victory over seventh-seeded Arizona in the second around at College PArk, Maryland.

The Terrapins (27-6) advance to the Sweet 16 for a third straight year and the 11th time under Coach Brenda Frese. Maryland trailed by a point after two quarters but ran past the Wildcats (22-10) in the second half.

GREENVILLE 2 REGIONAL

UTAH 63, PRINCETON 56: Alissa Pili had 28 points and 10 rebounds to lead second-seeded Utah to a win over 10th-seeded Princeton in the second round at Salt Lake City.

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Jenna Johnson added 15 points for the Utes (27-4), who made only one 3-pointer but still advanced to their first Sweet 16 since 2006.

Kaitlyn Chen scored 19 points, Grace Stone had 16 and Ellie Mitchell finished with 18 rebounds, including 10 on the offensive end, for Princeton (24-6).

LSU 66, MICHIGAN 42: Angel Reese dismantled Michigan on both ends of the court with 25 points, 24 rebounds, six blocks and three steals to help third-seeded LSU beat the No. 6 seed Wolverines in the second round at Baton Rogue, Louisiana.

Reese, a 6-foot-3 All-America forward, did most of her damage with gauze wedged under her upper lip after a shot to her mouth drew blood in the opening minutes of the game.

Alexis Morris scored 11 and LaDazhia Williams had 10 points and 10 rebounds for LSU (30-2), which never trailed and held Michigan (23-10) to its lowest point total of the season.

SEATTLE 3 REGIONAL

VIRGINIA TECH 72, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 60: Georgia Amoore scored 21 points and top seed Virginia Tech held off No. 9 seed South Dakota State in the second round at Blacksburg, Virginia.

Elizabeth Kitley added 14 points and 14 rebounds for the Hokies (29-4), who won their 13th consecutive game, to advance to the Sweet 16 for just the second time in program history.

Myah Selland led South Dakota State (29-6) with 17 points and nine rebounds.


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