Jessie Ruffner scored 27 points, including her team’s last seven, and Smith advanced to the NCAA Division III women’s basketball semifinals for the second straight year with a 52-47 win over Bowdoin in Brunswick.
Smith (29-3) took the lead for good on a basket by Sofia Rosa that made it 45-44 with 3:51 remaining. Ruffner, who also grabbed 13 rebounds, followed with a three-point play, then added four free throws. Rosa finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Megan Tan led Bowdoin (28-3) with 12 points. Carly Davey finished with 11.
(1) SOUTH CAROLINA 74, TENNESSEE 73: Kamilla Cardoso banked in her first-ever 3-pointer at the buzzer and the Gamecocks (31-0) remained undefeated with a win over the Vols (19-12) in the Southeastern Conference semifinals in Greenville, South Carolina.
(3) IOWA 95, MICHIGAN 86: Caitlin Clark had 28 points to pad her all-time NCAA scoring total and matched a season high with 15 assists to lead the Hawkeyes (28-4) past the Wolverines (20-13) in the Big Ten semifinals in Minneapolis.
(14) NOTRE DAME 82, (11) VIRGINIA TECH 53: Sonia Citron scored 19 points, Maddy Westbeld added 18, and the Fighting Irish (25-6) defeated the Hokies (24-7) in the ACC semifinals in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Anna DeWolfe of Cumberland added 14 points, hitting 4 of 5 on 3-pointers.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
BRYANT 84, MAINE 58: Rafael Pinzon scored 35 points and sparked a 24-6 run midway through the first half as third-seeded Bryant rolled to a win over sixth-seeded Maine in an America East men’s basketball quarterfinal in Smithfield, Rhode Island.
Pinzon was 14 of 20 from the field, including 6 of 8 from 3-point range, as the Bulldogs (21-12) overwhelmed Maine (15-18) with excellent outside shooting. Bryant was 11 of 17 (65 percent) from behind the arc and 32 of 54 overall (59 percent).
Maine led 14-11 before Bryant surged ahead with the help of four consecutive 3-pointers – two each by Pinzon and Tyler Brelsford.
After trailing 47-36 at halftime, the Black Bears got as close as four points early in the second half, but Bryant quickly regained control with a 17-1 run.
Daniel Rivera added 13 points and 15 rebounds, and Sherif Gross-Bullock had 12 points, nine rebounds and six assists for the Bulldogs.
Peter Filipovity scored 16 points for Maine, whose last America East tournament win was in 2005.
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