Dallas Region Round of 32 Game Breakdowns
Baylor made quick work of Idaho on Friday in the first round, beating the Vandals 89-59. Alexis Jones led the way offensively with 23 points and the Bears outscored Idaho 30-9 in the first quarter and never looked back. Nina Davis also chipped in 18 points and collected seven rebounds. Baylor was rock solid defensively in limiting the Vandals to 33.3 percent shooting from the floor.
Auburn advanced on to the second round thanks to a fast start against St. John’s. The Tigers jumped out to a 25-6 lead and cruised to a 68-57 victory over the Red Storm. Janiah McKay led the way offensively with 24 points for Auburn as they are going to need to another tremendous defensive effort in order to shock Baylor on Monday night.
#4 Texas A&M vs. #5 Florida State
Texas A&M had plenty of adversity to overcome with the suspension of two starters, including Courtney Williams, but the Aggies outlasted Missouri State 74-65. Anriel Howard stepped up on the defensive end of the court with 27 rebounds, setting an NCAA record. Courtney Walker scored 29 points to lead Texas A&M offensively and she made 11 of 21 shots from the floor.
Florida State was impressive against Middle Tennessee State in a 72-55 victory. After having a tight battle in the first half, the Seminoles imposed their will in the second half as Leticia Romero led a very balanced scoring attack with 17 points. With the uncertainty at hand for Texas A&M, it is going to be very interesting to see how the Aggies respond to the challenge of playing an experienced Florida State team. This game has the feel of a potential upset as the Seminoles have enough balance to get the job done against Texas A&M on Monday night and the play of Romero at the point could be the ultimate difference maker in this game.
#3 Louisville vs. #6 DePaul
Louisville got off to a slow start on Friday against Central Arkansas as they fell behind by six points early. But they settled down and put away the Sugar Bears 87-60. Myisha Hines-Allen scored 25 points and Central Arkansas was unable to find a way to match with her athleticism and height. Maria Moore added 16 points and the Cardinals ended up shooting 55 percent from the field. Louisville also wore down the Sugar Bears defensively. Central Arkansas ended up shooting just 32.9 percent from the floor after a very hot start.
DePaul imposed its will on James Madison as they destroyed the Dukes 97-67. Relentless rebounding by the Blue Demons set the tone against James Madison and DePaul collected a season high 55 rebounds. Jessica January led the offensive attack with 18 points and the Blue Demons had six players score in double figures. For Louisville, they are going to have to get off to a faster start and take care of the ball along with being fiercely competitive on the boards. DePaul is going to have to simply play their style and try to impose their will on the Cardinals, which won’t be easy as the KFC Yum Center should be loud and energized.
#2 Oregon State vs. #10 St. Bonaventure
The Beavers put the foot on the gas pedal right away against Troy and demolished the Trojans 73-31. Points in the paint was the difference as Oregon State won that battle 44-8. Ruth Hamblin scored 18 points and grabbed 18 rebounds and blocked five shots. This was the 10th double-double of the season for Hamblin. Marie Gulch chipped in 12 points and Sydney Wiese added 10 to give the Beavers a very balanced attack offensively.
St. Bonaventure battled with a great sense of urgency and they beat Oklahoma State 65-54 to advance on for a shot at Oregon State. Katie Healy and Nyla Reuter combined for 38 points and nine rebounds. The Bonnies did an outstanding job defensively as well and limited the Cowgirls to just 15 made field goals the entire game. They are going to need a similar defensive effort, if not better, against the Beavers in order to pull off the upset. For Oregon State, they can’t let last year’s second round loss at home to Gonzaga effect their mindset on Sunday. They will need to start fast and try and put St. Bonaventure in a hole early and force the Bonnies to have to play faster than normal. The Beavers will most likely move on to the Sweet 16 with relative ease over St. Bonaventure.
Bridgeport Region Round of 32 Game Breakdowns
Lexington Region Round of 32 Game Breakdowns
Sioux Falls Region Round of 32 Game Breakdowns
