Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Women’s Top 25 roundup: Jessica Shepard, big run lift No. 1 Notre Dame past Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech guard Dara Mabrey (4) knocks the ball away from her sister Notre Dame guard Marina Mabrey (3) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday Jan. 16, 2019, in Blacksburg, Va. (Don Petersen / Associated Press)

BLACKSBURG, Va. – Jessica Shepard had 20 points and 11 rebounds and No. 1 Notre Dame took command with a 24-1 run in the second quarter to beat Virginia Tech 80-51 on Wednesday night.

Arike Ogunbowale added 19 points for the Fighting Irish (17-1, 5-0 Atlantic Coast Conference). The Irish trailed 24-18 before Marina Mabrey sparked the run with her third 3-pointer of the first half. The burst took just six minutes and ended with Notre Dame ahead 42-25.

Virginia Tech (13-4, 0-4) responded by scoring nine straight points to bring the crowd back into it, but it was 44-34 at the half. Notre Dame pulled away thereafter, winning its 10th in a row and dropping the Hokies to 1-47 in program history against teams in the top five.

Taylor Emery had 15 points and Trinity Baptiste had 11 points and 15 rebounds for Virginia Tech.

No. 2 Baylor 94, Kansas 68

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Chloe Jackson scored a season-high 22 points on 10-of-14 shooting and had eight assists, seven rebounds and two steals to lead Baylor to a win over Kansas.

Kalani Brown added 15 points, DiDi Richards 14 and Lauren Cox and NaLyssa Smith had 13 apiece for the Bears (14-1, 4-0 Big 12). With Texas losing at Kansas State, Baylor took over sole possession of first place in the Big 12.

Baylor was 13 of 16 from the field in the first quarter, racing to a 29-15 lead, and was 9 of 13 in the second to make it 53-36 at the half. With Jackson, Richards and Smith combining to go 15 for 15 from the field for 32 points, the Bears set a record for the most points at the half of a conference game. Richards scored 10 of the first 15 points on five backdoor layups.

Kansas kept it relatively close through three quarters by going 13 of 22 from 3-point range but the Jayhawks (11-4, 1-3) cooled off to go 1 of 6 in the fourth quarter.

Jessica Washington tied a school record with six 3-pointers for 18 points.

No. 2 UConn 75, Tulane 33

NEW ORLEANS – Megan Walker scored a career-high 34 points and Katie Lou Samuelson added 17 to power UConn to a victory over Tulane.

The Huskies (15-1, 4-0 American Athletic Conference) pounded Tulane (13-4, 3-1) with its size and strength, holding the Green Wave to 18.3 percent shooting and forcing 22 turnovers.

UConn dominated from the opening tip, holding to Tulane to four points in the first quarter on 15 percent shooting (2 of 13) and coasting to the victory. Tulane had won six consecutive games but could not overcome UConn’s relentless ball pressure.

Tulane had no one in double figures. Kaila Anderson led the Green Wave with seven points.

Kansas State 87, No. 11 Texas 69

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kayla Goth had 20 points and tied her career-high with 12 assists and Kansas State used a big first half to defeat Texas.

Christianna Carr added 19 on points 7-of-10 shooting, including four 3-pointers, for the Wildcats (11-6, 2-3 Big 12). Peyton Williams had 18 points with eight rebounds. Goth’s 12 assists were a conference high this season.

Sug Sutton had 22 points for Texas (14-3, 4-1), which had won seven straight and seven straight over KSU. Danni Williams added 18.

West Virginia 73, No. 18 Iowa State 64

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Lucky Rudd and Tynice Martin combined for 42 points, 16 in the fourth quarter when they made 12 of 14 free throws, and West Virginia pulled away for a win over Iowa State.

Rudd had 22 points, making 11 of 13 free throws, 7 of 8 in the fourth quarter when she had her three steals. Martin had 20 points, nine in the fourth quarter when she was 5 of 6 from the line, and grabbed 11 rebounds. Naomi Davenport added 15 points for the Mountaineers (12-4, 3-2 Big 12), who have won three straight.

Bridget Carleton had 26 points, 10 rebounds and four assists for Iowa State (13-4, 3-2).

No. 20 Rutgers 65, Purdue 63, OT

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. – Stasha Carey made three free throws in the final nine seconds of overtime as Rutgers survived blowing a 14-point late in regulation to beat Purdue and stay alone atop the Big Ten.

The Scarlet Knights (14-3, 6-0) won their ninth straight game and are 9-0 at home but almost lost their first game since making their AP Top 25 season debut this week. Their 6-0 Big Ten record is their best since joining the conference in 2014-15.

Rutgers used a 10-0 run to lead 54-40 with just under five minutes left when Purdue responded with a period-ending 14-0 run, tying the game on an Ae’rianna Harris basket underneath with 17 seconds left.

Karissa McLaughlin scored 18 points for the Boilermakers (13-6, 4-2).

Northwestern 75, No. 25 Indiana 69

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Lindsey Pulliam scored a season-high 27 points, Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah had the 30th double-double of her career and Northwestern defeated Indiana.

Veronica Burton hit five 3-pointers and contributed a career-high 19 points for the Wildcats (10-7, 3-3 Big Ten) and Kunaiyi-Akpanah had 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Burton had 16 points in the first half, hitting four 3s, to surpass her previous career high and stake Northwestern to a 37-26 lead. The Wildcats were 15 of 32 and the Hoosiers 9 of 30.

Ali Patberg had 22 for the Hoosiers (15-3, 4-2), who fell to 8-1 at home.