Another Top Seed Takes Tumble

Women

First, it was Stanford, then it was Texas Tech.

The second round of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament isn’t even finished and already two No. 1 seeds are gone. And both lost on their home floor.

Notre Dame stunned top-seeded Texas Tech 74-59 Sunday night in Lubbock in a second-round Midwest Regional game. That happened after Harvard became the first 16th seed in either men’s or women’s play to win an NCAA game when it beat Stanford 71-67 late Saturday.

One No. 1 seed has made it to the regional semifinals, however. Old Dominion, the top seed in the East, beat Nebraska 75-60 in Norfolk, Va., on Sunday night.

Defending national champion Tennessee, the top seed in the Mideast, plays Western Kentucky in Knoxville tonight.

Ruth Riley scored all 23 of her points in the second half to lead Notre Dame (22-9). All-American Alicia Thompson led Texas Tech (26-5) with 17 points.

The night also had controversy. Second-seeded Alabama escaped with a 75-74 victory over seventh-seeded UCLA when the Crimson Tide inbounded with eight-tenths of a second left and the ball was tipped before LaToya Caudle banked in a shot from the top of the key at the buzzer.

UCLA coach Kathy Olivier claimed the clock never started and the shot thus was not in time.

East

At Norfolk, Va., Mery Andrade, who saved Old Dominion in the second round last year, did it again. Andrade sparked a 15-2 run that broke a 43-43 tie and put the second-ranked Lady Monarchs (29-2) in control on the way to a 75-60 win over Nebraska (23-10).

She finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds.

At Storrs, Conn., Connecticut (33-2) reached the round of 16 for the fifth straight year by taking advantage of George Washington’s (20-10) foul troubles for a 75-67 victory. Four GW players fouled out and UConn made 30 of 41 free throws.

At Raleigh, N.C., Chastity Melvin’s 19 points led five North Carolina State players in double figures as the 10th-ranked Wolfpack (23-6) advanced past the second round for the first time since 1995 with an 88-61 victory over Youngstown State (28-3).

At Tucson, Ariz., Adia Barnes had 30 points and Lisa Griffith scored 11 of her 17 points in the second half as No. 9 Arizona (23-6) withstood a rally to beat No. 17 Virginia (19-10) 94-77 and knock the Cavaliers out of the round of 16 for the first time in 12 years.

Mideast

At Chapel Hill, N.C., Tracy Reid became North Carolina’s career scoring leader with 17 points and the No. 7 Tar Heels (26-6) advanced to the regional semifinals for the fifth time in six years by beating No. 12 Florida International (29-2) 85-72.

Reid ran her career total to 2,160 points.

West

At Iowa City, Iowa, freshman Jennifer Jackson scored 15 points and Suzi Raymant added 13 as Kansas (23-8) beat Iowa (18-11) 62-58.

Midwest

At Tuscaloosa, Ala., Dominique Canty’s 28 points led Alabama (24-9) to a 75-74 win over UCLA (20-9).