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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, March 21, 2010

Baylor handles Fresno State


Associated Press

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Baylor's Kimetria Hayden drives past Fresno State's Emma Andrews in a first-round game.

BEN MARGOT | Associated Press

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BERKELEY, Calif. — Brittney Griner's intimidating presence inside more than made up for any early game jitters she had in her NCAA tournament debut.

Griner had 18 points and eight rebounds to lead fourth-seeded Baylor to a 69-55 victory over No. 13 Fresno State in a first-round game last night.

Griner had a low-key night in her second game back from a two-game suspension for punching an opponent. She blocked only two shots and had none of the dunks that made her an Internet sensation as a high schooler. But she still controlled the game with her presence inside, helping Baylor (24-9), of the Big 12, hold the Bulldogs to 34 percent shooting.

"I thought she did fine; first half a little bit nervous, but then I thought she did fine," Baylor coach Kim Mulkey said

Hayley Munro and Emma Andrews each scored 13 points to lead Fresno State (27-7), of the Western Athletic Conference.

No. 5 Georgetown 62, No. 12 Marist 42: Monica McNutt hit consecutive 3-pointers to start the second half and Georgetown (26-6) rolled to a victory over Marist (26-8) at Berkeley, Calif., to win the opener in its first NCAA tournament trip in 17 years. Georgetown put the game away by scoring the first 13 points of the second half to take a 15-point lead.

No. 1 Tennessee 75, No. 16 Austin Peay 42: Kelley Cain had 18 points and 12 rebounds as host Tennessee (31-2) beat Austin Peay (15-18) in the opening round. The Lady Vols, playing in their NCAA-record 29th first-round game, have advanced out of the opening weekend every season except last, when they lost, 71-55, to Ball State in the first round.

No. 8 Dayton 67, No. 9 TCU 66: Brittany Wilson scored just before the buzzer, and Dayton (25-7) rallied from an 18-point deficit to beat TCU (22-9) at Knoxville, Tenn. Patrice Lalor found Wilson inside with time running down, and Wilson hit the layup with 1.1 seconds left.

No. 2 Duke 72, No. 15 Hampton 37: Keturah Jackson scored a career-high 13 points to lead host Duke (28-5) past Hampton (20-12). The Blue Devils outscored Hampton 35-6 during the final 15:45 of the first half.

No. 7 LSU 60, No. 10 Hartford 39: LaSondra Barrett scored 20 points to help LSU (21-9) beat Hartford (27-5) at Durham, N.C. Courtney Jones and Allison Hightower each added 10 for the Tigers, who went on an early 17-0 run.

DAYTON REGIONAL

No. 6 St. John's 65, No. 11 Princeton 47: Da'Shena Stevens scored 19 points, Shenneika Smith added 13 and St. John's (25-6) ran away from Princeton (26-3) at Tallahassee, Fla. Nadirah McKenith and Centhya Hart each scored 10 for St. John's.

No. 3 Florida State 75, No. 14 Louisiana Tech 61: Jacinta Monroe and Courtney Ward each scored 16 points, and Florida State (27-5) beat Louisiana Tech (23-9) at Tallahassee, Fla. Louisiana Tech led by nine after 15 minutes, but shot just 5 of 30 after halftime.

KANSAS CITY REGIONAL

No. 4 Kentucky 83, No. 13 Liberty 77: A'dia Mathies scored a career-high 32 points to lead Kentucky (26-7) over Liberty (27-6) at Louisville, Ky. Victoria Dunlap added 15 points and eight rebounds for the Wildcats, who overcame an early nine-point deficit.

No. 5 Michigan State 72, No. 12 Bowling Green 62: Aisha Jefferson scored 17 points to lead Michigan State (23-9) past Bowling Green (27-7) at Louisville, Ky. Jasmine Thomas and Brittney Thomas added 11 points each for the Spartans.

SACRAMENTO REGIONAL

No. 2 Texas A&M 84, NO. 15 Portland State 53: Danielle Adams scored 23 points, Tanisha Smith added 17 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, and Texas A&M (26-7) ran away from Portland State (18-15) at Seattle. Adaora Elonu and Sydney Colson both added 13 points for the Aggies.

No. 7 Gonzaga 82, No. 10 North Carolina 76: Scoreless for 31 minutes, Tiffanie Shives had 14 of her 16 points in a crucial five-minute stretch of the second half and Gonzaga (28-4) beat North Carolina (19-12). Trailing 58-56, Shives broke a five-minute scoring drought for the Bulldogs with a baseline jumper with 8:59 left. She then hit four consecutive 3-pointers.

No. 4 Oklahoma State 70, No. 13 Chattanooga 63: Toni Young scored 16 of her career-high 22 points in the second half and Oklahoma State (24-10) rallied from an 18-point halftime deficit to beat Chattanooga (24-9) at Tempe, Ariz. Tegan Cunningham scored 25 points for Oklahoma State.

No. 5 Georgia 64, No. 12 Tulane 59: Ashley Houts scored 22 points and Angel Robinson had 18 points and 13 rebounds to lead Georgia (24-8) over Tulane (26-7) at Tempe, Ariz. The Lady Bulldogs broke it open with a late 18-2 run.

No. 8 Iowa 70, No. 9 Rutgers 63: Kamille Wahlin shook off a slow start and scored nine straight points in a 2 1/2-minute span late on the way to 15, and Iowa (20-13) beat Rutgers (19-15). Kachine Alexander had 18 points, eight rebounds and four assists for Iowa.

No. 1 Stanford 79, No. 16 UC Riverside 47: Nnemkadi Ogwumike had 19 points and 11 rebounds, and host Stanford (32-1) beat UC Riverside (17-16). Jeanette Pohlen added 16 points for the Cardinal.