There was joy for Tegan Graham and Kaylee Smiler as Brigham Young University (BYU) Cougars caused a major upset in the first round at the Women’s NCAA Tournament.
BYU defeated 6th seeded Rutgers University 69-66, piling in 26 fourth quarter points to overturn a seven points deficit at the three-quarter mark.
The 11th seeded BYU trailed by 12 in the third period but consecutive threes from Smiler and Graham gave the Cougars hope.
It would prove to be Smiler’s only shot of the game but Graham connected with three of four from long-range for her 9 points with the former Wellington Girls’ College standout also dishing a game high 5 assists.
Graham’s clutch three-pointer inside the last 90 seconds proved critical.
We are guaranteed Kiwi interest in the last 16 at the Big Dance as BYU will take on third seed Arizona Wildcats in the second round – Tara Manumaleuga had an assists for Arizona in their 79-44 thumping of Stony Brook.
Unfortunately Akiene-Tera Reed and Virginia Commonwealth University bowed out in the first round defeated 63-32 by #4 Indiana.
Reed grabbed a team high 9 rebounds but, like her teammates, couldn’t get a lot going at the offensive end finishing with just 3 points.
Reed finishes the season as the second leading scorer for VCU averaging 11.2ppg. Her 4-year career tally is an impressive 1,466 points in 111 games.
Two days after defeating Texas 53-52 in a thriller, Abilene Christian found the going a lot tougher against UCLA Bruins going down 67-47 at the Men’s NCAA Tournament.
Tobias Cameron came off the bench for 13 minutes to post 3 rebounds and 2 points as the Southland Conference Champions bowed out at the second hurdle.
In the Women’s National Invitational Tournament Regional Final Colorado University Buffaloes lost 65-56 to University of Mississippi.
Charlotte Whittaker, coming off a season best 15 points against Nebraska in the last round, was one of two Buffaloes in double figures scoring 11 points
Coming up:
Thursday
Women’s NCAA Tournament Second Round
BYU (Kaylee Smiler and Tegan Graham) v Arizona (Tara Manumaleuga)
Friday
Men’s NIT Quarter Final
Colorado State (James Moors) v North Carolina State
