Some surprises, while cream is rising to the top
For Maryland, the NCAA Tournament has looked and felt a lot like the Big Ten Tournament and the regular season.
They just keep on winning.
Kaila Charles scored 25 points as the Terrapins, the top seed in the Fort Wayne region, defeated eight seed Drake, 86-71 to advance to the Sweet 16.
“Kaila is somebody we can rely on each and every game,” Maryland coach Brenda Frese told High Post Hoops after the win. “And so to be able to have that consistency factor, and all four years for Kaila, all she’s done is win. And to be able to go into the NCAA tournament where you do have that blend of your senior roster, but you have some very impactful freshmen for us that are going through it for the first time. So she really settles us in. She’s that calming effect on the floor for us. She makes winning plays and just keeps everybody together to continue to keep making winning plays for us.”
They’ll face the four seed, Oregon State, who rode 16 points and eight assists from Destiny Slocum to defeat South Dakota, the five seed, 81-72.
The winner of that game will take on either Mississippi State or Louisville. The three seed Bulldogs got 16 points and five steals from Jordan Danberry in an 84-63 win over Ohio State, while two seed Louisville ended seven seed FGCU’s run, 84-63, thanks to 19 points and seven assists from Dana Evans.
In the Portland region, the avalanche that is the Oregon Ducks moved on, with Satou Sabally scoring 26 points and adding 11 rebounds in the top seed’s 94-58 win over Michigan, the nine seed. That sets up an all-Kelly Graves Sweet 16, against four seed and former Graves stomping grounds Gonzaga. The Zags got 18 points and 15 rebounds from Jenn Wirth in a 79-57 defeat of 12 seed Bucknell, ending the Bisons’ Cinderella run.
Speaking of Midnight, fourteen seed Southeast Missouri State saw its season come to an end, falling to six seed Texas A&M, 74-58. Chennedy Carter led the Aggies with 35 points. Carter will take on two seed UConn in the next round, after the Huskies beat seven seed TCU, 80-61 in Storrs.
SECOND ROUND RESULTS
FORT WAYNE REGION
1 Maryland 86, 8 Drake 71 Kaila Charles 25 points
4 Oregon State 81, 5 South Dakota 72 Destiny Slocum 16 points, 8 assists
3 Mississippi State 84, 6 Ohio State 63 Jordan Danberry 16 points, five steals
2 Louisville 73, 7 FGCU 65 Dana Evans 19 points, 7 assists
PORTLAND REGION
1 Oregon 94, 9 Michigan 58 Satou Sabally 26 points, 11 rebounds
4 Gonzaga 79, 12 Bucknell 57 Jenn Wirth 18 points, 15 rebounds
6 Texas A&M 74, 14 Southest Missouri State 58 Chennedy Carter 35 points
2 UConn 80, 7 TCU 61 Megan Walker 24 points, seven rebounds
SWEET 16 SCHEDULE
FORT WAYNE
1 Maryland vs. 4 Oregon State
2 Louisville vs. 3 Mississippi State
PORTLAND
1 Oregon vs. 4 Gonzaga
6 Texas A&M vs. 2 UConn
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