NC State routs Miami and Arizona tops Utah

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Elissa Cunane scored 13 of her 18 points during No. 4 North Carolina State’s explosive first quarter, and the Wolfpack beat Miami 78-47 on Sunday.

Kai Crutchfield added 14 points and Jakia Brown-Turner and Kayla Jones each had 10 points for N.C. State (8-0, 3-0 Atlantic Coast Conference).

Cunane, a junior center, hit three 3-pointers in a span of about 5 1/2 minutes of the first quarter. The Wolfpack led 31-11 after the first 10 minutes.

Kelsey Marshall scored 14 points to lead Miami (4-2, 1-2), which was playing its first road game.

No. 6 ARIZONA 77, UTAH 60

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Aari McDonald scored 19 points to lead Arizona to a victory over Utah.

McDonald, the NCAA career scoring leader among active players, also chipped in six rebounds and six assists in a strong all-around effort that kept the Wildcats (6-0, 5-0 Pac-12) undefeated. Cate Reese and Sam Thomas added 11 points apiece.

As a team, Arizona forced Utah to commit 22 turnovers and scored 29 points off those turnovers.

Niyah Becker scored 13 points to lead the Utes. Brynna Maxwell added 11 points. Peyton McFarland chipped in 10 points and 11 rebounds. The Utes (2-4, 1-4 Pac-12) shot just 38% from the floor.

No. 10 TEXAS A&M 57, RICE 53

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Aaliyah Wilson scored 16 points, including a key basket late, as Texas A&M outlasted Rice.

Nancy Mulkey made two free throws to get the Owls within 1 with less than a minute left. But Wilson made a jumper soon after that to make it 56-53 and Ciera Johnson added a free throw with 3 seconds left to secure the victory.

Jasmine Smith had 18 points to lead Rice (4-1) as the Owls lost for the first time this season.

The win is the eighth straight victory in the series for Texas A&M (8-0).

No. 13 MISSISSIPPI STATE 72, CENTRAL ARKANSAS 49

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Jessika Carter scored a career-high 29 points and grabbed 15 rebounds and Mississippi State rolled to a win over Central Arkansas.

Carter was 12-of-16 shooting.

The Bulldogs (5-1) had a 17-3 run in the first quarter, taking a 22-10 lead after Jalisa Outlaw knocked down a buzzer-beating 3-pointer for the Bears.

Then they limited the Bears to four points in the second quarter — all free throws — to open a 41-14 lead at the break. Central Arkansas was 0 for 12 from the field and then missed its first two shots of the third quarter.

Outlaw led Central Arkansas (2-6) with 19 points

No. 15 INDIANA 81, NEBRASKA 45

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Aleksa Gulbe scored 18 points with 12 rebounds and Indiana drubbed Nebraska in the Hoosiers’ Big Ten Conference opener.

Mackenzie Holmes scored 16 for the Hoosiers (3-2, 1-0) who scored almost half their points (38) on the inside.

Following a 13-9 first quarter, Indiana went on a 14-5 run in the first five minutes of the second. Gulbe buried a 3-pointer, recorded a three-point play and added a layup to start the run. Indiana went on to a 38-19 halftime lead and was never challenged in the second half.

The Hoosiers had a 61-35 rebounding advantage — 23 on the offensive end — and never trailed.

Isabelle Bourne scored 16 for Nebraska (3-2, 1-1) and Bella Cravens 12.

No. 18 SYRACUSE 83, BOSTON COLLEGE 70

CHESTNUT HILLS, Mass. (AP) — Freshman Kamilla Cardoso scored 24 points on 10-of-11 shooting and Syracuse defeated Boston College despite the absence of star point guard Tiana Mangakahia.

Mangakahia sat out with a left foot injury after getting hurt against Miami on Dec. 10, Mangakahia, who missed last season while being treated for breast cancer, was limited to three points in the loss to North Carolina on Thursday.

Kiara Lewis scored 20 points, 14 in the second half, with eight assists for Syracuse (5-1, 2-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) and Priscilla Williams added 14, 11 after the break.

Taylor Soule scored 20 points and Ford 19 with 12 rebounds for the Eagles (4-3, 0-3), who shot 30%.

No. 25 GONZAGA 77, EASTERN MICHIGAN 68

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Jenn Wirth had 18 points and 10 rebounds, Jill Townsend added 11 points and 10 rebounds, and No. 25 Gonzaga beat Eastern Michigan 77-68 in the opening day of the Holiday Hoops Classic.

Gonzaga advanced to face North Alabama in the championship on Monday. Eastern Michigan will play Tarleton in the consolation game.

Melody Kempton added 13 points and eight rebounds for the Bulldogs (4-2) and Kaylynne Truong made all four of her shots from the field, including a pair of 3-pointers, to score 11.

Jenna Annecchiarico had 27 points and JaBria Knight added 24 for the Eagles (3-3).

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