UConn into regional semis for 16th straight season

By DOUG FEINBERG,

STORRS, Conn. (AP) Connecticut steamrolled Florida to reach a familiar place - the NCAA regional semifinals.

The same thing couldn't be said for top-seeded Duke after the Blue Devils were bounced by Michigan State, marking only the second time since 1999 that all four No. 1 seeds didn't advance out of the second round.

The Blue Devils didn't make a field goal in the final 7:29 of a 63-49 loss to the Spartans, a night after No. 3 seeds North Carolina and Florida State, as well as No. 2 Auburn went down.

"The tournament's getting great," Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma said. "As much as everyone focuses on Connecticut. There are going to be some great stories coming out of the tournament. Ball State, Michigan State tonight. The tournament has just become an unbelievable event for these kids."

Renee Montgomery scored 25 points in her final home game and undefeated UConn beat eighth-seeded Florida 87-59 in the second round Tuesday night.

The Huskies (35-0) advanced to the regional semis for the 16th straight season and will play fourth-seeded California on Sunday.

Even though they get to this point practically every season, the Huskies don't take their success for granted.

"We know we're not entitled to make it to the Sweet 16 or Elite Eight," Montgomery said. "I'm just ready to go to Trenton."

This is the fourth time that UConn has been undefeated while playing in the NCAA tournament. Connecticut went on to win the national championship in 1995 and 2002. In 1996-97, the Huskies lost to Tennessee in the regional finals.

Tina Charles followed up her 32-point effort in the first round with 22 against Florida. She also had 10 rebounds for her 11th double-double this season.

Maya Moore added 22 points and 14 rebounds for her 16th double-double of the season.

Marshae Dotson scored 22 to lead Florida (24-8).

With her No. 20 hanging in Gampel Pavilion, Montgomery started her 136th straight game to break the school record she shared with Jen Rizzotti.

The senior guard is hoping to cap her storied career with UConn's sixth national championship. Besides Kerry Bascom, Montgomery is the only honoree of the 11 who hasn't won an NCAA title.

She left the game to a long standing ovation from the crowd with 6:23 left and UConn up by 36.

"I was trying to take it all in," Montgomery said. "I was trying to take it all in. It was my last game here. It was a blessing to play an extra game here. It's not going to be like this ever again."

Berkeley Regional

Michigan State 63, Duke 49

At East Lansing, Mich., Mia Johnson scored 17 points and Lauren Aitch had 15, lifting ninth-seeded Michigan State past top-seeded Duke and former coach Joanne P. McCallie.

Michigan State (22-10) will face Iowa State on Saturday in the semifinals of the Berkeley Regional.

Jasmine Thomas had 14 points for Duke (27-6).

Iowa St. 71, Ball St. 57

At Bowling Green, Ky., Nicky Wieben scored 18 points as fourth-seeded Iowa State advanced to the regional semifinals for the first time in eight years.

Kelsey Bolte added 16 points and seven rebounds and Amanda Nisleit had 14 points and 10 boards for the Cyclones (26-8).

Porchia Green scored 18 points for the Cardinals (26-9), who shocked two-time defending champion Tennessee in the first round.

Trenton Regional

Texas A&M 73, Minnesota 42

At South Bend, Ind., Sydney Colson had six of Texas A&M's season-best 20 steals and the Aggies forced a season-high 32 turnovers to advance to their second straight regional semifinal.

Danielle Gant led Texas A&M (27-7) with 20 points on 9-for-12 shooting, Takia Starks added 17 and Colson had 13. The Aggies will play sixth-seeded Arizona State (25-8) on Sunday.

Ashley Ellis-Milan scored 15 points to lead the Gophers (20-12).

Raleigh Regional

Maryland 71, Utah 56

At College Park, Md., Marissa Coleman had 18 points and a career-high 18 rebounds, Kristi Toliver scored 17, and the top-seeded Terrapins advanced to the regional semifinals.

The Terps (30-4) won their 35th straight at home and will next play Vanderbilt (26-8), which lost to Maryland in the third round last year.

Kalee Whipple scored 24 and Morgan Warburton had 17 for Utah (23-10).

Baylor 60, South Dakota State 58

At Lubbock, Texas, Kelli Griffin hit a floater from outside the lane with 0.5 seconds remaining to lift second-seeded Baylor into the regional semifinals.

Griffin scored 21 points to lead Baylor (29-5), which rallied from 14 points down in the first half. The Bears, making their fourth trip to the round of 16, will face Louisville on Saturday.

Baylor also had coach Kim Mulkey back on the sideline after she missed the Bears' first-round win Sunday when she was hospitalized because of a reaction to medication.

Jennifer Warkenthien scored 18 points to lead the Jackrabbits (32-3).

Louisville 62, LSU 52

At Baton Rouge, La., Angel McCoughtry scored 28 points and Louisville advance to its second straight regional semifinal.

Candyce Bingham added 17 points for the third-seeded Cardinals (31-4), who ended sixth-seeded LSU's bid to reach an unprecedented sixth-straight Final Four.

Allison Hightower scored 21 for the Lady Tigers (19-11), who saw their streak of NCAA tournament victories on their home floor snapped at 12.

Oklahoma City Regional

Oklahoma 69, Georgia Tech 50

At Iowa City, Iowa, Danielle Robinson had 17 points and seven assists, Whitney Hand added 15 points and the top-seeded Sooners advanced to the regional semifinals.

Courtney Paris finished with nine points, 10 rebounds and six blocks - missing out on a double-double for just the eighth time in 134 career games - but she had three quick blocks early in the second half to key a 27-11 run by Oklahoma (30-4).

Oklahoma faces fourth-seeded Pittsburgh on Sunday.

Deja Foster had 15 to lead Georgia Tech (22-10).

Updated March 25, 2009