The first day of the 2025 women’s NCAA Tournament is in the books. And so far, one Cinderella is part of the story, as No. 10-seed Oregon was the day’s only double-digit seed to advance, defeating No. 7-seed Vanderbilt in overtime, 77-73, after coughing up a 19-point second-half lead.
With Commodore stars Mikayla Blakes and Khamil Pierre fouling out in the extra period, the Ducks squeaked out the win. For the victors, Deja Kelly scored 20 points and grabbed eight boards, while Nani Falatea added 17 points.
Here’s a look at some of the other highlights from Thursday’s 16-game slate:
South Carolina wins by 60
No. 1 seeds are expected to dominate their first-round matchups against No. 16 seeds. But dominance does not accurately describe what South Carolina did to Tennessee Tech.
The defending-champion Gamecocks won by 60 points, 108-48, kicking off the afternoon with a 33-point first quarter before speeding past the century mark. The Gamecocks’ bench gang certainly did their thing, with Joyce Edwards leading the team with 22 points and MiLaysia Fulwiley and Tessa Johnson adding 15 and 11, respectively.
Notre Dame’s big win comes with a potential loss
No. 3-seed Notre Dame also earned an authoritative 48-point win over Stephen F. Austin, 106-54, a new program…
