College Park, Md. — Katie Lou Samuelson scored 17 of her 23 points in the second half, and top-ranked Connecticut held off No. 4 Maryland, 87-81, on Thursday night for its 87th consecutive victory.
Kia Nurse had 19 points and Gabby Williams fought through foul trouble to add 16 for the Huskies (12-0). They tied an NCAA women’s record with their 30th consecutive road win.
After taking a 36-31 lead at halftime, Connecticut opened the second half with a 14-0 run to seemingly take control. Nurse started and ended the spree with 3-pointers, and Samuelson had a four-point play.
N.C. State 70No. 2 Notre Dame 62
Raleigh, n.c. — Dominique Wilson scored 18 points to help North Carolina State upset Notre Dame, snapping the Fighting Irish’s 35-game winning streak against Atlantic Coast Conference opponents.
Miah Spencer added 17 points for the Wolfpack (11-3), who never trailed and led by 19 in the third quarter in the conference opener for both teams.
No. 7 Florida State 81No. 11 Miami 66
Coral Gables, Fla. — Imani Wright and Leticia Romero each scored 19 points and Florida State pulled away after halftime to beat Miami.
No. 8 Louisville 91No. 25 Syracuse 76
Louisville, Ky. — Asia Durr scored a career-high 36 points, including 18 during Louisville’s 36-point third quarter, and Mariya Moore had a triple double.
MenVermont 76, Siena 60
Albany, n.y. — Darren Payen tied a career high with 17 points on 7-for-9 shooting, Trae Bell-Haynes added 16 and Vermont used a second-half push to beat Siena.
No. 8 Kentucky 99Mississippi 76
Oxford, Miss. — Malik Monk scored 34 points, Isaiah Briscoe had a triple-double and No. 8 Kentucky bounced back impressively from a loss at Louisville with a victory over Mississippi in the SEC opener for both teams. Briscoe added 19 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds for the Wildcats (11-2), who led 60-41 at halftime and were never seriously threatened.
St. John’s 76No. 13 Butler 73
New York — Freshman guard Shamorie Ponds scored 26 points, including four free throws in the final 9.1 seconds, and St. John’s upset No. 13 Butler in the Big East opener for both teams at Carnesecca Arena.
The Red Storm (7-7, 1-0), coming off a 33-point win at Syracuse, stayed close with the Bulldogs (11-2, 0-1) and finally took a lead at 72-71 on a free throw by Malik Ellison with 14.1 seconds left.
St. John’s kept the ball on the second miss and Ponds was fouled. He made two free throws before Tyler Lewis of Butler did the same with 6.7 seconds left. Ponds added two more with 6.2 seconds to go. Kelan Martin of Butler let a shot go from halfcourt at the buzzer and it hit the rim.
Bashir Ahmed added 19 points for the Red Storm.
Tyler Wideman had 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting for the Bulldogs, and Martin scored 13.
No. 8 Kentucky bounces back, beats Mississippi 99-76
Eds: APNewsNow. No. 8 Kentucky 99, Louisville 76. With AP Photos.
