Saturday's Top 25 Women's Capsules

Jan 4, 2009 - 4:27 AM (12) TENNESSEE 55, (14) RUTGERS 50

PISCATAWAY, New Jersey (Ticker) - Shekinna Stricklen scored 16 points as 12th-ranked Tennessee rallied for a 55-50 victory over 14th-ranked Rutgers.

In giving legendary coach Pat Summitt her 994th career win, the Lady Vols (11-2) overcame a 33-13 halftime deficit.

Tennessee still trailed, 49-40, with under seven minutes remaining before using a 13-0 run to take the lead for good.

Epiphanny Prince scored 25 points to lead Rutgers (8-3), which had a 20-game home winning streak stopped.

(1) CONNECTICUT 76, LSU 63

HARTFORD, Connecticut (Ticker) -- Renee Montgomery scored 21 points as top-ranked Connecticut remained unbeaten with a 76-63 victory over Louisiana State.

Maya Moore added 17 points and Tina Charles 16 for the Huskies (13-0), who held a 35-30 halftime lead before gradually pulling away over the final 20 minutes.

Allison Hightower scored 14 points and Lasondra Barrett 13 for Louisiana State (6-5), which committed 16 turnovers.

(3) TEXAS A&M 78, GEORGE WASHINGTON 59

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (Ticker) -- Takia Starks scored 22 points and Danielle Gant added 17 and 10 rebounds as third-ranked Texas A&M matched the longest winning streak in school history with a 78-59 victory over George Washington.

The Aggies (12-0) scored the game's first nine points and never trailed, taking a 40-23 lead into the intermission.

George Washington (7-6), which committed 28 turnovers, never got closer than 13 during the second half.

Erica Rivera scored 13 points to pace the Colonials.

(4) TEXAS 82, LAMAR 45

AUSTIN, Texas (Ticker) -- Four days after suffering its first loss of the season, Texas recovered nicely, running away with an easy 82-45 triumph over Lamar.

The fourth-ranked Longhorns fell to San Diego State on Tuesday - one of the few times all season they have even been challenged. But they wouldn't let the same thing happen against the Lady Cardinals.

Texas (12-1) dominated in every facet, hitting a blistering 57 percent (29-of-51) of its shots and outrebounding Lamar, 35-17. Brittainey Raven led all scorers with 17 points and Erika Arriaran added 13, hitting 3-of-5 from the arc.

Lamar (8-4) was within five midway through the first half, but the Longhorns answered with seven straight points to take control for good.

(6) NOTRE DAME 66, SETON HALL 60

SOUTH ORANGE, New Jersey (Ticker) -- Ashley Barlow scored 14 points and Erica Solomon 13 as sixth-ranked Notre Dame posted a 66-60 victory over Seton Hall in the Big East opener for both teams.

Barlow made 5-of-9 shots from the floor and all four of her free throws to pace the Fighting Irish (12-1), who won their fifth straight game.

Ebonie Wiliams netted 18 points and Nicole Emery 15 for Seton Hall (11-2), which was unable to overcome a 29-23 halftime deficit.

(10) AUBURN 79, STEPHEN F. AUSTIN 56

AUBURN, Alabama (Ticker) -- It took just four minutes for 10th-ranked Auburn to take care of Stephen F. Austin - and go into its conference season with an unblemished record.

The Tigers scored the first 14 points of the game, including a pair of 3-pointers by sophomore guard Ali Smalley, to roll to a 79-56 victory over the Ladyjacks.

Stephen F. Austin finally got on the board as Tammara Marion connected from the arc, but the Tigers answered with back-to-back jumpers by Trevesha Jackson and Keke Carrier. Smalley finished off the 6-0 run with a layup to extend the lead to 20-3.

Senior guard Sherell Hobbs led Auburn (15-0) with 19 points, going 11-of-11 from the line and adding nine boards. DeWanna Bonner scored 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting.

Marion carried the Ladyjacks (5-7) with 19 points on 6-of-10 from the field.

(13) LOUISVILLE 78, DEPAUL 60

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (Ticker) -- Angel McCoughtry scored 25 points, leading 13th-ranked Louisville to a 78-60 victory over DePaul in the Big East Conference opener for both teams.

McCoughtry added eight rebounds and Candyce Bingham had 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Cardinals (14-1), who won their ninth straight game.

Deirdre Naughton scored 21 points and Natasha Williams had 19 points to pace DePaul (12-3).

(16) MARYLAND 83, RICHMOND 65

RICHMOND, Virginia (Ticker) -- It took until halfway through the second half, but Maryland finally woke up just in time to take a bit of momentum into its conference slate.

Less than a week away from their Atlantic Coast Conference opener, the 16th-ranked Terrapins fell behind early but erupted over the last 12 minutes of the second half en route to an 83-65 triumph over a frisky Richmond squad.

Maryland (12-2), which has won five in a row, scored the first nine points of the bizarre, back-and-forth contest then watched as Richmond staged a 13-0 run to pull ahead. The Terrapins finally began to establish themselves late.

Down by three with 12:27 remaining, they exploded for a 20-2 run to pull ahead for good at 72-57.

Kristi Tolliver led six Maryland players in double figures with 21 points on 9-of-16 shooting. DeMauria Liles added 12 points and 11 boards and Lynetta Kizer had 12 and 10.

Danielle Bell led the Spiders (11-3) with 17 points on the strength of four 3-pointers.

IOWA STATE 55, (19) VANDERBILT 51

AMES, Iowa (Ticker) -- Vanderbilt will go reeling into its conference season.

The 19th-ranked Commodores dropped their second game in a row, falling to Iowa State, 55-51.

Vanderbilt fell to Notre Dame on Tuesday and will begin Southeastern Conference play Thursday against Alabama.

The Cyclones (11-2) led by as many as 12 in the second half before the Commodores (11-4) began to march back. Jennifer Risper knocked down a pair of free throws with 52 seconds remaining to cut the deficit to three at 52-49.

But Alison Lacey answered the call on the other end for Iowa State, drawing contact and draining two foul shots of push the lead back to five. Christina Wirth hit a jumper with 10 seconds left to pull Vandy to within three, but that is as close as the Commodores could get.

Lacey led all players with 20 points and Heather Ezell added 18 for Iowa State. Jessica Mooney was the only Vanderbilt player to record double figures in scoring, finishing with 17 points on just 6-of-17 shooting.

(20) FLORIDA 74, OHIO 56

ATHENS, Ohio (Ticker) -- Jennifer Mossor scored 19 points and Sharielle Smith added 12 and 11 rebounds as 20th-ranked Florida rolled to its 14th consecutive victory, a 74-56 triumph over Ohio.

The Gators (14-1) held a 40-34 lead at the break but created some breathing room with a 9-0 run midway through the second half for a 62-49 bulge with 7:27 remaining. The Bobcats never cut the deficit to single digits the rest of the way.

Lauren Hmiel scored 20 points to lead Ohio (4-8), which shot 34 percent (23-of-68) from the field.

(21) SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 71, IPFW 48

FORT WAYNE, Indiana (Ticker) -- Jennifer Warkenthien had 18 points and seven rebounds as No. 21 South Dakota State cruised past Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne, 71-48.

Maria Boever chipped in 12 points for the Jackrabbits (14-1, 3-0 Summit), who jumped to a 31-15 halftime lead. South Dakota State never was threatened in the second half.

Chelsey Jackson scored 18 points to lead the Mastodons (2-10, 1-2), who have lost four straight games.

(23) OKLAHOMA STATE 85, TEXAS-PAN AMERICAN 36

STILLWATER, Oklahoma (Ticker) -- Tegan Cunningham scored 17 points and made five of No. 23 Oklahoma State's school-record 14 3-pointers as the Cowgirls rolled over Texas-Pan American, 85-36.

Shaunte' Smith and Andrea Riley each added 12 points for Oklahoma State (10-2), which forced 22 turnovers.

The Cowgirls held a 44-22 lead at the break and were equally as dominant in the second half as they cruised to their seventh straight win.

Epiphany Smith scored 15 points to lead the Broncos (8-8), who shot 27 percent (13-of-48) from the field.

(7) BAYLOR 95, TEXAS STATE 55

WACO, Texas (Ticker) -- Danielle Wilson scored 26 points and Morghan Medlock added 15 as No. 7 Baylor crushed Texas State, 95-55.

The Bears (12-1) dominated the first half, shooting 60 percent (21-of-35) from the field to take a 50-22 advantage at the break.

Ashley Cole scored 14 points to lead the Bobcats (6-6), who made 1-of-10 shots from the arc and committed 27 turnovers.

(18) KANSAS STATE 81, CENTRAL ARKANSAS 38

MANHATTAN, Kansas (Ticker) -- Ashley Sweat scored 15 points and Marlies Gipson chipped in 14 as 18th-ranked Kansas State jumped to an early lead and never looked back, cruising to an 81-38 victory over Central Arkansas.

The Wildcats (13-0) scored the game's first 19 points and rolled to a 46-14 advantage at the break.

Destinee Rogers scored 16 points to pace the Bears (3-9), who have lost six of their last seven.