Women’s Top 25 roundup: No. 5 LSU hits triple digits again

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Fifth-ranked LSU continued its run of triple-digit-scoring games to open the season, hitting the century mark for the sixth consecutive time with a 112-49 rout of visiting Alcorn State in Baton Rouge, La., on Thursday night.

Flau’jae Johnson and MiLaysia Fulwiley led the latest onslaught for LSU (6-0), each scoring 18 points. The duo paced five Tigers scorers in double figures, including Kate Koval, who posted a 15-point, 12-rebound double-double off the bench.

Fulwiley knocked down a 3-pointer at the first-quarter buzzer, part of a 27-5 run that lasted into the second quarter.

The Lady Braves (2-3) got 16 points from Nakia Cheatham but were dominated in every aspect. They had 16 rebounds to LSU’s 50, shot half as many free throws (12) as the Tigers made (24 of 30) and turned the ball over 31 times.

No. 9 Maryland 95, Bethune-Cookman 49

Eight Terrapins scored at least seven points and every player who saw the floor for Maryland scored in a 95-49 rout of Bethune-Cookman in College Park, Md.

Kyndal Walker, Oluchi Okananwa and Kaylene Smikle led the balanced scoring effort for Maryland (6-0) with 13 points each. Yarden Garzon added 12 points and Breanna Williams came off the bench for another 12 points with a game-high eight rebounds.

The Terps held the Wildcats (1-4) scoreless for the game’s first 6:33, building a 20-point lead in the process. Jordan Brooks was the only Wildcat to score in double-figures, finishing with 13 points off the bench thanks to hitting all three of her 3-point shots.

10 TCU 80, Tarleton State 32

Marta Suarez scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and the Horned Frogs smothered the visting Texans in Fort Worth, Texas.

TCU (5-0) held Tarleton State (2-4) to 9-of-58 shooting — 2 of 18 from 3-point range. The Texans’ total number of turnovers, 22, exceeded their field-goal percentage of 16.

Olivia Miles added 18 points and contributed to the Horned Frogs’ stout defensive effort with four steals while Donovyn Hunter added 10 points.

No. 12 Iowa State 87, Drake 60

Addy Brown recorded a 12-point, 15-rebound double-double, Audi Crooks scored 22 points, and the Cyclones rolled past the Bulldogs in Des Moines, Iowa.

Iowa State (6-0) scored the game’s first 16 points, immediately quashing any hope that Drake had of scoring the home upset.

The Bulldogs (1-3) had no answer for Crooks, who shot 7 of 11 from the floor while Brown excelled in all phases, flirting with a triple-double at seven assists. Six Iowa State players scored in double figures.

No. 14 North Carolina 85, North Carolina A&T 50

Indya Nivar’s 14-point, 10-rebound effort led the Tar Heels to a dominating win over the Aggies in Greensboro, N.C.

After a sluggish first quarter, leading just 14-8 through 10 minutes, the Tar Heels (4-1) erupted for 29 second-quarter points. North Carolina put the game away in the third quarter, holding the Aggies (2-4) scoreless for a stretch lasting almost five minutes.

Four Tar Heels scored in double figures, including Nyla Brooks, who knocked down four 3-pointers en route to 14 points off the bench.

No. 15 Tennessee 85, Middle Tennessee 41

The Lady Volunteers’ game-opening 16-0 run set the tone and Tennessee cruised from there, more than doubling-up the Blue Raiders’ scoring Murfreesboro, Tenn.

The Lady Vols (4-1) did not allow a point for the first 5:32 — and did not surrender a 2-point field goal until almost nine minutes into the contest. Middle Tennessee (2-3) scored its first two successful baskets from beyond the arc on Savannah Davis and Kirston Verhulst 3-pointers.

The Blue Raiders were not far behind the Lady Vols from deep for the game, going 6 of 21 to Tennessee’s 8 of 34. However, the Lady Vols were 25 of 36 from inside the arc, including Deniya Prawl’s 6 of 7 off the bench.

Prowl finished with 15 points as one of four Tennessee scorers in double figures.

No. 22 Michigan State 101, Eastern Illinois 53

Grace VanSlooten and Juliann Woodard each scored 17 points as the Spartans shook off the Panthers after a competitive first quarter to cruise to victory in East Lansing, Mich.

The Spartans (5-0) held just a three-point lead in the final minute of the first quarter, but Emma Shumate’s 3-pointer began a 23-5 run that lasted well into the second quarter.

After giving up 19 first-quarter points, Michigan State allowed just 34 the rest of the way to drop Eastern Illinois to 0-4. The Spartans forced 27 turnovers, which included four steals each from VanSlooten and Theryn Hallock.

No. 23 West Virginia 80, Appalachian State 51

Gia Cooke scored 19 points and Kierra Wheeler added 15 to go along with five rebounds and five steals to lift West Virginia to an easy win in a matchup of Mountaineers in Morgantown, W. Va.

Jordan Thomas had 10 points for West Virginia (5-0), which has won each of its last 21 home games — including all four this season.

West Virginia shot a robust 56.3% from the floor and benefited from 17 steals to hand Appalachian State (3-2) its second loss in three games.

–Field Level Media