Sonia Citron scored 19 points to help No. 14 Notre Dame roll past No. 11 Virginia Tech 82-53 on Saturday in the semifinals of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament in Greensboro, N.C.
By beating the top-seeded Hokies (24-7), the No. 3-seed Irish (25-6) will play in the ACC Tournament final for the first time since 2019.
Maddy Westbeld added 18 points for Notre Dame, Anna DeWolfe scored 14, and ACC Freshman of the Year Hannah Hidalgo piled up 15 points, six assists and six rebounds.
“It was just one of our best performances I felt like this season,” Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey said. “Just the way that we’ve been gelling together and the energy they brought today.”
Georgia Amoore powered Virginia Tech with 24 points, while Olivia Summiel contributed a double-double of 10 points and 18 rebounds.
For the second straight game, the Hokies played without three-time ACC Player of the Year Elizabeth Kitley. Virginia Tech coach Kenny Brooks ruled her out of the conference tournament with a knee injury in the Hokies’ regular-season finale.
Virginia Tech coughed up six turnovers in the second quarter and trailed by 10 points at the break. The Irish started the third frame on a 19-2 run to pull away with a 52-25 lead.
Notre Dame forward Kylee Watson exited the game in the third quarter. She returned to the bench with crutches.
No. 9 UConn 86, Providence 53
Paige Bueckers scored 29 points to help the Huskies beat the Friars in the quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament at Uncasville, Conn.
Bueckers shot 5 of 10 from 3-point range and also had nine rebounds, six assists, three steals and three blocks for UConn (27-5). KK Arnold added 17 points, and Aaliyah Edwards scored 12 points in 24 minutes before exiting the game after getting hit in the face.
Grace Efosa paced Providence (13-20) with 23 points.
UConn trailed by four points early, then closed the first quarter on a 23-6 run. The Huskies won the rebounding margin 37-26.
Iowa State 67, No. 17 Baylor 62
Powered by Addy Brown and Audi Crooks, the No. 4-seed Cyclones topped the No. 5-seed Bears in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament at Kansas City, Mo.
Crooks scored 23 points for Iowa State (19-10) while Brown had 16 points and 12 rebounds. Senior guard Emily Ryan also had a double-double with 12 points and 10 assists, making her the Cyclones all-time leader in career assists.
Dre’una Edwards led Baylor (24-7) with 17 points off the bench, while Bella Fontleroy contributed 14 points.
Baylor led by six points with 3:34 to play after a long 3-pointer from Sarah Andrews before Iowa State closed the game on a 12-1 run.
–Field Level Media