COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) Amarah Coleman and Kelly Campbell each scored 17 points and fifth-seeded DePaul held off a second-half comeback by Oklahoma for a 90-79 win on Friday in the opening round of the women’s NCAA Tournament.
Ashton Millender and Mart’e Grays both added 16 for the Blue Demons (27-7), which used 3-pointers to jump to an early lead that it never lost.
DePaul’s first four baskets came on 3-pointers, building a 15-7 led with Coleman hitting fallaway shots to open and close the run.
In the second half, DePaul held a 52-36 advantage but Maddie Manning cut the Blue Demons’ lead to 65-58, hitting a reverse layup, set up by Gileysa Penzo’s looping pass.
Guard Gabbi Ortiz sparked the Sooners‘ comeback. She was the only Oklahoma player to hit a 3-pointer, making four of seven from behind the line, but it provided a boost for the Sooners, who picked up their defensive play.
Ortiz scored 18. Center Vionise Pierre-Louis led Oklahoma (16-15) with 21.
The Sooners pulled off an impressive play to close the first quarter when Manning hit Shaina Pellington with a deep pass for a layup with a second remaining.
The outside shooting opened up paths to the basket. The Blue Demons took advantage with some crisp passing.
The Sooners got as close as 27-24 in the second quarter when LaNesia Williams hit consecutive 3s but a personal 7-0 run from Millender and a 3 from Tanita Allen forced an Oklahoma timeout when DePaul moved up, 36-24.
The Blue Demons, who did not shoot a first-half free throw, connected on 10 of 17 3-pointers in the opening half. The fast pace of the half forced Oklahoma post player Pierre-Louis to the bench. She was the Sooners’ go-to player in her 16 minutes on the floor in the opening half.
BIG PICTURE
DePaul connected on 12 of 24 shots from 3-point range, while Oklahoma hit four of 19 from behind the arc. … Oklahoma was one of the final teams in the tournament with a 16-14 record. It was the least amount of wins for an at-large team since 2005 when Purdue also had 16 victories. … These two teams played a thrilling 111-108 overtime game earlier this season.
UP NEXT
The Blue Demons advance to play the winner between Texas A&M and Drake in a game Sunday.