Weekly NCAA Top 25 Recap!

Ohio State hands Marylands a defeat for the second time this season (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

What a great weekend for college basketball! Although there weren’t many upsets, this weekend was full of top 25 matchups. The SEC was a dangerous place to play once again and the Pac 12 proved to be a tough league as well. The top 25 has been very fluid this year, but this is a testament to the strength of the teams between #15 and #35.

Thursday South Carolina faced the challenge of #18 Kentucky in a warmup for Monday’s battle with UConn. South Carolina’s Alaina Coates scored 27 and looked primed for the UConn matchup. Florida upset the previously hot Texas A&M. Also in SEC play, Missouri dropped another to Georgia.

Friday saw multiple Top 25 battles. Specifically in the Pac 12, both Top 10 teams; Arizona State and Oregon State, held off conference opponents. Kelsey Plum was unstoppable for Oregon State scoring 30 of the teams 61 points.

On Saturday, Texas and Baylor dominated Big 12 play once again. UConn easily defeated ECU in preparation of their matchup with South Carolina. In the AAC, Temple moved ahead of South Florida, knocking them off 68-66.

Sunday was the busy day this weekend with 13 Top 25 teams in action. All higher seeds won, but multiple games came down to the wire. With Texas A&M trailing by 11 after the 3rd period, the Aggies outscored the Vols 21-10 to send the game to overtime where Texas A&M took care of business winning 76-71. Undefeated in conference play, Louisville and Notre Dame played a great game to the wire as well. Louisville couldn’t stop a 6 point run by Brianna Turner early in the 4th period to turn the tables for the Fighting Irish. #3 Notre Dame still only has the one UConn loss on its record.

Arizona State had a scare from USC Sunday. With 1 minute left in the game USC led 66-62 and Arizona State called a timeout, but the Sun Devils were not ready to call the game over. Out of the timeout Dornstauder hit a jumper closing the gap to 2, then after a turnover Moos made a layup to knot the game at 66 apiece. After a USC timeout Fagbenle made a jumper with just 5 seconds remaining, putting the Trojans back on top. Arizona State Head Coach Charli Turner Thorne called a timeout to advance the ball and take one last shot to win the game. Turner Thorne didn’t do much of the talking during the timeout though. She said in her postgame interview that the girls led the conversation, saying: "(Davis) was like, `I'll get her the ball, I'm passing it in.' Kelsey (Moos) was like, "Sophie's curling and I'm screening for her," Turner Throne said "They were actually designing who was where on the final play to win the game. I was actually just smiling and saying, `OK." Sure enough, Davis passed the ball into Brunner who got an open lane to the basket off the screen set by Moos and was fouled on the play for a three point play, sending her to the line with 1.9 seconds left in the game. Brunner hit the free throw and gave Arizona State the 69-68 win.

Thursday

#2 South Carolina 78, #18 Kentucky 68 – Alaina Coates 27 pts, 13 reb

#3 Notre Dame 82, NC State 46 – Madison Cable 25 pts, 7 reb

#7 Ohio State 87, Wisconsin 61 – Shayla Cooper 16 pts, 10 reb

#11 Mississippi State 71, LSU 52 – Victoria Vivians 14 pts, 9 reb

#22 Florida 83, #12 Texas A&M 81– Ronni Williams 20 pts, 15 reb

#13 Louisville 78, North Carolina 60 – Asia Durr 21 pts, 8 reb

#16 Miami 67, Boston College 62 – Jessica Thomas 14 pts

Georgia 65, #21 Missouri 50 – Marjorie Butler 16 pts

#23 Tennessee 75, Arkansas 57 – Mercedes Russell 15 pts, 11 reb

Friday

#5 Maryland 85, #17 Michigan State 76 – Shatori Walker-Kimbrough 30 pts