NCAA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT : Roundup : Western Kentucky and Ohio State Win at Home

Senior forward Lillie Mason scored 27 points and grabbed six rebounds to lead fifth-ranked Western Kentucky to a 74-65 victory over St. Joseph’s Sunday in the second round of the womens’ NCAA East Regional at Bowling Green, Ky.

Western Kentucky (30-3) will play James Madison Thursday in the Mideast semifinals in Philadelphia.

The Lady Hilltoppers held a 32-26 edge at the half, and the Hawks (22-7) twice closed the gap to four points in the second half.

Western Kentucky kicked its lead up to 72-59 with 1:08 left.

Western shot 67.4% from the field, making on 29 of 43 shots.

Teresa Carmichael had 19 points and 12 rebounds for St. Joseph’s, while Terri Mohr added 16 points. Clemette Haskins had 24 points for Western.

Ohio State 87, Maryland 71--Freshman Nikita Lowry scored 26 points and the No. 13 Buckeyes shook off the Lady Terrapins in the second round of the NCAA Mideast Regional tournament at Columbus, Ohio.

Maryland (17-13) had a 44-38 halftime lead and was within 69-67 with 4:25 left, but the Terrapins ran into foul trouble. Three Maryland players fouled out.

Jodi Roth had 16 points for the Buckeyes (23-6), who also got 13 points apiece from Toni Roesch and Geneva Sanford.

Deana Tate scored 22 points for the Terrapins and Chequita Wood had 16.

Ohio State goes on to Iowa City to play LSU in the Mideast semifinals.

Oklahoma 86, Vanderbilt 67--LaTrenda Phillips scored 21 points to lead the 19th-ranked Sooners to an easy victory over the Lady Commodores in a second round Midwest Regional game at Norman, Okla.

The Sooners (24-6) will play top-seeded and No. 1-ranked Texas Thursday night in Austin in Midwest Regional semifinals.

Oklahoma had only a three-point lead at halftime and outscored the Lady Commodores, 8-2, in the first two minutes of the second half start the rout. The lead eventually reached 20 points.

Viki Streets added 18 and Vickie Green had 16 for the Sooners. Jackie Cowan had 18 for Vanderbilt.

Tennessee 73, Iowa 68--Bridgette Gordon came off the bench to score 20 points and lead the Lady Volunteers past the Hawkeyes in a second round game of the Mideast Regional at Knoxville, Ky.

The victory moves the Lady Volunteers (22-9) to a March 20 meeting with Georgia at Iowa City.

never really threatened again.

Michele Edwards had 20 points and seven rebounds for Iowa. Carla Horton added 18 points for Tennessee and Shelia Frost had 17 rebounds.

LSU 78, Middle Tennessee State 65--Bonita Branch scored 22 points and Lesa Thornton added 21 as the Lady Tigers turned back the Lady Raiders in a second round Mideast Regional game at Baton Rogue, La.

Middle Tennessee’s Kim Webb, who scored 18 points, gave her team its only lead of the game on a jump shot with 1:24 to go in the first half, putting the Lady Raiders (20-10) ahead, 28-27.

LSU (26-5) regained the lead, 34-28, at halftime and coasted in the second half, twice building margins of 19 points.