Top 25 Capsules
STANFORD, Calif. (AP) — Kiana Williams had 14 points and three assists playing 18 minutes, leading No. 7 Stanford past cold-shooting UC Davis 71-43 on Wednesday night in both teams' season opener.
Williams, Stanford's sophomore point guard who averaged 10.4 points last season, drove for two early layins while leading an up-tempo Stanford offense that struggled to consistently make shots but overmatched the Aggies to pull away in the second half after building a 12-point halftime lead.
Alanna Smith added 16 points in 15 minutes of action for Stanford as Hall of Famer Tara VanDerveer began her 33rd season coaching the Cardinal.
UC Davis senior Morgan Bertsch scored 16 points with five rebounds but had six turnovers for the two-time defending Big West Conference champion Aggies
No. 17 NORTH CAROLINA STATE 77, BELMONT 62
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Grace Hunter scored 16 points, Kai Crutchfield added 15 and North Carolina State used a big run in the fourth quarter to defeat Belmont.
The Wolfpack, who have won 16 straight openers, led 55-52 after three quarters and twice swapped baskets with the Bruins before Hunter knocked down a jumper. Crutchfield followed with a 3-pointer and another jumper before Aislinn Konig drilled a 3. The same trio scored the next eight points with Hunter finishing the 18-0 surge for a 77-56 lead with 2:54 to play.
Belmont, which went 31-4 and won the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament for the third straight year to make the NCAA Tournament, missed seven shots and had three turnovers during the more than five-minute drought.
Jenny Roy had 14 points and Ellie Harmeyer and Darby Maggard 13 each for Belmont.
No. 20 TEXAS A&M 65, RICE 54
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Chennedy Carter scored 22 points, Aaliyah Wilson and Kayla Wells combined for 34 and Texas A&M defeated Rice in the season opener for both teams.
Carter, last season's national freshman of the year, opened the scoring with a tip-in and scored the last four points from the foul line in a 13-1 start. The Owls opened the scoring in the second quarter to make an 8-0 run that pulled them within four but Carter scored the first six of an 8-0 answer.
Carter had 14 points and Wilson scored 11 of her 18 points in the first half that ended with the Aggies on top 28-18. Rice got back within three with 2½ minutes left in the third quarter, but Carter and Wells, who had 16 points, scored the final six points for some separation. A&M made 7 of 8 free throws in the fourth quarter to preserve the win.
Erica Ogwumike led the Owls with 12 points.