Duke nearly became the first significant upset victim of the women’s NCAA Tournament on Friday.
Redshirt freshman guard Rebecca Greenwell hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 14.9 seconds left and the Blue Devils escaped the first round of the Spokane Region with a 54-52 victory.
Greenwell scored 20 points for fourth-seeded Duke, which won its NCAA Tournament opener for the 22nd straight time despite committing a season-high 27 turnovers.
After Greenwell’s 3-pointer gave the Blue Devils a 53-52 lead, Albany guard Imani Tate missed a layup with eight seconds left and forward Azura Stevens hit a free three with 6.4 seconds left for Duke. Albany had one more chance, but guard Erin Coughlin’s 3-pointer hit the back of the rim at the buzzer.
Tate scored 17 points and forward Shereesha Richards added 12 for the Great Danes, who were bidding to become the second No. 13 seed to win an NCAA Tournament game.
Elizabeth Williams had 12 rebounds and Amber Henson added 10 for Duke, which faces fifth-seeded Mississippi State on Sunday in the second round.
Duke is coached by former University of Maine women’s basketball coach Joanne Palombo McCallie.
Baylor 77, Northwestern St. 36
Forward Nina Davis scored 17 points and second-seeded Baylor rolled past Northwestern State in the first round of the Oklahoma City Regional.
Guard Alexis Prince added 14 points for Baylor, which took control early in the second half and will face Arkansas on Sunday for a seventh straight trip to the Sweet 16.
Guard Janelle Perez scored 10 points for Northwestern State.
Kentucky 97, Tennessee St. 52
Guard Linnae Harper led six players in double figures with 16 points and second-seeded Louisville routed Tennessee State in the first round of the Albany Regional.
Forward Alexis Jennings added 15 points for Kentucky, which turned the game into a rout with a 16-0 run early in the first half.
Guard Brianna Lawrence led Tennessee State with 16 points.
Iowa 75, American 67
Guard Ally Disterhoft scored 18 points and fifth-seeded Iowa withstood a late comeback by American in the first round of the Oklahoma City Regional.
Freshman Whitney Jennings added 16 points and Melissa Dixon contributed 15 for the Hawkeyes, who face No. 11 Miami in the second round on Sunday.
Guard Jen Dumiak totaled 23 and nine assists for American.
Mississippi St. 57, Tulane 47
Forward Breanna Richardson collected 15 points and 12 rebounds and fifth-seeded Mississippi State beat Tulane in the first round of the Spokane Regional.
Guard Morgan William added 14 points for the Bulldogs, who shot 48 percent from the field in the second half and will face Duke in the second round. Richardson scored 11 points during a decisive 22-2 run for Mississippi State, which has not lost in the first round since 1999.
Freshman guard Kolby Morgan scored 17 points for Tulane.
Miami 86, Washington 80
Guard Adrienne Motley hit the go-ahead jumper and scored 30 points as 11th-seeded Miami upset Washington in the first round of the Oklahoma City Regional.
Jessica Thomas added 19 points and Michelle Woods contributed 17 for Miami, which made 7 of 12 3-pointers. The Hurricanes will face third-seeded Iowa in the second round on Sunday.
Guard Kelsey Plum and forward Talia Walton scored 17 points apiece for Washington.
Arkansas 57, Northwestern 55
Forward Jessica Jackson hit the go-ahead free throw with 30 seconds left and 10th-seeded Arkansas rallied from a 13-point deficit in the first round of the Oklahoma City Regional.
Guard Kelsey Brooks scored 15 points for Arkansas, which grabbed 20 offensive rebounds and will face Baylor in the second round on Sunday.
Ashley Deary and Alex Cohen scored 13 points apiece for Northwestern, which was in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1997.
Dayton 78, Iowa St. 66
Guard Andrea Hoover scored 20 points and seventh-seeded Dayton beat Iowa State in the first round of the Albany Regional.
Forward Ally Malott collected 18 points and 12 rebounds for Dayton, which shot 48 percent from the field and will face Kentucky in the second round on Sunday.
Guard Nikki Moody scored 17 points for Iowa State.
South Carolina 81, Savannah State 48
Guard A’ja Wilson scored 15 points and top-seeded South Carolina routed Savannah State in the first round of the Greensboro Regional.
Center Alaina Coates and forward Aleighsa Welch added 12 points apiece for the Gamecocks.
Oregon State 74, S. Dakota St. 62
Guard Sydney Wiese hit five 3-pointers and scored 23 points and third-seeded Oregon State beat South Dakota State in the first round of the Corvalis Regional.
Center Ruth Hamblin added 17 and guard Ali Gibson added 16 for Oregon State, which faces Gonzaga in the second round on Sunday.
Guards Macy Miller and Megan Waytashek scored 14 points apiece for South Dakota State.
Texas 66, W. Kentucky 64
Guard Brook McCarty hit the tiebreaking free throws with 21 seconds remaining as fifth-seeded Texas held off Western Kentucky in the first round of the Albany Regional.
Imani McGee-Stafford scored 24 points for Texas, which overcame a six-point deficit in the final six minutes. The Longhorns shot 47.5 percent, committed 19 turnovers and will face California in the second round on Sunday.
Forwards Chastity Gooch and Alexis Govan scored 25 and and 20 points respectively for Western Kentucky.
DePaul 79, Minnesota 72
Guard Megan Podkowa scored 23 points and ninth-seeded DePaul stormed back from a 15-point deficit to beat Minnesota in the first round of the Oklahoma City Regional.
DePaul missed 20 of its first 22 3-pointers but consecutive 3-pointers by Podkowa sparked the comeback. Chanise Jenkins added 16 points for DePaul, which will face Notre Dame in the second round on Sunday.
Center Amanda Zahui B. led Minnesota with 21 points and 22 rebounds, which were one shy of matching the NCAA tournament record.
Notre Dame 77, Montana 43
Guard Jewell Loyd scored 18 points and top-seeded Notre Dame routed Montana in the first round of the Oklahoma City Regional.
Forward Brianna Turner added 12 for Notre Dame, which shot 62 percent and will face DePaul in the second round on Sunday.
Montana shot 31 percent, including 2-of-21 from 3-point range and did not have a double figure scorer.
California 78, Wichita St. 66
Forward Reshanda Grey totaled 22 points and nine rebounds as fourth-seeded California beat Wichita State in the first round of the Albany Regional.
Guard Mercedes Jefflo added 14 for California, which faces Texas in the second round on Sunday.
Guard Alex Harden scored 22 points for Wichita State.
Gonzaga 82, G. Washington 69
Forward Sunny Greinacher and guard Keani Albanez scored 19 points apiece and Gonzaga defeated George Washington in the first round of the Spokane Regional.
Guard Georgia Stirton added 11 and center Emma Wolfram contributed 10 for the Bulldogs, who will face Oregon State in the second round on Sunday.
Guard Hannah Schaible and forward Kelly Prange scored 13 points apiece for George Washington.
Syracuse 72, Nebraska 69
Forward Brianna Butler had the go-ahead basket with 58.7 seconds left, lifting eighth-seeded Syracuse past Nebraska in the first round of the Greensboro Regional.
Guard Alexis Peterson led the Orange with 24 points and Butler added 17 despite going 1-of-9 from 3-point range. Guard Cornelia Fondren contributed 18 for Syracuse, which will face top-seeded South Carolina in the second round on Sunday.