Bridgeport, Conn. ? Texas made an emphatic statement in its first game back in the NCAA Tournament since 2005.
Brittainy Raven scored 19 points, and the eighth-seeded Longhorns (22-12) routed No. 9 seed Minnesota, 72-55, on Sunday.
Erneisha Bailey added 16 for Texas, which will play top-ranked Connecticut in the second round Tuesday. The Huskies beat Cornell, 87-41, earlier Sunday.
Emily Fox led Minnesota with 23 points, six above her season average. Leslie Knight added 12 for the Gophers, who finished the season 20-12.
Texas has won six of its last seven, the lone loss coming to Oklahoma State in the semifinals of the Big 12 tournament. The Big 12 is 8-0 so far in the NCAA Tournament.
Nebraska 61, Xavier 58
College Park, Md. – Nebraska led the entire game and by 15 in the second half, then held off a furious comeback by Xavier. Kelsey Griffin matched a season high with 26 points for the eighth-seeded Cornhuskers (21-11).
Oklahoma 69, Illinois St. 61
West Lafayette, Ind. – Fourth-seeded Oklahoma started the second half with a 13-0 run, then held off a late rally to beat No. 13 seed Illinois State.
Kansas State 69, Chattanooga 59
Bridgeport, Conn. – Little-used reserve Kelsey Nelson scored a career-high 20 points to help fifth-seeded Kansas State snap No. 12 Chattanooga’s 24-game win streak.
