LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Asia Taylor scored 23 points and No. 5 Louisville held No. 14 LSU scoreless for 5:35 during a 21-0 second-half run en route to an 88-67 rout of the Tigers in Thursday night's semifinal of the preseason WNIT.
Leading 40-38 early in the second half, the Cardinals (3-0) used that run to build an 81-54 lead in a game that figured to be a tough early test for both teams.
Louisville shot 61 percent in the second half while holding LSU (2-1) to just 10 of 32 in the final 20 minutes and 25 of 67 overall.
Taylor was 10 of 16 from the field and grabbed 10 rebounds in just her third game after missing last season with a hip injury.
Louisville finished 37 of 64 from the field, outrebounded LSU 45-33 and dominated the paint 54-26 thanks to quickness that frequently beat the bigger Tigers featuring 6-foot-5 post player Theresa Plaisance.
Plaisance and Raigyne Moncrief scored 13 points each for the Tigers and Jeanne Kenney added 11.
No. 2 Duke beats SC-Upstate 123-40
DURHAM, N.C. -- Tricia Liston scored 20 points and Haley Peters had 17 points and a career-high 20 rebounds as No. 2 Duke beat South Carolina-Upstate 123-40 on Thursday night.
Elizabeth Williams had 17 points for Duke (2-0), while Alexis Jones and Chelsea Gray added 14 each and Chloe Wells had 10 in its home opener.
Maddie Herr had 10 points to lead Upstate (2-2).
Duke's scoring record was 128 points against Howard on Dec. 6, 2002, and the record for margin of victory was 89 in a 117-28 win against North Carolina Central on Dec. 28, 1009.
Duke shot 56.8 percent from the field while the Spartans' shot 20.7 percent. The Blue Devils finished with a 63-24 rebound advantage.
The Blue Devils led 60-18 at halftime behind 11 points from Williams and 10 from Gray. Duke, which had runs of 17 points and two of 16 in the half, shot 52.5 percent to the Spartans' 21.4 and had 33 rebounds to Upstate's 10.
No. 4 Tennessee beats Chattanooga 80-56
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Ariel Massengale scored 16 points and No. 4 Tennessee beat Chattanooga 80-56 on Thursday night in the Lady Vols' home opener.
After a low-energy first half, Tennessee (3-0) went into the paint to start the second and drew three quick fouls by Chattanooga (1-1). Massengale opened the half with a quick 3-pointer and four free throws during a 12-2 run that put the Lady Vols up 44-34 with 16:59 left.
A minute later, Meighan Simmons wrestled the ball from the hands of Taylor Hall and dished it to Bashaara Graves, whose layup pushed the lead to 48-36. Massengale hit another 3 and Jasmine Jones made a layup for Tennessee, and the Lady Mocs never recovered.
Mercedes Russell added 15 points for the Lady Vols, while Graves scored 11 and Simmons had 10.
Ashlen Dewart led Chattanooga with 13 points, Hall scored 12 and Meghan Downes had 11.
Early in the game, Chattanooga appeared poised for a second consecutive upset of its in-state rival. The Lady Mocs opened the season with an 80-71 victory on their home court, spoiling Holly Warlick's first game as Tennessee head coach and ending their 19-game losing streak in the series.
No. 9 Baylor beats Nicholls State 111-58
WACO, Texas -- Freshman Nina Davis had 28 points and 11 rebounds in her first career start and No. 9 Baylor beat Nicholls State 111-58 on Thursday night to extend the nation's longest active home winning streak to 59.
Odyssey Sims had four 3-pointers and 23 points without playing the final 10 minutes for the Lady Bears (2-0). Sims, a preseason All-America guard and the only returning starter, had five rebounds, five assists and one turnover while playing 27 minutes.
Baylor has scored at least 110 points in both games in its first season after the departure of 6-foot-8 Brittney Griner, the two-time AP Player of the Year, and three other senior starters. The Lady Bears last had consecutive 100-point games in December 2006.
Mariana Lilly had 14 points to lead the Colonels (1-1), while Emani White, who fouled out with 7 minutes to play, had 12.
Khadijiah Cave, another freshman, had 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Lady Bears. Freshman Imani Wright had 15 points.
No. 19 Michigan State tops Canisius 102-54
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- The freshmen trio of Aerial Powers, Tori Jankoska and Branndais Agee anchored a running game and full-court press Thursday night that powered No. 19 Michigan State to a 102-54 win against Canisius in the first contest between the teams.
Powers led the Spartans (1-1) with 19 points and Agee added 14 points and eight rebounds. Jankoska turned in an all-around performance with 17 points, five rebounds and three assists. Klarissa Bell had nine rebounds.
Michigan State took an early lead and never trailed, deploying a fast-paced offense that went rim to rim and out-rebounding Canisius 45-21. The Spartans' full-court press defense shut down the Golden Griffins offense and held scoring threat Jamie Ruttle to a single point.
Jen Morabito and Emily Weber each scored 12 points for Canisius (1-1 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference).
With the win the Spartans have won 14 of their past 15 home openers.
No. 21 South Carolina blows out Charleston 81-54
COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Asia Dozier scored 16 points as No.21 South Carolina got past the College of Charleston 81-54 on Thursday night.
Dozier was just 6-of-12 from the field, but made four of her six 3-pointers for the Gamecocks (3-0). Aleighsa Welch scored 12 points and grabbed a career-high 17 rebounds. South Carolina dominated the paint, outrebounding Charleston 62-38. The Gamecocks attempted 42 free throws, making 22 of them, while Charleston managed just 18 attempts.
Afreyea Tolbert scored 14 points, on 5-of-15 shooting, and Charleston (1-2) made just 30.9 percent of its shots. The Cougars trailed 46-34 at the half, but were outscored 35-20 the rest of the way. Alyssa Frye, averaging 17 points per game coming in, made just two shots in 12 attempts.
No. 24 Georgia rolls over Mercer 72-41
ATHENS, Ga. -- Shacobia Barbee scored 15 points and grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds, leading No. 24 Georgia to a 72-41 win against Mercer on Thursday night.
The teams traded baskets early before a layup from Khaalidah Miller began a 17-0 run and the Bulldogs (2-0) built a 33-11 lead. Georgia's defense held the Bears (1-2) to just four field goals in the first half and 15 total points.
The Bears struggled, shooting 23.1 percent from the field and committing 22 turnovers compared to 11 for the Bulldogs. Georgia held a 56-39 advantage on the boards, including 21-10 on the offensive end.
Erika Ford tied a game-high with 15 points and added four steals. Merritt Hempe and Miller each had 13 for Georgia.
Ana Anderson scored 14 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead Mercer. Alicia Williams added 12 points and Teanna Robinson blocked nine shots and had 13 rebounds for the Bears.
