Freeman scores 21 as Baylor tops New Mexico State

If the Lady Bears win their first two games at home – against Texas Southern on Saturday, and then either LSU or California – they would then go to Oklahoma City to the home of the NBA’s Thunder, where last week they lost in the Big 12 Tournament final.

A microcosm of their season, the fifth-seeded Blue Devils pulled off come-from-behind victories and won four games in four days, a first in the conference, to capture the ACC crown for the first time since 2011.

The story ended quickly, though, with No. 14-seed Georgia State capping a miracle season with a 57-56 upset of the Bears in the round-of-64 behind a game-winning shot from coach’s son R.J. Hunter. But in the first half of this one, Acuil showed that he’s ready to bring it on the defensive end of the floor. That red-hot shooting by BU put NM State into a 70-53 deficit with7:34 left to play in the game. New Mexico State also hit 6 three pointers in the first half and looked to play upset over Baylor leading 40-38 at the half. Huggins matched Baker’s 19 points on 7-of-15 shooting – including three from downtown.

After scoring just four first-half points, Motley finished with his 14th double-double of the season. The Aggies entered the game 241st in 3-point percentage on KenPom.

“When the Board of Governors moved championships from North Carolina previous year, it was a clear response to state laws that local communities admitted would make it hard to assure that our events could be held in an environment that was safe, healthy, and free from discrimination for all those watching and participating in our events”, the NCAA said in a statement released this week.

On how special this team was this year… The USC Trojans have won six of their last seven games on neutral sites. “Just from a practical standpoint, we don’t have any choice right now”. I remember that day like it was yesterday, throwing up so many times.

“I haven’t noticed in the days that she’s practiced since being cleared that she’s any different than she was before”, coach Kim Mulkey said Friday. “We were given a tough route and we made it and we’re here”.

New Mexico State was on a mission to make the second round. New Mexico State normally can’t shoot, so it’s understandable Baylor opened in zone and wanted to make the Aggies beat them from the perimeter. “I think early in the season, I was really pressing and wasn’t letting it come to me”. “I don’t know what would be my most memorable thing at New Mexico State”. “I’m just happy and blessed that I’m able to come back and play again”. But overall, I loved my experience that I had at New Mexico State.

On where he thought the biggest growth was for the team…

“When somebody says, ‘do you regret doing HB2?’ No and absolutely not, I do not regret it”, Brody said, adding it made decades-long policy into state law. “He kind of got some stuff towards the back of the press and in transition, which is where we were in that lull offensively and we couldn’t get anything to go down”. “I was just about out”.

“I would hope that North Carolina should have learned from our lesson”, said South Carolina Sen. “We’ve done a lot of baseball and a lot of softball over the years. As far as going after some of those other events, next time people will have a better idea of what we’re trying to accomplish”.