INDIANAPOLIS – Ameryst Alston scored 33 points and Cait Craft 24 as eighth-seeded Ohio State stunned top-seeded and No. 11-ranked Penn State 99-82 Friday in the Big Ten Conference women's basketball tournament quarterfinals.
The Buckeyes (17-17) advance to a Saturday semifinal vs. Iowa.
Ohio State shot 71.9 percent in the first half, when it made all 10 of its first-half three-pointers for a 58-34 lead. The 58 points were a tournament record.
"A few people made some shots," Ohio State freshman guard Cait Craft said. "When that happens, it becomes contagious for everybody."
The Lady Lions (22-7) were led by Ariel Edwards' career-high 29 points plus 10 rebounds. Maggie Lucas added 21 points, including two three-pointers that gave her the conference's career record with 358.
Ohio State built its lead to 27 points before Penn State cut it to nine with 2:56 left. The Buckeyes then went on an 11-2 run to seal the outcome, their first victory over a top-15 team since beating Michigan State in the 2011 conference tournament.
No. 23 Iowa 87, No. 17 Purdue 80: Ally Disterhoft scored 10 of her 12 points in the final 5:38 as the fifth-seeded Hawkeyes (25-7) used a 24-11 closing run to upend the fourth-seeded Boilermakers (21-8).
Courtney Moses' 24 points led Purdue in a game that saw seven ties and six lead changes.
