COLLEGE BASKETBALL : WOMEN’S ROUNDUP : Vanderbilt Prevails in Close Game

Shelley Jarrard scored 12 points and No. 1-ranked Vanderbilt held off Stephen F. Austin’s upset bid for a 59-56 victory Thursday night in the semifinals of the women’s NCAA Midwest Regional at Nacogdoches, Tex.

The Ladyjacks (28-5) attacked Vanderbilt with a full-court trapping defense that kept them in the game. They forced the issue in the second half until the final six minutes, when the Commodores broke from a 46-45 lead with six consecutive points for a 52-45 lead with 3:11 to play.

Vanderbilt (29-2) scored 10 of its final 13 points on free throws.

In the other Midwest Regional semifinal, Danielle Whitehurst scored 22 points for Louisiana Tech (33-8) during a 59-43 victory over Southwest Missouri State (23-9).

*EAST REGIONAL

Heather Burge, formerly of Palos Verdes High, scored 17 of her 21 points during the second half to lead No. 9-ranked Virginia (26-5) to a 77-57 victory over Georgetown (23-7) at Richmond, Va. . . . Ohio State’s Audrey Burcy sparked an 18-4 run with 10:37 to play and the top-seeded Buckeyes (26-3) posted an 86-73 victory over Western Kentucky (24-7). Burcy scored seven points during the run and finished with 20.

*MIDEAST REGIONAL

Tia Jackson scored 19 points and helped break Auburn’s zone defense with her outside shooting as second-seeded Iowa (26-3) defeated the Tigers, 63-50, at Iowa City. The Hawkeyes also got 14 points each from Toni Foster and Necole Tunsil and 10 from Cathy Marx. Lauretta Freeman led Auburn (25-4) with 14 points. . . .Top-seeded Tennessee (29-2) got 13 points from Tiffany Woosley and used a dominating inside game during a 74-54 victory over North Carolina (23-7).