Missouri State upsets DePaul behind hot 3-point shooting

Sydney Manning and Mya Bhinhar hit 3-pointers in a 12-2 flurry in the second quarter Saturday afternoon as 11th-seeded Missouri State used accurate long-range shooting to upset sixth-seeded DePaul 89-78 in the first round of the Women's NCAA Tournament in Ames, Iowa.

It was the sixth straight win for the Bears (24-9), who advance to the second round to play Monday against site host and No. 3 seed Iowa State, which beat 14th-seeded New Mexico State 97-61 later Saturday.

DePaul (26-8), which had reached at least the second round of the NCAA tourney in each of the last five years, saw its season come to a close after losing for the first time in 12 games.

The Blue Demons led by as many as five points in the first quarter and trailed just 28-27 in the second period before Manning put Missouri State ahead for good with her 3-pointer.

Alexa Willard and Abby Hipp added hoops and Bhinhar bombed in her 3-pointer to complete the 12-2 run that produced a 40-29 lead with 1:54 left in the half.

The Bears, coming off a championship win in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament, went on to lead by as many as 15 points in the third period, before putting the game away with an 11-2 run to open the fourth quarter.

Willard had seven of her game-high-tying 20 points in the latter burst, which left DePaul behind 80-59.

Danielle Gitzen had 20 points and Elle Ruffridge 15 for Missouri State, which had participated in the Women's NIT the last two seasons.

Ruffridge (3 for 5), Willard (2 for 5), Gitzen (2 for 3) and Manning (2 for 3) combined for nine 3-pointers as the Bears shot 11 for 20 from beyond the arc.

DePaul, on the other hand, went just 10 for 35 on its 3-point attempts.

Gitzen also had eight rebounds and six assists for Missouri State, while Brice Calip added 12 points.

Chante Stonewall recorded a 17-point, 11-rebound double-double for DePaul, which won the Big East Conference tournament.

Ashton Millender matched Stonewall's team-high point total for the Blue Demons, while Sonya Morris added 10 points.

Missouri State outshot DePaul 52.5 percent to 42.5, helping the Bears overcome 19 turnovers.

--Field Level Media