No major upsets in opening day of women’s NCAA Tournament

Duke's Rebecca Greenwell shouts following her 3-point basket to take the lead against Albany late in the second half of a women's college basketball game in the first round of the NCAA tournament in Durham, N.C., Friday, March 20, 2015. Duke won 54-52. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome) Duke's Rebecca Greenwell shouts following her 3-point basket to take the lead against Albany late in the second half of a women's college basketball game in the first round of the NCAA tournament in Durham, N.C., Friday, March 20, 2015. Duke won 54-52. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

By Associated Press March 21, 2015 4 min read

The top seeds in the women’s NCAA Tournament were paying attention to the major upsets on the men’s opening day.

While some of the women’s hosts had scares, the top teams survived the opening round.

Duke had the most trouble of any host, needing a 3-pointer in the final seconds to beat 13th seed Albany 54-52. The Great Danes were trying to become just the second 13-seed to ever advance through the opening round.

Fourteen was a lucky number on the men’s side with two 14 seeds pulling off upsets. Not so much on the women’s side. Since the women’s tournament expanded in 1994 to 64 teams, no 14 or 15 seed has ever won a game, falling to 0-172. Harvard remains the only 16-seed to ever win a NCAA Tournament game when the Crimson knocked off Stanford in 1998. The 16-seeds haven’t come within single digits since (and have never beat a top seed on the men’s side).

Both South Dakota State and American gave scares to No. 3 seeds Oregon State and Iowa, but fell short.